Apply for an Agreement to Recruit (ATR)
When you have RSE status, apply for an Agreement to Recruit (ATR) and get it approved before starting overseas recruitment.
Employ workers through the RSE Scheme
- RSE Scheme overview for employers
- RSE Scheme requirements for employers
- Apply or reapply for RSE status
- Apply for an Agreement to Recruit (ATR)
- Agreement to Recruit calendar for RSE employers
- Pay repatriation costs to send RSE workers home
- Minimum requirements for RSE worker employment agreements
- Employer evidence required for an ATR
- ATR requirements for RSE employers
- Provide pastoral care for RSE workers
- Recruit and hire RSE workers
- RSE forms and guides for employers
You can apply for your own ATR, or work with another employer in a joint ATR.
Contact us about worker accommodation requirements
Before completing your ATR, get in touch with your RSE Labour Inspectorate contact for help with worker accommodation requirements.
Check your RSE allocation
You must have enough RSE allocation for your ATR.
If you have used your allocation, or you need more, you can work with another employer in a joint ATR.
You must keep within your approved allocation unless you are part of a joint ATR. For advice on joint ATRs, contact your RSE relationship manager at Immigration New Zealand.
Check the ATR calendar
Decide on when you want workers to start with you, then check the ATR calendar to see when to apply for your ATR.
Agreement to Recruit calendar for RSE employers
Make sure your RSE status is up to date
You must have RSE status before you can apply for an ATR. Check your status using the RSE list:
Recognised Seasonal Employer list
Check you can meet the ATR requirements
Gather your ATR evidence
Sign a letter of guarantee
You need to include a signed letter of guarantee in your application. It is your agreement to pay a fixed amount of repatriation costs for workers who break their visa conditions.
Pay repatriation costs to send RSE workers home
Copy the employment agreement
Send with your application a copy of the employment agreement you will give to your overseas worker.
If this is a joint ATR, we need copies of worker employment agreements:
- from each employer
- showing consecutive employment dates across the employment agreements.
Minimum requirements for an RSE worker employment agreement
From 1 October 2023, the minimum pay rate and a new sick pay entitlement come into effect. Check the guide for help applying these changes.
Increased pay and new sick leave entitlement for RSE workers — 1 October
Fill in and send your ATR application
- Fill in the ATR application form — each employer in a joint ATR will need to fill in their own ATR.
Application for an Agreement to Recruit (INZ 1141) PDF 1MB - Search for 'Agreement to Recruit' in our fees finder for the application cost and how long it takes to process.
Fees, decision times and where to apply - Post your ATR application form and supporting documents to the address on the application form.
For joint ATRs:
- all ATRs and supporting documents need to be sent together
- tell us who the main employer is, as they are responsible for bringing the workers into New Zealand
- the RSE Labour Inspectorate will send a Joint Agreement Deduction Check form to the main employer to complete. The form confirms who the main employer is, the amount of deductions, what they are for, and over what period.
Making voluntary deductions
We assess your ATR application
We assess your ATR application and decide if we can approve it.
We also check the employers in the joint ATR have enough in their RSE allocations.
If we approve your ATR
If we approve your ATR you:
- can start the next step of the recruitment process, which is recruiting and hiring RSE workers:
Recruit and hire RSE workers - keep a note of the ATR number on your approval letter — it goes on your worker's visa application and ensures the correct conditions are on the visa.
WorkSafe NZ or the Labour Inspectorate may ask to audit your workplace.