Global Expansion Resources | New Zealand
New Zealand Work Permits & Visas
Expand into New Zealand with our global PEO services
Provide compliant New Zealand work permits & visas for employees working in New Zealand using our specialist PEO Services
If your company is looking to expand its operations into New Zealand, compliance is just one of the many hurdles you’ll need to overcome. Ensuring your employees living and working in New Zealand have a lawful work permit and visa is one of the most important, yet challenging, obstacles you will face.
Not only are there different types of visas depending on the length of employment and whether your partner lives in New Zealand, but there are also different visa requirements for those who are from specific countries. Attempting to balance the core management of an internationally growing business, alongside the added pressure of compliance, is no easy task when you are undertaking this process alone.
Why not make your expansion process smooth by enlisting the help of a specialist global PEO provider? The expert team at Leap29 has over 25 years of experience in providing compliant work permits and visas for businesses across several sectors in over 180 countries.
Want to expand into New Zealand?
Contact us today to see how Leap29 can be the trusted partner that supports your global expansion.
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What’s included:
HR software
Bespoke employee management software included in our PEO service.
Global compliance
We have expert teams across the world to ensure global compliance.
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New Zealand Expansion Advice
Who needs a New Zealand work permit or visa?
According to the New Zealand Government, if you are not a citizen or permanent resident of New Zealand, or Australia, you will need to obtain a work permit/visa. If you are going to work there temporarily, you can apply for a visa if you:
- Have a job offer from a New Zealand employer
- Are coming for a specific work-related purpose or event
- Have a partner in New Zealand, and you want to join them and work
- Are from a country that has a special work scheme
- Have been studying in New Zealand and want to work there
However, there are different visa requirements for those who are from specific countries. New Zealand has special arrangements with some countries to let their citizens work there. Some visas recognise skills and experience, while others let you learn about New Zealand’s lifestyle and culture. However, these visas have specific eligibility criteria depending on each country.
For example, if you are from China, you can work in New Zealand for up to 3 years if you’ve been offered a full-time job in a certain occupation and have the relevant qualifications.
The list of occupations eligible for this visa can be found here.
Which types of New Zealand work permits are there?
There are many different types of New Zealand work permits and visas, but the main ones include:
1. Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa
- At the time you apply, you must be working for, or have a job offer from, an accredited employer.
- Your employment must be full-time, and permanent or fixed-term for at least 12 months.
- You must have been paid at least the care workforce sector wage rate for 24 months.
2. Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
- You must have 6 points to apply – the point system is based on factors like New Zealand occupational registration, qualifications, income, or work experience, with a maximum of 3 points for each year of skilled work in New Zealand.
- You must have a job or a job offer in New Zealand to apply. Your employment must be with an accredited employer and either full-time and permanent, for a fixed-term of at least 12 months or a contract for services of at least 6 months.
3. Straight to Residence Visa
- At the time you apply, you must be working for, or have a job offer from, an accredited employer.
- Your role must be Tier 1 on the Green List (e.g. an occupation in the engineering, healthcare, or education sectors) and meet the requirements set out in the Green List for your role.
4. Transport Work to Residence Visa
- At the time you apply, you must be working for, or have a job offer from, an accredited employer.
- Your employment must be full-time, and permanent or fixed-term for at least 12 months.
- You must have worked in New Zealand for 24 months in an approved transport role.
5. Work to Residence Visa
- At the time you apply, you must be working for, or have a job offer from, an accredited employer. Your employment must be full-time, and permanent or fixed-term for at least 12 months.
- You must have worked for 24 months in a Green List Tier 2 in-demand role (e.g. construction and engineering roles, such as those who work in operations or mechanics).
Learn more about the different types of New Zealand work permits and visas here.
How do I apply for a New Zealand work permit or visa?
To apply for a New Zealand work permit/visa, you will need to show proof of your supporting documents. These documents include:
- A photo of yourself that meets the New Zealand government’s requirements for visa photos.
- Medical and police certificates in English.
- Any other supporting documents in English – as well as the original or certified copies of those documents.
The specific supporting documents the New Zealand Government will need depends on your situation and the type of visa you are applying for.
Once you have your visa, you will need to apply for an IRD (Inland Revenue Department) number. Once you start work, you will give this number to your employer and they will use it for all of your New Zealand tax matters.
If you are looking to employ people in New Zealand, contact us for work permit and visa application support.
How much does a New Zealand work permit or visa cost?
The cost of a New Zealand work permit/visa will depend on the type of visa, length of employment, application method, and so on.
Visa fees and levies, including the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL), increased on 1 October 2024. Find out more here.
Why use a PEO partner to obtain a New Zealand work permit or visa?
With complex, country-specific visa requirements depending on length of employment, employment in certain industries, Green List tiers, and more – expanding into New Zealand can seem near impossible.
Partnering with a trusted PEO specialist will streamline your expansion into New Zealand, ensuring your business provides its employees with compliant work permits and visas – leaving your company’s valuable resources intact, and preventing any unnecessary delays to market. On top of visa applications, you will also need to consider payroll, tax, national insurance contributions, recruitment and employment contracts, to name a few.
By enlisting the support of an expert PEO partner such as Leap29, we can use our decades of multi-country experience to provide compliant work permits and visas for your employees in New Zealand. If you want to find out more about how our New Zealand PEO Services can support your global expansion, call our experts today on +44 (0) 20 8129 6860 or email expansion@leap29.com.
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Talk to an expert today
Contact us today to see how Leap29 can be the trusted PEO partner that supports your global expansion.
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New Zealand
Expansion Resources
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Employ people compliantly in 180+ countries – with or without your own foreign entities. We can help you set up and manage foreign entities – or act as an Employer of Record. We can also help with multi-country payroll and all your HR management. Wherever, whenever and however you want to employ people, we can help.
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Employing people compliantly across international borders can be challenging but we make it simple, bringing down barriers and making light work of the complexities. We offer the full range of compliant global expansion solutions so that wherever, whenever and however you want to employ people, we can support you.
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Employ people compliantly in 180+ countries – without setting up new entities. We’ll shoulder responsibility as Employer of Record (EOR), making sure all your international employment is fully compliant.
We can also take care of your global HR from multi-country payroll to onboarding and offboarding.
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Getting global payroll right is one of the hardest challenges for any business expanding into new countries. We can shoulder this burden, freeing up valuable in-house resource to focus on growing your business.
Consider us an extension of your HR team, ready to answer all your questions large and small.
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Mobilise your people across borders with ease. Relocating to work abroad can feel daunting. But with Leap29 at your side, your employees can feel safe and supported.
We’ll guide your employees through the complexities of working in another country, helping them settle in fast.
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Follow the opportunities to grow your business – wherever they take you.
We lighten the load of establishing and managing foreign entities and can help you solve all your entity challenges from running compliant, accurate multi-country payroll to local accounting and financial reporting.
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Employ international talent wherever and whenever you need it – and enjoy the peace of mind of knowing you’re fully compliant. Our Professional Employer Organisation (PEO) services allow you to focus on growing your business while we handle compliance, multi-country payroll and your global HR.
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When you’re employing people in lots of different countries, answering just a simple query can take a disproportionate amount of time for your in-house HR team. Our HR Support service reduces this burden, saving you time and money and giving you the confidence of knowing your employees are well looked after, whatever their location.
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Enjoy compliant contractor payroll that meets all local requirements for tax, social security and employment legislation. We understand the importance of compliant contractor payroll to the success of your business and will pay your contractors on time, every time.
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