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Home / International Travel Insurance / Visa / New Zealand Work Visa for Indians
Are you planning to settle in New Zealand? Awesome! New Zealand has emerged as among the preferred destinations for employment that offers business regulations. In this blog, we have put together everything you need to know regarding your work visa application to this country.
So read further to know about New Zealand work visa for Indians along with its types, validity, application process and other essential details.
A New Zealand work visa for Indians is a mandatory requirement for individuals who wish to work in New Zealand for companies or engage in business activities. With a New Zealand work visa, you can enter the geographical area of the country and work with one of the companies located there.
So, you must have a New Zealand work visa for Indians if you have a confirmed job offer from the country. However, you must be aware of the immigration procedures and work visa applications before settling in New Zealand for employment.
New Zealand offers several types of work visas that are categorised based on specific purposes of work. However, a New Zealand work visa for Indians can only be issued if you have confirmed employment with one of the companies located in New Zealand.
Hence, given below are the types of New Zealand work visas:
A Work to Residence visa is issued for individuals who want to visit New Zealand for employment. They can apply for residence in the country with the help of this type of work visa. However, you need at least 24 months of experience in a job to apply for it.
An entrepreneur visa is granted to applicants who wish to establish their business in New Zealand. This type of visa allows you to include your dependent children if they are under the age of 19.
An essential skills work visa is granted to those individuals who have the skills that belong to the most sought-after domains in New Zealand. However, in this case, the occupation you are opting for must be included in the skills shortage list issued by the New Zealand government.
Newland offers a working holiday visa to some countries that allows individuals to visit the country to seek employment and study without meeting any salary requirements.
A skilled migrant resident visa is issued for those individuals who want to work and settle in New Zealand permanently. You can apply for this visa with a confirmed job offer from an accredited employer in New Zealand.
You can apply for a post-study work visa after completing an existing course in your native country. This type of visa allows you to stay and work in New Zealand for up to three years, depending on the length and level of your course.
Given below is a table providing detailed information regarding the same.
New Zealand Work Visa Types | Validity of Visa | Duration |
---|---|---|
Work to Residence Visa | 2 years | 2 years |
Entrepreneur Visa | 3 years | 1-3 years |
Essential Skills Work Visa | Maximum 3 years, depending on the job role. | 2-3 years |
Working Holiday Visa | 1 year | 1 year |
Skilled Migrant Resident Visa | 2 years, can be extended to a permanent one. | Can be extended to permanent. |
Post-Study Work Visa | 3 years | 3 years, depending on the course studied. |
New Zealand work visa cost for Indians is calculated based on various points, which include the type of work visa you are applying for, the duration of your stay in the country etc.
So, given below is a comprehensive table mentioning the New Zealand work visa fees for Indians according to the types of visas available.
Type of Visa | Validity | Duration | Fees for Indians |
---|---|---|---|
Work to Residence Visa | 2 years | 2 years | NZ$580 or Rs. 29,960.36 (as per the exchange rate) |
Entrepreneur Visa | 3 years | 1-3 years | NZ$3310 or Rs. 1,70,980.66 (as per the exchange rate) |
Essential Skills Work Visa | Maximum 3 years, depending on the job role. | 2-3 years | NZ$440 or Rs. 22,719.82 (as per the exchange rate) |
Working Holiday Visa | 1 year | 1 year | NZ$190 or Rs. 9,813.08 (as per the exchange rate) |
Skilled Migrant Resident Visa | 2 years, can be extended to a permanent one. | Can be extended to permanent. | NZ$2505 or Rs. 1,29,377.71 (as per the exchange rate) |
Post-Study Work Visa | 3 years | 3 years, depending on the course studied. | NZ$495 or Rs. 25,561.15 (as per the exchange rate) |
It is important to note that the fees mentioned above depend on the current exchange rate and, hence, are subject to change. So you must ensure you check the fees before you apply for a New Zealand work visa.
There are a few parameters that you need to fulfil to be able to apply for a work visa for Indians in New Zealand. So make sure to consider reading these before you begin with your work visa application process. Given below is a list of eligibility criteria:
You must be an Indian citizen, holding a valid Indian passport.
You must be of or above 18 years of age.
You have a confirmed job offer from a company located in New Zealand.
The employer belongs to New Zealand.
You are willing to work in New Zealand until the stipulated time as mentioned in your work permit.
You must be eligible to bear your expenses in the country.
You have the supporting documents depicting your stay in the country.
You must provide medical documents to meet the health requirements.
The following are some of the New Zealand work visa requirements for Indian citizens, based on the different types of New Zealand work visas for Indians:
Standard Documents Required for All Types of New Zealand Work Visa
You must have a valid Indian passport, issued within the last 10 years of your visit to New Zealand. It should be valid up to a minimum of 6 months after you visit the country.
A duly filled work visa application form.
Flight tickets.
Employment contract, mentioning your full-time position in a company located in New Zealand.
Identity proofs.
Character certificates.
Supporting documents to show you meet the health requirements of New Zealand.
All documents showing your academic qualifications from school, college, university etc.
Details of the source of your financial means to travel to New Zealand like travel insurance papers etc.
Documents Required for Work to Residence Visa
Given below are the documents required for this type of New Zealand work visa for Indians:
Supporting documents to show your company’s latest profile along with its registration and licensing details.
Documents Required for Entrepreneur Visa
Given below are the documents required for this type of New Zealand work visa for Indians:
A cover letter providing the details of your business, including operational plan, management, services offered etc.
An investment plan of a minimum NZ$100,000 or Rs. 83,01,840 in your business in New Zealand.
Documents Required for Essential Skills Work Visa
Given below are the documents required for this type of New Zealand work visa for Indians:
Supporting documents to show your company’s latest profile along with its registration and licensing details.
Your appointment letter or a letter confirming your employment in New Zealand, duly signed by the employer residing in the country. It should be mentioned that the employer could not find an eligible New Zealand citizen for this role.
Documents Required for Working Holiday Visa
Given below are the documents required for this type of New Zealand work visa for Indians:
Supporting documents to show you have a minimum of NZ$4,200 or Rs. 3,48,694 to bear your expenses in New Zealand.
Bank statements.
Documents Required for Skilled Migrant Resident Visa
Given below are the documents required for this type of New Zealand work visa for Indians:
Supporting documents to show your company’s latest profile along with its registration and licensing details.
Proof of English proficiency.
Documents Required for Post-Study Work Visa
Given below are the documents required for this type of New Zealand work visa for Indians:
Supporting documents of your academic qualification.
A letter from your existing educational institution, stating the completion of the course.
Photograph Requirements
Given below are the photograph requirements to apply for a New Zealand work visa:
Minimum three copies of your recent passport-size photograph, taken within the last 6 months of your visa application.
The photo should be a coloured one.
The background of the photo should be white.
Dimensions of the photo should be a maximum of 2250 x 3000 pixels.
Should be a JPG or JPEG file.
Size should not be more than 3 MB.
Your clothing in the photograph should not match the background.
Must keep a gap of at least 6 mm between the frame and the top of the head.
80% of your face should be visible in the photograph without any glasses or religious headgear.
There are two ways in which you can apply for your work visa in New Zealand - Online and offline. After you are aware of the eligibility criteria and documents required for the New Zealand work visa process for Indians to work there, you can proceed in either of the ways to apply for the same, following the given steps:
Step 1: After you have a confirmed job offer in New Zealand, visit the official website of New Zealand Immigration.
Step 2: At this stage, you need to select the visa type you would like to go for.
Step 3: Confirm that you have a job offer in New Zealand.
Step 4: Put in other details as required, including your passport details.
Step 5: Upload the necessary documents and submit them.
The said authority will be processing your work visa application, after which you will be notified about the status of your application. You can also track the status through your reference number by visiting the website.
Step 1: After you have a confirmed job offer in New Zealand, visit the official website of New Zealand Immigration.
Step 2: Select the visa type as a work visa, fill in as required and download it.
Step 3: Visit the nearest New Zealand Immigration Centre and submit the work visa application form, paying the application fee.
You may need to book an appointment for an interview. You can contact the Immigration Centre to confirm such essential details as you proceed with your application.
The minimum processing time for a New Zealand work visa for Indians is around 21 to 67 days. However, it can also take up to 7 months of processing time in certain cases of visa application, based on various factors. So you must contact your visa agent or the New Zealand immigration centre to ensure the same.
You must be aware of the difference between a work visa and a New Zealand work permit visa for Indians that is offered to prospective employees of New Zealand. Often used interchangeably, these two differ a bit in certain points, as given in the following table:
Point of Difference | Work Visa | Work Permit |
---|---|---|
Salary | Has a minimum salary requirement. | Does not have any salary requirements to meet. |
Job Change Opportunities | Has more flexibility. In case you lose your job, you can apply for a short-term visit pass to stay in the country for a little longer. | New Zealand work permits for Indians do not offer such flexibility. |
Processing time | Slower than permitted | Faster |
Duration | Depends on various factors including employment duration etc. | Maximum 2 years |
There are certain circumstances which can lead to the rejection of your visa application during the process. So read the following points to ensure a successful approval of the same.
Any criminal record can be responsible for the rejection of your visa application. It is because they would consider you as a threat to their country.
Your visa application can also be rejected if your application form has invalid or incomplete information, unclear photographs, invalid documents etc.
Your poor health conditions can also lead to the rejection of your visa application instantly. Hence, you need to provide suitable health documents to show your vaccination, depicting good health.
Lack of funds is among the crucial points that can create strong grounds for the rejection of a work visa in New Zealand for Indians. Hence, you must ensure to have sufficient funds when travelling to the country to afford your expenses.
If your New Zealand work visa for Indians gets rejected, you can refer to the following tips given below to rectify your mistakes. These tips shall help you deal with such circumstances.
You can reapply for a New Zealand work visa for Indians within 15 days of its rejection. You can follow the same procedure to reapply, however, you need to ensure not repeating the mistakes you made in your previous application.
You can also contact the New Zealand Embassy or Consulate in India within 15 days of your visa rejection to confirm the reasons for your visa rejection.
You must ensure uploading all the required documents along with your recent photograph, following the latest guidelines for filing a New Zealand.
You must provide a completely filled visa application form not leaving any blank spaces, and double-check all the information you fill in the form.
Overall, If you know about the visa requirements and essentials beforehand, you can have a successful application process for a New Zealand work visa for Indians. It will also help you create a stress-free settlement plan in the county. Make sure to follow the necessary guidelines while making your work visa application and consider the points mentioned in the article. Also, remember to apply for your visa well in advance to avoid any unnecessary delays.
If you are wondering for advice, buy travel insurance when you are planning your employment in a foreign country. Travel insurance is a great way to have a convenient travel experience since it covers any kind of losses that you may face travelling, such as loss of baggage, passport or cancellations of ticket.
So, go for travel insurance today and get ready to have an effective working experience in New Zealand.
It is possible to get a New Zealand work visa for Indians without a job offer from the country depending on the type of work visa you are applying for. For example, a job offer from New Zealand is not mandatory if you are applying for a post-study work visa. However, you will need a job offer, if you wish to get a working holiday visa.
Yes, you need to get the minimum score in IELTS as set by the New Zealand Government. The test is considered evidence of your level of proficiency in English, which would help you communicate in the country.
No, it is non-refundable and, hence, will not be refunded if your visa application is rejected on any grounds whatsoever.
No, it is not mandatory, but is highly recommended to buy travel insurance to let you have a hassle-free travelling experience.
It is not possible to extend the validity of your New Zealand work visa for Indians. However, if you wish to stay longer in the country, you need to apply for a fresh visa that would allow you a temporary stay.
Even if you get a shorter period for visa processing, you must apply at least one to two months before your due travel date. The earliest you can apply is 30 days before your due travel date. It will ensure avoiding any circumstances causing delays in approving your visa application.
You can apply for a Dismissed Worker Visitor Visa through which you will be able to stay in the country as a visitor.
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