WK4.1 Currency of Essential Skills work visas (28/08/2017)

1. An Essential Skills work visa may be granted for the period for which the employment is offered, up to a maximum of:
   1. 5 years for employment assessed as higher-skilled; or
   2. 3 years for employment assessed as mid-skilled; or
   3. 1 year for employment assessed as lower-skilled, unless a 1 year visa would result in the holder exceeding the 3 year maximum period holding Essential Skills visas for lower-skilled employment (WK3.20.5); or
   4. 3 years for employment for an accredited labour hire company; or
   5. 1 year or 6 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 1 year visa, for employment assessed as lower-skilled, would result in the holder exceeding the 3 year maximum period holding Essential Skills visas for lower-skilled work, the visa may be granted for the remainder of the 3 year period.
3. Despite (a) above, if an application for a work visa is approved on the basis of approval in principle issued prior to 28 August 2017, the duration of that work visa may be consistent with the duration stated in that approval in principle.

Note: The maximum 3 year period is based on the total period that the applicant held Essential Skills work visas to work in lower-skilled employment, regardless of whether the holder was inside or outside New Zealand while holding the visa.

Effective 28/08/2017