Two types of visas fall under Immigration New Zealand’s Talent Work Policy. These are the Talent (Accredited Employers) and Talent (Arts, Culture and Sports) visas. If granted, both offer a multiple entry work visa and/or permit for New Zealand for up to 30 months.
Additionally, a Talent Work Policy visa offers holders the chance to apply for permanent residency after a period of two years.
Talent (Accredited Employers) Work Policy requirements
If you have a job offer from an accredited employer in New Zealand, you can apply for a work visa and/or permit under the Talent (Accredited Employers) Work Policy. When you have worked in New Zealand for an accredited employer for two years you can apply for residence.
What is an accredited employer?
Accredited employers have been pre-approved by Immigration New Zealand by proving that they need skilled or talented workers from overseas.
See the list of accredited employers who have agreed to make their accreditation public. If your employer is not accredited, you will not be eligible to apply for a Talent (Accredited Employers) Work Policy visa.
What criteria must be met?
As with any New Zealand immigration category, applicants must be of good health and good character – medical and police checks will be required. Additionally, you must be 55-years old or younger.
To apply, you must have a genuine offer of employment from an accredited employer, and your employment offer must meet the following criteria:
- Employment offered must be full time (at least 30 hours per week, on average)
- Employment offered must be for a minimum term of two years
- Employment offered must pay an annual base salary of at least NZ$55,000 before tax
- Employment offered must be in the employer’s main business activity and where they are directly responsible for your output.
Your partner and/or dependent children cannot be included in your application. They will need to apply for their own work visas or permits to come to New Zealand.
Talent (Arts, Culture and Sports) Work Policy requirements
If you are a sports person, an artist, or an arts or cultural performer, you may be eligible for a work visa and/or permit under the Talent (Arts, Culture and Sports) Work Policy. When you have been in New Zealand for two years, and actively engaged in your field of talent, you can apply for residence.
What criteria must be met?
As with any New Zealand immigration category, applicants must be of good health and good character – medical and police checks will be required. In addition to being 55-years old or younger, you must be deemed to have exceptional talent in your field and be sponsored by a New Zealand organisation of national repute.
What is exceptional talent?
You must show evidence that you possess exceptional talent in your field. Immigration New Zealand will ask for evidence that you:
- Have an international reputation and record of excellence in your field
- Are prominent in your field
- Will enhance New Zealand’s participation and accomplishments in that field
How does sponsorship work?
To obtain a Talent (Arts, Culture and Sports) Work Policy visa, you must be sponsored by a New Zealand organisation of national repute. The sponsoring organisation must complete an application form that includes a statement of support.
Additionally, the sponsoring organisation must adequately explain how you will enhance New Zealand’s accomplishments and participation in your field, guarantee to meet the costs of your living expenses where necessary, and prove that it has a reputation for excellence, or fostering exceptional talent, in its field of arts, culture or sports.
Immigration New Zealand states that generally an organisation is of national repute if it is a national representative body or, at least, a regional representative body.