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NEW ZEALAND – Work Authorization of Partners Retained
March 31, 2023
Authorities have announced previously that work rights of temporary work visa holders’ partners are set to be removed by April 2023. It has now been confirmed that the plan has been retracted and partners of Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) or Essential Skills visa holders will retain work rights with certain set of conditions starting from 31 May 2023.
In order to retain the work rights, the partner must work for an accredited employer and earn at least the median salary unless salary exceptions apply.
The mentioned conditions do not apply to partners of:
- New Zealand citizens or residents
- AEWV visa holders meeting the Green List or earning double the median salary
- Principal applicants holding other temporary visas
Newland Chase Insights
This is a positive update from the New Zealand authorities after having announced in 2022 that the work rights of partners are going to be removed in an attempt to minimize the number of partners accepting lower-paid job offers.
Changes in the work rights of partners are only set to take effect as of 31 May 2023, which means any applications submitted before then will not have these additional conditions. It would be advisable for partners planning on filing the application to aim for filing before the changes take effect.
As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Newland Chase dedicated contact or submit an inquiry here should you have any specific questions regarding this announcement.
