Immigration New Zealand has introduced a new 3-check visa application system for temporary work visa holders effective from mid-2021.
The new visa application process will be employer led. Before hiring a migrant on the new employer-assisted temporary work visa, employers will need to:
The new employer-assisted work visa replaces these 6 work visas:
The system will introduce 3 checks before an employer can hire a migrant worker. These checks are:
The employer check will replace 3 current employer schemes:
To pass the employer check you need accreditation in the new system. Only accredited employers can hire a migrant worker on the employer-assisted work visa.
These 2 main accreditation levels are:
This only includes employees you want to hire on employer-assisted work visas.
Franchisees and Labour Hire companies will need to meet additional criteria to get accredited.
When you are approved you will receive accreditation for 12 months. At renewal, some employers will be granted accreditation for 24 months.
To gain standard accreditation you must not be on a non-compliant stand-down list — a list of employers who have broken employment law.
You must also comply with all relevant industry and regulatory standards.
High-volume employers must commit to improving pay and employment conditions, as well as training and upskilling New Zealanders.
We will retain information you previously supplied when applying for renewed accreditation.
You will need a New Zealand Business Number (NZBN) so we can link your business information with the new platform.
The system will guide you to ensure you provide all the information we need.
You will need to pay the fee for the employer check.
INZ will work with employers to transition to the new accreditation process. More details about the new accreditation criteria will be provided to employers in early 2021.
The job check will confirm the job pays our market rate, the terms and conditions comply with our employment laws, and you have done a labour market test if you need to.
A labour market test shows you have genuinely advertised the role to New Zealanders and there are no New Zealanders available to do the job in that region.
Jobs paying 200% of the median wage and those on skills shortage lists do not need a labour market test.
You can only hire a migrant worker if the job check is passed. Employers pay for a job check.
Some industries hire large numbers of migrant workers — sector agreements may be negotiated with them. Agreements will include a workforce plan and conditions that need to be met to recruit a temporary migrant worker for specific occupations in the sector.
The migrant worker check is where the migrant work applies for a visa. It is the last in the new system. The migrant worker must show they meet INZ’s character, identity and health requirements, and have the skills to do the job before being granted a visa.
Migrant workers or employers pay for this check.
Further information on fees will be announced in early 2021.
The following temporary work visas will not be changed by the new visa system:
People who hold visas based on work paid below the median wage will still have to leave New Zealand for a 1-year stand down period after they have been working for 3 years.
The new visa will still have conditions specifying an employer, job and location. To change any of these the visa holder will still have to get a variation of conditions or apply for a new visa.
Current work visas remain valid until their expiry date if all employment conditions are met.
The Talent (Accredited Employer) work visa salary threshold is now 150% of the median wage (NZD $79,560).
The threshold for determining the conditions of an Essential Skills Visa is now the median wage.