Fishing Crew Work Visa — Support a candidate's visa application
You can support the visa applications of up to 6 fishing crew members to work on a single fishing vessel. If you want to hire 7 or more crew members you must have Approval in Principle to support their visas.
-
Visa length
Up to
12 months
To support your candidate's visa application, you must:
- have evidence that you tried to recruit New Zealanders for the jobs first
- provide each crew member with an employment agreement in English and their own language
- sponsor each crew member, including agreeing to financially support each crew member for the length of their stay
- be in a sound financial position.
This option helps you:
- support someone to apply for a Fishing Crew Work Visa
- recruit 6 or less fishing crew members for up to 12 months and sponsor each of them to apply for the Fishing Crew Work Visa.
If you want to recruit 7 or more foreign fishing crew, you will need to apply for an Approval in Principle.
Support your candidates' visa application
Genuine attempt to recruit New Zealanders
You must have tried to recruit New Zealanders for the positions first.
You must provide evidence for your candidate's application that you have attempted to recruit New Zealanders first. This may include proof you:
- advertised the work in a large newspaper or website
- asked a recruitment agency to help you find candidates
- asked Work and Income for help to find candidates.
Note
We will consult with the Ministry of Social Development when we assess the availability of New Zealanders to do the work.
Provide each crew member a job offer
You must provide each crew member with an employment agreement in English and in their own language.
Your employment agreement must:
- provide minimum crew working conditions
- comply with New Zealand employment and immigration law.
Note
If you have a history of non-compliance with employment or immigration law, Immigration New Zealand may not give visas to your candidates.
Sponsor each crew member
You must sponsor each crew member.
You must provide for your candidate's application a completed ‘Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry’.
Financial position
You must be in a sound financial position.
Evidence may include:
- a statement from a chartered accountant confirming the business is financially sound and able to meet all of its outstanding obligations
- sets of accounts certified by an accountant
- annual reports
- business plans
- company profile and registration details, including the names of directors and shareholders
- information about the business’ reputation and history.
Note
If available, you should provide business records covering at least 2 financial years.
Complete an Employer Supplementary Form for each crew member
For each person you hire you must complete a 'Supplementary Form for Foreign Crew of a Fishing Vessel'.
You will need to give your completed form to your candidate, who will need to include it with their work visa application together with their employment agreement.
Note
If you want to recruit 7 or more foreign fishing crew, you will need to apply for an Approval in Principle.
Process to hire candidates on the Fishing Crew Work Visa
-
1
Step 1: Provide a job offer
To bring someone to New Zealand under this visa, you will first have to provide a job offer. Your candidate will need to provide this to support their visa application.
-
2
Step 2: Candidate applies for a work visa
Each candidate will need to apply for a visa to allow them to work for you. For us to process their visa application, each candidate will need to send their Fishing Crew Work Visa application, with all of the required evidence, to us. This includes:
- a copy of their job offer and employment agreement you provided them
- the sponsorship form you completed for them
- the Supplementary Form for Foreign Crew of a Fishing Vessel you completed for them.
They will also need to meet all of the other requirements of the Fishing Crew Work Visa, including the good character, health and genuine intentions requirements. These requirements are explained in the Fishing Crew Work Visa.
Preparing an application varies in complexity. The applicant may need to gather many documents to support their application, which can take time.
-
3
Step 3: Wait for our decision
We make a decision about your candidate’s application as soon as we can. Find out how long these visas usually take to decide in our Fees, decision times and where to apply tool.
-
4
Step 4: Employee starts work
As soon as your candidate has been given a visa, they can come to New Zealand and start working for you.
You can check they have a work visa by asking to see their visa label or letter, or using our online system.