The New Zealand Government has announced changes to work visa regulations, granting more partners of migrant workers open work rights, effective from 2 December 2024. These changes aim to support family unity and help fill gaps in sectors facing skill and labour shortages across the country.
The new policy will allow the partners of Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) holders in specified roles to work for any employer, providing greater flexibility and opportunities for migrant families. Specifically, open work rights will be available to:
From 2 December 2024, open work rights will be available to:
Furthermore, open work rights will be available to partners of AEWV holders working in an ANZSCO Level 4-5 role:
ANZSCO is the classification system used to rank occupations by skill level, with Level 1 representing highly skilled roles and Level 5 being the least skilled.
Current holders of partner work visas with specific employment conditions will have the opportunity to apply for a variation of conditions, allowing them to switch to open work rights if their partner meets the eligibility criteria under the new guidelines.
Eligible applicants will be able to apply for a variation of conditions or a new work visa starting from 2 December 2024. These changes are expected to make it easier for families to stay together while addressing the ongoing need for skilled workers in key sectors across New Zealand.