China Skilled Workers Visa — Support a candidate's visa application
If you want to hire someone from China who is qualified to work in a job on the China skilled work list, you will need to support your candidate's visa application. Your candidate can then apply for a China Skilled Workers Visa.
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Visa length
Up to
3 years
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Visas available
Each year
1,000
To support your candidate's visa application, you must:
- provide them with a job offer for the skilled work you would be bringing them to New Zealand to do
- comply with New Zealand employment law.
This option helps you:
- support someone to apply for a China Skilled Workers Visa
- hire someone from China for an occupation on the China skilled work list for up to 3 years.
A maximum of 100 skilled Chinese workers for each job on the China skilled work list can be on the China Skilled Workers Visa at any one time.
A maximum of 1,000 skilled Chinese workers in total can be on this visa at any one time.
Support your candidate's visa application
Provide a job offer and employment agreement
You must provide a job offer that includes a written employment agreement, which your candidate will need to support their application.
The employment agreement must be:
- for one of the occupations on the China skilled work list
- be for at least 30 hours a week
- include a full job description, terms and conditions for the job, and your contact details
- comply with New Zealand employment law.
When your candidate applies for the China Skilled Workers Visa, they must provide a copy of a written employment agreement to support their visa application.
Employee rights and responsibilities — Employment New Zealand
Note
You do not have to check if there are any New Zealanders available to do the work before you offer the job.
Process to hire a candidate on the China Skilled Workers Visa
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Step 1: Provide a job offer
First, provide a job offer that includes an employment agreement for work on the China skilled work occupations list.
If your candidate will need New Zealand occupational registration to work in New Zealand, they will need to get this before they can apply for a work visa.
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Step 2: If occupational registration needed, candidate applies for a visitor visa
If your candidate will need New Zealand registration to do the work they have been offered, they will need to come to New Zealand to start the registration process before applying for this work visa.
They will need to apply for a visitor visa to do this. For us to give them a visitor visa, they will need to provide us with written confirmation from a New Zealand registration body that they are eligible for registration.
Once your candidate has New Zealand registration, they can apply for a China Skilled Workers Visa.
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Step 3: Candidate applies for a China Skilled Workers Visa
Your candidate will need to apply for a visa to allow them to work for you.
For us to process their visa application, they must send us all the information we ask for. This includes:
- a copy of their job offer and employment agreement you provided them, and
- evidence they have the necessary qualifications, experience and/or registration to do the work they have been offered.
They will also need to meet all of the other requirements of the China Skilled Workers Visa, including the good character, health and genuine intentions requirements. These requirements are explained in the China Skilled Workers Visa.
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Step 4: Wait for our decision
We make a decision about your candidate’s application as soon as we can. Find out how long these visas usually take to decide in our Fees, decision times and where to apply tool.
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Step 5: Employee starts work
As soon as your candidate has been given a visa, they can start working for you.
Once their visa is issued, they have 6 months to arrive in New Zealand if they are not already here on a visitor visa.
Your employee will only be able to work for you doing the special work they have been brought to New Zealand to do. They will not be allowed to work for anyone else or do any other work, even if that work is for you.