New Zealand Revises Work Visa Requirements, Limits Foreign Workers' Families

Key Highlights:

1. Starting June 26, 2024, AEWV holders in positions classified as ANZSCO levels 4 and 5 will require an entrance to residency to support work, visitor, or New Zealand student visa applications for their partners and dependent children. 
2. The ability to support visas for the family is now based on the AEWV job being on the Green List, meeting Green List standards, and ANZSCO skill level. These restrictions do not apply to visas approved before June 26, 2024. 

The New Zealand Government has made additional amendments to the Accredited Employer Work Visa Scheme (AEWV). Implementing on June 26, 2024, people with an AEWV in professions at ANZSCO levels 4 and 5 who do not have access to residency will be unable to assist work, guest, or student visa applications for their partners and dependent children.

Holders of an Accredited Employer Work Visa may be eligible to sponsor a variety of visas for their family, like work visas for partners, visitor visas for partners or children, and student visas for children. The ability to sponsor these visas is determined by several variables, including whether the holder's choice of profession is on the Green List, compliance with Green List criteria, wages, and the occupation's ANZSCO skill level.

If you sponsored a visa for your family before June 26, 2024, your position is immune from the modified policy adjustments. 

According to New Zealand visa news, in case you want to sponsor a work visa for your spouse, you have two options: an open work visa or a visa with constraints. An open work visa allows your partner to work at any employer without salary constraints. In contrast, a work visa with constraints compels your partner to follow specified job norms or limitations.

New Zealand Immigration Website announced, “We have updated the Green List with the main Bachelor degrees and Bachelor Honours qualifications that lead to registration for certain occupations. These are occupations that have registration as a requirement instead of New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) qualifications.”

Additionally, New Zealand work visa requirements have revised the work rights and rules for partners of students. Spouses of students studying Level 7 or 8 qualifications specified on the Green List can now apply for work visas with flexible terms. This adjustment allows students with Level 7 graduate certificates and Bachelor's degrees, as well as Level 8 postgraduate certificates and Bachelor's Honours, to assist their partners. These students can now help their partners apply for a Partner of a Student Work Visa.

Conclusion

According to New Zealand visa news, effective June 26, 2024, AEWV holders in ANZSCO levels 4 and 5 must have a residency pathway to sponsor family visas, affecting future applications while exempting pre-June 26 applicants. Additionally, the New Zealand Government has expanded work visa options for spouses of Level 7 or 8 students on the Green List to provide better support to overseas students and their families as immigration policy changes proceed.