Essential Skills Work Visa New Zealand 2025: New Updates

By Vipul Jain

04 Dec, 2024

Scholarship

The Essential Skills Work Visa was a popular option for international workers planning to work in New Zealand. This visa allowed skilled workers to work in New Zealand temporarily, provided they met certain requirements. However, it is important to note that this visa category is no longer available, as it has been replaced by the Accredited Employer Work Visa, effective from 4th July 2022.

In this blog, we will discuss the Essential Skills Work Visa, its requirements, benefits, and application process.

This visa closed permanently on 4 July 2022.

Overview:

The Essential Skills Work Visa allowed skilled workers to work in New Zealand temporarily, provided they met certain requirements. This visa category was aimed at addressing skill shortages in the country and allowed international workers to gain valuable work experience in New Zealand. However, this visa category is now closed to new applications, and the new Accredited Employer Work Visa has taken its place.

Requirements:

To be eligible for the Essential Skills Work Visa, you had to have a job offer from a New Zealand employer, meet the skill, health, character, and language requirements, and have the necessary qualifications and experience for the job. You also had to demonstrate that no New Zealand citizens or residents were available to fill the position.

Benefits:

The Essential Skills Work Visa offered a range of benefits, including:

1. The ability to work in New Zealand temporarily and gain valuable work experience.
2. The opportunity to explore the beautiful country of New Zealand and its unique culture.
3. The chance to develop your skills and advance your career.

Key Features:

The key features of the Essential Skills Work Visa include:

• The visa was tied to a specific employer in New Zealand.
• The visa was temporary and valid for up to 5 years, depending on the duration of the job offer.
• You could include your partner and dependent children in your visa application.
• You could apply for a visitor visa for your partner or dependent children, which would allow them to stay in New Zealand for the same duration as your work visa.

Visa Cost:

The visa expense is about NZ$700.

Application Process:

It is important to note that, this category is closed, but here you can only read the application process about it. To apply for the Essential Skills Work Visa, you had to follow these steps:

1. Find a job in New Zealand that matches your skills and experience.
2. Have your employer complete an Employer Supplementary Form and a job description for your position.
3. Gather all the necessary documents and information, such as your passport, qualifications, and work experience.
4. Submit an online application through the Immigration New Zealand website.
5. Pay the application fee and wait for a decision on your application.
6. If your application is approved, you will receive a work visa that is valid for up to 5 years.

You may apply for NZ Skilled Migrant Visa in 2023.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the Essential Skills Work Visa was a popular option for international workers planning to work in New Zealand. This visa allowed skilled workers to work in New Zealand temporarily, gain valuable work experience, and explore the country's unique culture. However, it has been replaced by the Accredited Employer Work Visa, which offers similar benefits and opportunities for international workers.