Japanese Interpreters Work Visa — Support a candidate's visa application
If you are a New Zealand employer, work in a tourism-related industry and want to employ a Japanese interpreter, you may be able to do so with this visa. You can only employ someone from Japan if you have been unable to find a New Zealander to do the work.
What an employer needs to do
Genuine attempt to recruit
You must have tried to recruit New Zealanders for the positions.
Evidence you have attempted to recruit New Zealanders first 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.
Job offer
You must provide your candidate with an offer of full-time work in a tourism-related industry.
Your candidate will need a written employment agreement in a tourism-related industry to support their visa application, which must include:
- a description of the work they will be doing
- your name and contact details
- details of their pay and other conditions of employment
- their working hours
- the length of their contract
- details of any qualifications or experience they will need to do the work.
Employment agreements must comply with New Zealand employment law.
Employee rights and responsibilities — Employment New Zealand
Guarantee to cover certain costs
You must provide your candidate with a written guarantee that you will cover certain costs.
Before we can grant your candidate a visa, we will need your written guarantee that you will cover the following costs for them:
- their wages or salary
- any medical treatment not covered by the Accident Compensation Corporation
- their accommodation for the whole time they are in New Zealand
- their return home, once their employment ends.
Note
Your guarantee may be included in your candidate’s employment agreement.
What happens next
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Step 1: Provide a job offer
To employ someone under this category, you will first need to provide an offer of full-time work as an interpreter in a tourism-related industry.
You will also need to provide a written guarantee that you will cover the cost of their wages or salary, medical insurance, accommodation and return trip home.
Your guarantee may be included as part of your candidate’s employment agreement.
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Step 2: Candidate applies for a work visa
Your candidate will need to apply for a visa to allow them to work for you.
For us to process their visa application, they must send us all the information we ask for including a copy of their employment agreement, your written guarantee and evidence they are qualified to do the work they have been offered.
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Step 3: Wait for a decision
We make a decision about your candidate’s application as soon as we can. You can view our historic visa timeframes below.
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Step 4: Employee starts work
Your candidate must be granted a visa before they can start working for you.
Once their visa is granted, they have 6 months to arrive in New Zealand.
Your employee will only be able to work for you doing the special work they have been brought to New Zealand to do. They will not be allowed to work for anyone else or do any other work, even if that work is for you.
Prepare for when your workers from overseas arrive
Get organised before your new employee arrives in New Zealand. Put together information to help them settle into your workplace and life in New Zealand.From the first contact with your new employee to the time they arrive in New Zealand, be positive but realistic. Do not promise anything that you or New Zealand cannot deliver. You will only set migrants up for disappointment if life in New Zealand is not what they expected.
You can help your new migrant workers to prepare for work and life in a new country through giving them the information they need.
Some information is best provided before they leave and some when they arrive.
Much of this preparation will only need to be done once. If you hire migrant workers in the future, you will be very well prepared.
Where to start
If you are unsure of what things to consider, our checklist will prompt you with ways you can help your migrant employee. It includes things to do before they arrive, upon their arrival and during their first days at work.
Prepare information for your new staff
It pays to prepare some tailored content for your new migrant staff. If you don’t already have it, you may want to create:
- an orientation programme to introduce your workplace
- a welcome kit with local information about the region, accommodation and transport information.
You could also prepare existing staff for your new migrant employee by announcing their upcoming arrival on your website or staff communication channels, for example, noticeboards.
Use our resources to help your new staff
Send your new staff links to our tools and online resources to help your them plan their move before they leave their home country.
NZ Ready planning tool
Moving to a new country can be a daunting task for your new employee. The best way to help your new employee with their move is to guide them to NZ Ready, Immigration New Zealand’s free online planning tool. This tool asks a series of questions that will help them to create a comprehensive personalised to do list to follow.
Get ready for New Zealand — NZ Ready
Cost of living calculator
What it costs to live in New Zealand may be quite different from a migrant's home country. This tool helps migrants to understand the cost of living in various parts of New Zealand.
Think beyond the workplace
Provide information about life in New Zealand during the recruitment process. Your new employee needs to know what to expect in relation to:
- basics of life in New Zealand such as housing and healthcare
- schooling and employment opportunities for their partner and children
- community support available.
A happy, settled family makes for a happy and productive employee who is more likely to remain loyal to you.