Immigration New Zealand made significant revisions to the visa regulations for partners of Essential Skills and Accredited Employer Work Visa holders applying for new Partner of Worker Work Visas. Until now, these partners had considerable freedom to pursue their own employment opportunities within New Zealand.
However, under the new guidelines, most individuals in this category will be required to secure jobs that pay at least the median hourly wage in New Zealand, currently set at NZ$29.66/hr. Exceptions to this wage requirement include cases where the partner earns at least double the median wage or if they are working in a role listed on the green list.
Additionally, the updated restrictions stipulate that partners seeking these new visas:
- Can only work for an accredited employer.
- Are not allowed to be self-employed.
- Must not work in roles covered by capped sector agreements if the wage falls below the median New Zealand wage.
These visa changes apply to the majority of partners of workers who hold an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) or an Essential Skills Work Visa (ESWV). However, it is important to note that these changes will not impact current work visa conditions or applicants who submit their applications before 31 May 2023. Furthermore, there are no alterations to visa conditions for partners of New Zealand citizens or those holding other work visas, such as a Post Study Work Visa.
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