Specific Purpose Work Visa
This visa is for people who need to come to New Zealand for a specific purpose or event. To apply you’ll need to have skills related to your specific purpose or event and be able to define the time you’ll need to complete your specific purpose or event. Examples of people who may be able to apply include business people on secondments, sports players, professional coaches, specialist installers or services, and Philippines nurses seeking occupational registration.
- Come to New Zealand for a specific purpose or event.
- Work for a specific employer for the time allowed to complete your specific purpose or event.
Specific purpose or event
- If you have a current visitor visa, which you were granted as a guardian accompanying a student to New Zealand, you won’t be eligible for this visa.
- If you’re an Entertainment industry worker in New Zealand for a specific purpose or event, you should apply for an ‘Entertainers Work Visa’ instead.
- If you’re a Tour Guide from China, you should apply for a China Special Work Visa instead
- You can’t include your partner or dependent children in your visa application, but they can apply for visas based on their relationship to you.
The time you can stay in New Zealand will depend on the specific purpose or event you need to complete.
The time you can stay in New Zealand to complete your specific purpose or event is detailed in the following table.
| SPECIFIC PURPOSE OR EVENT | HOW LONG YOU CAN STAY |
|---|---|
| Senior or specialist business people on short-term secondments | 12 months |
| Business people being transferred from one part of a multinational company to another in New Zealand | 3 years |
| Business visitors who need to stay in New Zealand for more than 3 months for business reasons | 12 months |
| Investors who have applied for residence and want to investigate investment opportunities | 12 months |
| Sports referees and people in New Zealand to judge a show, display or exhibition | For the length of your engagement – not usually more than 6 months |
| Dance and music examiners | For the time needed to conduct the exams – not usually more than 6 months |
| Installers and services of specialised machinery or equipment | 3 months |
| Sports players and professional coaches | If you’ll be coaching at a national or regional level, you can stay up to 3 years, otherwise 12 months. |
| Philippines nurses seeking occupational registration | Up to 3 months |
| Other | For the time it takes to carry your specific purpose or event – not usually more than 6 months |
You must need to come to New Zealand for a specific purpose or event
There are a number of specific purposes or events that are acceptable. The evidence you will need to provide depends on the specific purpose or event you will be undertaking in New Zealand.
If you’re coming to New Zealand to investigate investment opportunities, or you want to continue to operate your business while you await the outcome of your Entrepreneur residence application, we’ll use our records to check whether or not you’ve applied for residence under one of our Investment or Entrepreneur categories.
We won’t normally grant a visa if you have an offer of employment from an employer who is included on the list of non-compliant employers maintained by the Labour Inspectorate.
You must specify the amount of time you need to complete your specific purpose or event
- a job offer
- a letter of invitation
- a schedule of events.
Dance or music examiners who have a written invitation don’t have to provide an ‘Employer Supplementary Form.
You may need qualifications and experience
Examples of evidence include:
- employment records or references
- recognised international dance or music teaching qualifications
- Philippines nurse qualifications
- documents that show you have international merit or distinction
- any other relevant qualifications.
You must have made arrangements to leave New Zealand
Evidence can include:
- a travel ticket out of New Zealand, or proof you have enough money to buy one
- a letter from your New Zealand employer guaranteeing they’ll cover the cost of your return home if you’re unable to.
You must demonstrate that you have sufficient funds for your maintenance and accommodation while you are in New Zealand.
You can demonstrate you have sufficient funds by providing:
- Bank statements
- Evidence of wages, salary or other payment that will be sufficient to support you while you are in New Zealand
- A guarantee of maintenance and accommodation by your employer
- Sponsorship by a relative or friend in New Zealand.
Application cost
This is the fee for Immigration New Zealand to process your application. An immigration levy is payable and is included in the total amount above.
Passport Fee
NZD $ 35 per applicant
After you apply online you must send us your passport. The passport fee is for the Visa Application Centre (VAC) to receive and handle your passport.
Passport Fee
NZD $ 30 – 60 per applicant
Timeframes
Processing
90% of applications are currently completed within this time. Timeframes are in calendar days
