Religious Workers Residence Visa

To sponsor a religious worker’s resident visa application, you must be a representative of a religious organisation:

• that’s registered as a charity with Charities Services
• that can meet the requirements for acceptable sponsors for a period of 5 years after your religious worker’s resident visa is granted, including providing them with accommodation and financial support if they need it
• that’s main purpose is to advance religion
• that has a genuine need for the sponsored religious worker to do religious work for them.

You must complete a Sponsorship Form for Religious Workers, as evidence of your sponsorship.

What sponsors must do – responsibilities and obligations

Charities Services website

Sponsorship Form for Religious Workers (INZ 1190) PDF 300KB

The work you offer can be paid or unpaid, but it must be mostly made up of one or more of the following religious activities:

• teaching religious scripture or philosophy
• leading religious ceremonies, worship or prayer
• ordaining new religious leaders, initiating new members into your religious community, carrying out religious ceremonies
• providing spiritual guidance and care.

If the work is paid employment for salary or wages, you must provide an employment agreement that complies with employment law.

Minimum employment rights

Your employment and/or job description should be included with your Sponsorship Form for Religious Workers.

If the work is unpaid or paid by other means, you must provide a job description.

Sponsorship Form for Religious Workers (INZ 1190) PDF 300KB