You might be eligible to apply for this resident visa if you have a Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa and have worked in New Zealand for more than two years. The once-popular Long Term Skill Shortage List (LTSSL) Work Visa is now officially defunct due to the new Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV).
This article serves as your guide for those who had an LTSSL Work Visa prior to its repeal, which gives them another opportunity to become residents. Let’s look at how to apply.
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What Is The AEWV Work Visa?
The AEWV, which was introduced on July 4, 2022, is now the most popular skilled work visa in New Zealand. To apply for it starting in 2025, you must:
- An offer of employment from a recognized company (no dubious jobs permitted)
- A salary equivalent to the median wage in New Zealand
- Competencies that align with the Green List or areas of scarcity
The process is simpler and quicker, but it also implies that new applicants won’t be able to apply for LTSSL visas.
With this visa you can
- Live, work and study in New Zealand.
- Include your partner and dependent children aged 24 and under in your residence application.
Things to note
- To apply for this visa, you must hold a Long-Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa and have worked in New Zealand for more than 2 years.
- You must have ongoing, full-time employment in an occupation that was on the Long Term Skill Shortage List (LTSSL) at the time you were granted a work visa or an occupation that is on the LTSSL at the time you apply for residence.
Holders of LTSSL Work Visas Can Apply for Residency in New Zealand
Verify your eligibility for this visa application as well as the information and supporting documentation required.
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Identity | You must provide proof of your identity |
| – 2 acceptable photos if you use a paper application form or 1 photo if you apply online | |
| – An original or certified copy of your passport or certificate of identity | |
| – An original or certified copy of your full birth certificate when you apply for residence. | |
| Character | You must be of good character |
| – If you are 17 or over, you must provide a police certificate from: | |
| – Your country of citizenship | |
| – Any country you have lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years. | |
| Tips: Police certificates must be less than 6 months old at the time you apply. | |
| Health | You must be in good health |
| – You must have a chest x-ray and a medical examination as proof of your good health. | |
| Current Work Visa | You must have a current Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa and have held it for at least 24 months |
| – We will check our records to see when your Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa was issued and if it is still valid. | |
| Ongoing Employment | You must have been employed in New Zealand for 24 months and have ongoing, full-time employment |
| – Your occupation must be on the Long Term Skill Shortage List (LTSSL) at the time you apply for residence, or have been on the LTSSL when you were granted your work visa. | |
| – You must provide a letter from your New Zealand employer outlining: | |
| – Your role | |
| – Your salary | |
| – Your hours of work | |
| – Whether your role is ongoing. | |
| – You must also provide a copy of your employment agreement, which must comply with New Zealand employment law. | |
| – We cannot approve your visa application if your employer is included on the list of non-compliant employers maintained by the Labour Inspectorate. | |
| Tips: The letter from your employer should be no more than a month old when you apply. | |
| Minimum Income | You must have a minimum base salary of NZ$45,000 |
| – You must provide a Summary of Earnings form from New Zealand’s Inland Revenue showing your earnings while holding a Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa. | |
| Tips: The minimum base salary excludes any allowances like overtime, tool or uniform allowances, medical insurance, and accommodation. | |
| Occupational Registration | You may need New Zealand registration |
| – If the Long Term Shortage List lists New Zealand registration as a requirement for your occupation, you must provide evidence you have the full or provisional registration required to work in your occupation in New Zealand. | |
| Relationship with Family | Your family must meet the requirements for this visa |
| – You must provide evidence: | |
| – Of your relationship with your partner and dependent children | |
| – That your partner and dependent children meet the identity, character, health and English language requirements for this visa. | |
| Tips: If your partner or dependent children have, or applied for, a New Zealand temporary entry visa based on their relationship with you, you must include them in your residence application. | |
| English Language for Family | Your family must be able to speak English |
| – Your partner and any dependent children aged 16 or over you include in your residence application must meet a minimum standard of English. | |
| – Evidence can include proof they: | |
| – Have an acceptable English language test result | |
| – Have an English-speaking background | |
| – Are competent speakers of English for other reasons. | |
| Tips: English language test results must be no more than 2 years old. | |
| Note: It’s OK if your partner and children over 16 don’t speak English, but you’ll have to pay for English language classes before we can approve your residence application. Then they can learn when they arrive in New Zealand. | |
| Location | To apply for residence, you must be in New Zealand |
| – We’ll check our records to confirm your location. |
