NEW ZEALAND: Updated Salary Thresholds for Essential Skills Visa

January 19, 2018


Effective 15th January 2018, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has increased the remuneration thresholds which affect how long Essential Skills visa applicants can stay and whether their families can stay too.

The change does not affect existing Essential Skills visa holders, or applications which were pending on 15th January 2018.

The remuneration bands, which also affect the Skilled Migrant Category, were first implemented on 28th August 2017, are indexed against the New Zealand median income and are updated at the end of each calendar year. This year, the change was delayed until mid-January to give employers and migrants enough time to adjust to the new remuneration bands.

How do the remuneration bands affect work visa duration and dependent sponsorship?

  • Essential skills visa applicants earning less than NZD 20.65 per hour (previously NZD 19.97 per hour) will only be eligible for a 12-month work visa, regardless of the skill level of the job. After three work visas (three years in New Zealand), these applicants must leave New Zealand for at least 12 months. They may not support a partner or dependent children to stay in New Zealand.
  • Applicants earning between NZD 20.65 per hour and NZD 36.44 per hour (previously NZD 19.97 per hour and NZD 35.24 per hour) and in ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5 jobs will also only be able to obtain 12-month work visas. After three years, these applicants must also leave New Zealand for at least 12 months, and they may not support a partner or dependent children to stay in New Zealand.
  • Applicants earning between NZD 20.65 per hour and NZD 36.44 per hour (previously NZD 19.97 per hour and NZD 35.24 per hour) and in ANZSCO skill level 1, 2 or 3 jobs will still be able to obtain three-year work visas. They will be able to renew the visas every three years (without leaving New Zealand for 12 months), and they may support a partner or dependent children to stay in New Zealand.
  • An applicant earning more than NZD 36.44 per hour (previously NZD 35.24 per hour) will be able to obtain a five-year, renewable Essential Skills work visa and support a partner or dependent children to stay in New Zealand, regardless of the ANZSCO level of his or her job.

Our Advice

Employers intending to sponsor foreign nationals for Essential Skills visas should check whether the threshold increase affects how long applicants can stay and whether their families can stay too.

For advice and information on immigration to New Zealand in general, please email us at [email protected].