Essential Skills Visa for jobs paid below the median wage

From 19th July 2021, Essential Skills Visa holders will be able to apply for a longer visa to remain in their current role.

- Increase the maximum duration of Essential Skills visas for employment paid below the median wage from 12 months to two years.
- Remove the requirement to provide a police certificate or medical certificate with an Essential Skills visa application, if one has been provided previously.
- Remove the labour market test requirement and not require an employment agreement to be provided for applicants who meet the streamlined criteria.

These measures will make it easier for employers to retain their current migrant workforce.

The streamlined criteria applies if an applicant is remaining in their current, full-time employment and they hold one of the following visas:
- a work visa of any type (including a Working Holiday visa), or
- a student visa with conditions allowing unlimited work rights (see U13.15.15), or
- a Critical Purpose visitor visa either granted as a critical health worker, or granted for more than six months as an ‘other critical worker’ (including those coming in under a class exception).

Note:
- Fees for the two-year Essential Skills visa will remain the same at $495.
- Employers will still need to undergo a labour market test for vacant roles or where your worker will change the region they work for you in.
​- The duration of Essential Skills visas for roles paid the median wage or above will still be up to three years.
- These changes to requirements will apply up to the middle of next year. ​

Paper-based Application until 28 August 2021

From 19 July 2021 until 28 August 2021, applicants need to apply using paper-based forms below. From 30 August 2021 applicants will be able to apply online instead.

Check more details of this important change

You can flip through the below e-book by clicking left or right side. 

​Accredited Employer Work Visa temporarily deferred

​The introduction of the AEWV, previously scheduled for 1 November 2021, will be temporarily deferred to the middle of next year.

Updated Skills Match Report

Ahead of the introduction of the Accredited Employer Work Visa system, the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) is changing its process for testing our labour market to more effectively prioritise New Zealand jobseekers.

The updated Skills Match Report is available from 19 July 2021. Updating the Skills Match Report ahead of the wider reforms next year will allow employers time to adapt to the new format.