WK4.1 Currency of Essential Skills work visas (to 04/07/2022)

1. An Essential Skills work visa may be granted for the period for which the employment is offered, up to a maximum of:
   1. 3 years for employment paid at or above the median wage; or
   2. 24 months for employment paid below the median wage, unless a 24 month visa would result in the holder exceeding the relevant maximum period allowed under WK3.20.5 or WK3.20.6; or
   3. 3 years for employment for an accredited labour hire company; or
   4. 24 months if the applicant meets the requirements at WK3.20.10 for people also applying under the Skilled Migrant Category for a resident visa.
2. Where the grant of a 24 month visa for employment paid below the median wage, would result in the holder exceeding the relevant maximum period allowed under WK3.20.5 or WK3.20.6, the visa may be granted for the remainder of the relevant maximum period.
3. Despite (a) above, if an application for a work visa is approved on the basis of approval in principle issued prior to 27 July 2020, the duration of that work visa may be consistent with the duration stated in that approval in principle.
4. Despite (b) above, a visa may be granted for up to 24 months in accordance with WK3.20.9.
5. Despite the normal requirement that applications must be determined in accordance with the instructions in force at the date an application is made (E7.10(a)(ii)), people who applied for an Essential Skills work visa before 19 July 2021 based on employment paid below the median wage may be granted a visa for 24 months, even if the instructions on the date they applied specified a 6 or 12 month duration.

Note: The maximum periods allowed under WK3.20.5 are based on the total period that the applicant held Essential Skills work visas to work in employment assessed as paid below the median wage (and/or lower-skilled employment for applications made prior to 27 July 2020), and applies regardless of whether the holder was inside or outside New Zealand while holding the visa.

Effective 19/07/2021