If you are granted residence, we will take you through all you need to know about settling in New Zealand. We have strong settlement support, and we want to keep in touch with you to help with any issues you are having.
A residence visa
If you were issued a residence visa, you must still meet some requirements to ensure you remain a New Zealand resident.
- If you claimed points for an offer of skilled employment, you must take that job up within three months of being granted your permit. You must also stay in that job for at least three months and provide us with evidence that you have met these requirements within seven months of being granted your first residence permit.
- If you got points for already having a skilled job that you have held for less than three months, you must stay in the job until three months is up.
Additionally, before we place a residence visa or permit in your passport you must pay the migrant levy, and meet any required ESOL agreement, along with any fee this incurs.
Please make sure you give us your contact details in New Zealand. We want to be able to provide settlement support, send you a questionnaire about your immigration experiences.
A work to residence visa or permit
If you have been offered a work to residence visa or permit instead of a residence visa or permit, there are certain things you have to do.
- Within three months of the offer, you must return your application form for the work to residence visa or permit.
- During the visa or permit application, you must show us that you are able to support yourself and your family for at least the first three months in New Zealand. This means NZ$1000 per person for each month, or NZ$400 per person each month if your accommodation has been paid for.
- You will also have to show that you have the money available to purchase tickets to your home country for you and your family should you have to leave New Zealand.
If you are out of New Zealand, you will get a work to residence visa which will allow you to travel to New Zealand within three months. On arrival, or if you are already in New Zealand, you will be granted a nine-month work permit.
Note: If you made your application under the Skilled Migrant Category before 10 April 2007, your work to residence visa or permit will be valid for six months.
A declined application
If your application for residence as a skilled migrant is declined, you may still be able to apply under another category.
Useful information
See our section of useful information to learn about preparing for your departure, what to do when you arrive, how to make your first few days and weeks easier and more enjoyable, and how to settle in over the long term. We would also like to hear about your experience, so feel free to give us your feedback.