Your partner and/or children

Your partner or dependent children cannot be included in your application. They will need to apply for their own visitor, student or work visa to come to New Zealand.

Once you hold a work visa, your partner may be able to apply for a work visa under our Family Stream.

If you need to stay longer

If you need to stay longer in New Zealand, you can apply for a further work visa.

You will need to allow enough time for a decision to be made on your application before your current visa expires. If your current visa expires, your application for a further visa does not make your stay in New Zealand lawful or give you the right to remain in New Zealand while your application is being considered.

There is no limit on the number of further visas you may obtain, however the category that you apply under must continue to be met. For some categories, such as Essential Skills, this will include a labour market check to find out whether any New Zealand citizens or residents have become available to take up the position for which you are applying for a work visa.

Apply

Follow the steps to apply for a temporary work visa under the relevant category.

• Essential Skills – for people who have a job offer from a New Zealand employer. Find out how to apply.
• Specific Purpose or Event – for people who want to work here temporarily for a particular purpose or event such as a tournament, a show or for certain professional reasons. Find out how to apply.
• Students and Trainees – for students or trainees who want to gain work experience in New Zealand. Find out how to apply.
• Study to Work – for students eligible to work in New Zealand after completing their studies. Find out how to apply.
• Family Stream – for people who want to work temporarily while joining their partner here. Find out how to apply.
• Work Exchange Scheme – for people who want to take part in a work exchange scheme that has been pre-approved by us or is a government to government exchange scheme. Find out how to apply.
• China skilled work categories – for Chinese nationals who wish to apply to work in New Zealand under one of the China skilled work categories. Find out how to apply.
• Free Trade Agreement special work categories – for nationals of the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia who wish to apply to work in New Zealand under one of the special work categories. Find out how to apply.
• Silver Fern categories – for highly skilled young people with recognised qualifications who want to find skilled employment in New Zealand. Find out how to apply for the Job Search and the Practical Experience visas.
• Religious Worker instructions – for religious workers who wish to apply to work in New Zealand under Religious Worker instructions.  Find out how to apply.