Support a candidate's resident visa application
Some resident visas require the employer to support the applicant's application. You will need to provide your candidate with a job offer and be an accredited employer through the Accredited Employer Work Visa Scheme if they will be applying for a Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa, Straight to Residence Visa or a 'work to residence' visa.
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Length of visa
Indefinite
To support your candidate's visa application, you must:
- be an
- provide them with a job offer
- comply with New Zealand employment law.
This option lets you:
- hire someone with specialist skills or experience indefinitely.
How to support your candidate's visa application
Employer accreditation
To support someone applying for 1 of the following resident applications, you must be an
- the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
- the Straight to Residence Visa
- the Work to Residence Visa
- the Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa, or
- the Transport Work to Residence Visa.
This accreditation is the employer accreditation for the Accredited Employer Work Visa.
Employer Accreditation for the AEWV
Provide a job offer
You must provide your candidate with a job offer that meets our requirements. Your candidate will need to provide this with their visa application.
You are allowed to offer a job to someone who does not have a visa, but your offer should be conditional on that person getting a visa. They cannot start work until they have a visa that allows them to work in New Zealand.
Type of work
The job offer must be for work specified in the visa information. Check that the job you are offering is right for that visa as the requirements may change.
Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa
Transport Work to Residence Visa
Pay rates
You will also need to offer to pay your candidate at least the minimum amount required by the visa.
Wage rate requirements for visas
Employer responsibilities and obligations
You must meet minimum rights and obligations under both employment and immigration law.
As an employer, this means:
- paying the same market rate you would pay a New Zealander to do the work
- meeting holiday and leave requirements
- providing a safe workplace.
Employee rights and responsibilities — Employment New Zealand
Process to support a candidate's resident visa
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1
Step 1: Provide a job offer to your candidate
Provide a job offer suitable for the visa your candidate wants to apply for.
Note
If your candidate is applying for a Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa they will need to send us an expression of interest (EOI).
We use a points system to assess EOIs. We award your candidate EOI points for their qualifications, income from their job, New Zealand occupational registration and skilled work experience in New Zealand.
If your candidate’s EOI qualifies for enough points, we will invite them to apply for residence.
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Step 2: Candidate applies for a resident visa
Your candidate applies for a resident visa.
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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: Check that your candidate can work for you
You must check the people you hire are allowed to work in New Zealand.