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Immigration instructions have been introduced from November 2011 to enable religious workers to provide New Zealand communities the opportunity to practice, maintain and advance their religious beliefs. Religious workers can apply for work and resident visas under Religious Worker immigration instructions.

Who is this factsheet for?

This factsheet is for people who would like to apply to enter and work in New Zealand as a religious worker and organisations who may support religious workers through sponsorship.

What visas are religious workers eligible to apply for?

Religious workers may be eligible for a work visa for two consecutive periods of up to two years each, and may apply for a resident visa after holding a Religious Worker work visa for at least three years.

What is religious work?

Religious work includes:

• teaching or guidance in religious scripture or philosophy
• leading religious practice, worship or prayer
• conducting religious initiations, ordination or ritual
• ministering or pastoral care, or
• roles of religious leadership in relation to any of the above.

Who can sponsor a religious worker?

A religious worker can be sponsored by an organisation that is registered with the New Zealand Charities Commission with a primary purpose of advancing religion. Registration information can be found on the Charities Commission website.

What are a sponsor’s responsibilities?

Sponsors must provide for the costs of a religious worker’s maintenance (cover for their health and welfare needs including food, clothing and healthcare), accommodation and repatriation (or deportation) to their home country, if this is required, for the duration of their work visa(s), and for five years from the date a resident visa is granted to the religious worker.

Who may qualify for a Religious Worker work visa?

A religious worker may qualify for a work visa if they:

• will be undertaking religious work in New Zealand
• have a sponsoring organisation who has agreed to support them for the duration of their visa
• have training and/or experience of at least two years in religious work related to the work they are applying for
• are of good health and character, and
• have evidence to support the above.

Who may qualify for a Religious Worker resident visa?

A religious worker may qualify for a resident visa if they:

• have held a Religious Worker work visa (or a Ministers of Religion, missionaries, and members of religious orders work visa, or Specific purpose or event work visa for pastors and lay missionaries) for at least three years
• will be undertaking ongoing religious work in New Zealand
• have a sponsoring organisation who has agreed to support them for five years from the day their resident visa is granted
• have training and/or experience of at least five years in religious work related to the work they are applying for
• are 55 years or younger on the date they apply for a resident visa
• meet a minimum standard of English
• are of good health and character
• have not applied for or been granted welfare assistance for the duration of their work visas, and
• have evidence to support the above.

Can partners and/or dependent children enter and stay in New Zealand with a religious worker?

Partners will be eligible for an open work visa for the duration of the religious worker’s work visa. 

Dependent children may be granted a student or visitor visa if the combined income of the religious worker and their partner meets a minimum threshold or the organisation sponsoring the religious worker agrees to also sponsor the dependent children.

Religious workers may include partners and dependent children in their application for a resident visa to enable them to also be granted residence.