Use our online system to apply for selected visas or check visa details. Get help to use our online services.
We have enhanced Immigration Online. You can still access applications, documents or eVisas in the old system.
Find out what you need to do to hire a migrant and the visa options available.
If the migrant you want to hire is not already in New Zealand, they will only be able to travel here if they:
People who are eligible to travel include New Zealand citizens or permanent residents, Australian citizens or residents, visa waiver travellers, and people who hold a valid temporary entry visa.
If the migrant you want to hire is already in New Zealand, whether you can hire them may be affected by COVID-19 and their visa conditions.
If their visa was due to expire soon, it may have been extended due to COVID-19, or their visa conditions may have been relaxed to let them stay here for longer.
Visa extensions and visa conditions
Hiring migrants in New Zealand on student, work, resident or interim visas
You can only hire migrants if you have not been able to find New Zealanders to do the work. If you do consider hiring a migrant who is in New Zealand, there are obligations you need to meet before your potential employee can start working for you.
Find out about the requirements and conditions of various visas, and what support you can give to help your employees with their visa application process.
Before a migrant can begin working for you, you must check that the conditions of their visa allow them to work. With VisaView, you can satisfy yourself that your prospective employee is able to settle here and work for you.
Check someone can legally work for you
VisaView allows New Zealand employers to check the details of a worker's current visa. View our detailed guides for VisaView.
LOGIN or CREATE AN ACCOUNTIf you frequently hire migrants or have many positions to fill, there are several options for streamlining the visa application process.
You can get accreditation to use the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) to hire migrants on visas for up to 3 years. You must pay at least the NZ median wage, unless the role is on an exemption list, and show that you cannot find suitable New Zealanders first.
We work with arts and music festival organisers to simplify the visa application process. Performers and direct support staff participating in an ‘approved’ arts or music festival can come to New Zealand as visitors.
You could consider applying for Entertainment Industry Accreditation if you have a need to recruit multiple entertainment industry workers from overseas. If you become an accredited employer, you can avoid having to ask a New Zealand Union entertainment union, guild or professional association for their agreement each time you need to hire someone.
We work with entertainment promoters to simplify the visa application process. Performers and direct support staff of short-term live entertainment acts promoted by an ‘approved promoter’ can enter New Zealand as visitors.
Employers can apply for an Approval in Principle to recruit 7 or more foreign crew for work on a fishing vessel. Approvals in Principle will only be approved if there aren’t enough New Zealanders available to do the work.
Each year approximately 1,750 people from the Pacific are granted residence under the Samoan Quota Scheme and Pacific Access Category (PAC).
You should consider becoming a Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) if you are a horticulture or viticulture employer who cannot find New Zealand workers to plant, maintain, harvest and pack crops. If granted RSE status, you can then apply for an Agreement to Recruit which allows you to recruit workers from offshore to fill these roles.
You may wish to consider applying for a Supplementary Seasonal Employment (SSE) Approval in Principle, if you need to supplement your New Zealand workforce with overseas workers to manage seasonal labour demands. If we approve your application, you can employ the number of overseas workers detailed in your Approval in Principle. To be able to work for you, workers must already be in New Zealand and have an SSE Work Visa.
You can consider applying for Work Exchange Scheme approval if you wish to arrange short-term work opportunities in New Zealand and overseas as part of a reciprocal arrangement. People from overseas who have been accepted into an approved work exchange scheme can work for up to 12 months in New Zealand. If your scheme allows it, they can apply to bring partners and dependent children with them too.
