If you have a vacancy and the occupation is on the Immediate Skill Shortage List (ISSL), you can employ a worker from overseas. You won’t need to show that you tried to recruit New Zealand citizens or residents.

Your new employee can apply for an Essential Skills work visa for the length of their employment contract or, if the position is ongoing, for up to three years.

There is no age limit for employees applying for an Essential Skills work visa, as this visa does not lead directly to residence.

If you are offering an ongoing job, your employee might be able to qualify for residence under the Skilled Migrant Category if they meet the requirements. Or, if you’re an accredited employer and the job offer meets the requirements, they could apply for a Work to Residence visa instead.

The job offer

Whether the job you’re offering is temporary or permanent, it needs to:

• be full time (at least 30 hours per week)
• meet New Zealand employment laws
• be paid at appropriate labour market rates (the rate that would be required to recruit a New Zealander to equivalent work).

What you need to do

As an employer, you need to:

• check the job is on the Immediate Skill Shortage List
• check that the person’s qualifications and experience meet the ISSL requirements
• make a job offer to the person you want to employ and provide them with an Employer Supplementary Form (INZ 1113) PDF [554KB]
• before they start work, check your employee has a valid visa to work for you.

Your employee

To qualify for an Essential Skills work visa under the ISSL option, your employee will need to:

• show that they have qualifications and experience that match the ISSL
• get full or provisional occupational registration before submitting their work visa application (if registration is needed to work in that occupation in New Zealand) e.g. dental technicians
• meet our health and character requirements.