If you are hiring a new employee or relocating a team member to New Zealand, you need to make sure they have the proper work visa under local immigration laws. Your company also needs to stay on top of labor and tax laws for compliant HR.

Known for its high quality of life and stunning natural landscapes, New Zealand is an attractive destination for international talent. In this article, Remote walks you through right-to-work checks, the different types of work visas, and the key visa requirements for your employee to work legally in New Zealand.

See also: The complete employer's guide to hiring in New Zealand

Right-to-work checks in New Zealand

Anyone who is not a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident needs a valid visa with work rights to legally work in the country. Employers can use Immigration New Zealand’s VisaView service to confirm a candidate’s visa status, any work conditions (for example, employer, role, or hours limits), and the visa expiry date.

Types of work visas in New Zealand

New Zealand has a wide range of working visa options that allow overseas talent to live and work legally in the country. 

Temporary work visas in New Zealand

Temporary work visas allow overseas workers to live and work in the country for a limited period, with some providing a pathway to residence. Types of temporary work visas in New Zealand include:

• Accredited Employer Work Visa: An Accredited Employer Work Visa if for migrants with a job offer from an employer accredited with Immigration New Zealand. This visa allows foreign nationals to work 30+ hours/week and stay up to five years depending on role, pay, and when they applied.
   
• Working Holiday Visa: A working holiday visa is for eligible young people to holiday and work in New Zealand, typically up to 12 months or longer for some nationalities. 
  
  
• Specific Purpose Work Visa: A Specific Purpose Work Visa is for people coming to do a defined project or event for the time needed to complete the work. 
  
  
• Post Study Work Visa: A Post Study Work Visa is for graduates of New Zealand's education providers. People on a Post-Study Work Visa can work up to three years, depending on what they studied.

Resident visas in New Zealand

A resident visa allows foreign nationals to live and work in New Zealand indefinitely. Types of resident visas available in New Zealand include:

• Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa: A Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa is for people with a skilled job or job offer from an accredited employer who can claim six points from a single skill indicator, such as occupational registration, a Bachelor’s degree or higher, or income at or above one and a half times the New Zealand median wage. Additional points can be gained for a Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa from certain work experience in New Zealand.
  
  
• Straight to Residence Visa (Tier 1 roles): Applicants with a job or job offer from an accredited employer in a Tier 1 Green List occupation can apply directly for residence.
  
  
• Work to Residence Visa (Tier 2 roles). Applicants who work for 24 months in a Tier 2 Green List occupation with an accredited employer may apply for residence.

Employee work visa sponsorship in New Zealand

When recruiting from overseas, confirm the correct visa option early and make sure the person’s visa conditions match the role (employer, occupation, hours, pay, and location). The employer is responsible for complying with immigration and employment law when hiring visa holders.

Note that if you plan to hire on the Accredited Employer Work Visa, you must:

• Obtain employer accreditation
• Pass a job check (including any required advertising)
• Invite the candidate to lodge their visa application

Before the start date, verify the candidate’s work entitlement and any work visa conditions using VisaView, an keep the record as evidence of compliance. If you’re AEWV-accredited, you also have settlement support obligations (for example, providing information about working and living in New Zealand) and must continue to meet accreditation standards. 

How to get a work visa in New Zealand

First, confirm the visa options and check the exact visa conditions before employment. For most hires from overseas, your company will likely start with the Accredited Employer Work Visa, a temporary work visa managed by Immigration NZ. 

• Employer accreditation: Your company applies to Immigration New Zealand (INZ) for Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) employer accreditation. Accreditation is required before you can support a migrant work visa under the AEWV pathway.
  
  
• Job Check: After accreditation, submit a Job Check for the position. INZ assesses pay and visa conditions for the role, and may require advertising or engagement with Work and Income within the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) depending on the role.
  
  
• Worker applies: Once the Job Check is approved, invite the candidate to lodge their AEWV visa application online, completing the INZ application form and uploading evidence (identity, job offer, qualifications, health, and character).
  
  
• Pre-start compliance: Before the start date, verify the granted visa and the worker’s work visa conditions (employer, occupation, hours, location, and any multiple-entry travel settings) using INZ’s VisaView. 
  
  
• Onboarding: Ask the employee to obtain an IRD number from Inland Revenue for tax purposes. Note that employees who earn income in New Zealand need a personal IRD number.

Digital nomad visas in in New Zealand

New Zealand does not offer a dedicated digital nomad visa. 

Digital nomads can enter the country on a Visitor Visa and work remotely for an overseas employer. Remote work must be for entities outside New Zealand, meaning applicants cannot take a job with a New Zealand employer on a visitor visa. 

A Working Holiday Visa offers limited work rights to citizens of eligible partner countries, typically for young people and usually for up to 12 months. Some nationalities benefit from longer stays, such as up to 23 months for Canada and up to 36 months for the United Kingdom.

How Remote can help with work visas in New Zealand

To hire or relocate employees to New Zealand, need to navigate labor and immigration laws to hire foreign nationals compliantly. You also need to stay on top of payroll and benefits according to local tax laws. 

That's why Remote’s Employer of Record service is invaluable. We act as the legal employer in New Zealand on your company’s behalf. Remote helps you stay compliant with local labor and tax laws, so you can onboard your employees in a matter of days to save time and resources. 

If you already have an entity in New Zealand, Remote can help with international employee relocation with case-by-case immigration assessments, and guidance on work visas in New Zealand. 

To learn more about the processes involved in relocating international employees, download Remote's Relocation Guide, or contact our Relocation team today.