Relocating to New Zealand with your employer
New Zealand offers many business investment opportunities and welcomes businesses that want to move to New Zealand.
If you are a key employee of a business that wants to relocate its operations to New Zealand, you may be eligible to apply for residence under the Employees of Relocating Businesses Category.
Your application for residence must first meet requirements for approval in principle, and you will be invited to apply for a temporary work visa or permit that allows you to come to New Zealand to make the relocation arrangements.
Then, when you can show that your business has relocated and meets New Zealand trading requirements, residence can be granted, subject to conditions. These conditions are that you work for the relocated business for two years, and the business meets all relevant employment and immigration laws in that two years. Your application can include your partner and any dependent children travelling with you. If your application is successful they will need to apply for either a visitor or student visa or permit.
Requirements for relocating to New Zealand with your employer
There are a number of requirements that you will need to meet to get a temporary work visa and/or permit, and, later, to be eligible for a residence permit.
People who do not need a visa or permit
You do not need a work visa or permit to work in New Zealand if you are:
- a New Zealand citizen or you hold a New Zealand Residence Permit, or
- an Australian citizen, or an Australian resident with a current permanent residence visa or a current resident return visa.
Certain kinds of work do not require a work visa or permit. If your employment in New Zealand involves visits for business negotiations, short-term sales trips, work for official trade missions recognised by the New Zealand government, or work for overseas governments, you may be able to do it while on a visitor visa or permit.
Requirements you and your employer must meet
There are a number of requirements that you and your employer will need to meet for you to qualify for residence under this category.
You must be:
- a key employee of the relocating business
- unable to meet the criteria for approval under any other residence policy categories for migrants.
When you apply you will have to supply Immigration New Zealand with a letter from the business’s chief executive officer that gives the following information:
- the name and location of the business intending to relocate to New Zealand
- why it is relocating, and how it will benefit New Zealand
- a statement confirming that the relocated business will operate within all relevant New Zealand employment and immigration laws
- your current role in the business
- your intended role in the relocated business
- why you are considered to be a key staff member
- an explanation of why you are not eligible for residence under any of our other immigration categories.
You and your employer will need to supply proof of the business’s current operation. This can include, for example, original or certified copies of:
- the business registration
- company accounts or tax returns and
- any other documents or evidence that show how the business is currently operating.
Immigration New Zealand will check that the business has the support of Industry New Zealand in the relocation of the business. They may also ask you to provide other information or documents when they assess your application.
Health and character requirements
To enter New Zealand you must:
- be in good health and of good character, and
- have a passport that is valid for at least three months past the date you are to leave New Zealand, and
- be genuine in wanting to work in New Zealand, and
- have the right visa for your visit.
If you are granted a temporary work permit you need to meet certain conditions during your stay:
- the work you do must be in line with the conditions specified in your permit
- you must keep within New Zealand’s laws
- you must only stay in New Zealand for the time allowed by your permit.
English language requirements
You, your partner and any child aged over 16 years included in your application must meet New Zealand minimum standard of English. There are different ways of showing that you and your family meet the minimum standard.
Provide an IELTS Certificate
You can provide a recent International English Language Testing System (IELTS) certificate where you gained an overall band score of 5 or over in the IELTS General or Academic Module. The certificate must be less than two years old.
Show you have an English speaking background or
you are a competent user of English
You can provide evidence that you have an English speaking background or you can prove that you have good English language abilities through other means, such as:
- your current country of residence
- countries you may have lived in before
- how long you were in each country
- whether you speak any languages other than English
- your family’s ability to speak English
- whether your family members speak any languages other than English
- your previous or current work and the level of English language skills required
- your qualifications and the level of English language skills they required.
Immigration New Zealand may still require you to provide an IELTS certificate to confirm you meet the English requirements.
Pre-purchase ESOL tuition
For partners and dependent children over 16 years you may instead choose to pre-purchase English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) tuition in New Zealand.
Links:
Immigration New Zealand
New Zealand Department of Labour
Statistics New Zealand |