NZ Essential Skill Work Visa Application – 5 Common Errors

Contents: 

• Avoid the most common errors that cause delays in essential skill work visas
• Lack of recent advertising for the job
• Signing employment agreement prior to advertising finishing
• ANZSCO criteria must be met
• Evidence of relevant recent work experience
• Pay rates for essential workers must be in the correct range
  

Avoid the most common errors that cause delays in essential skill work visas.

Covid 19 has changed the NZ labour market and it will get very difficult to obtain labour market tested work visas. Here are the top 5 mistakes we see in NZ Essential Skills work visa applications (and how to avoid them).

Lack of recent advertising for the job

Normally, an Essential Skills work visa application that requires a labour market test would need to have been lodged within three months of the advertising listing date. Advertising completed prior to this may not be considered by immigration as it may not be considered as recent.

A Skills Match Report may also be required in some cases. They will have an expiry date on them.

Signing employment agreement prior to advertising finishing

If you sign your offer of employment prior to the advertising running its course, you can get into difficulties trying to prove that genuine attempts have been made to find a New Zealander for the role. It can look like the adverting is just being listed for immigration purposes and not a genuine attempt. Make sure you are sure that the advertising has finished and that the date on your employment agreement reflects this.

ANZSCO criteria must be met

ANZCO is the Australia & New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations. You need to look carefully at the ANZSCO code you are using and ensure you either have the relevant qualification or the relevant work experience that is stated. This is a primary requirement for your work visa application.

Evidence of relevant recent work experience

In most cases you will need to show that you are suitably qualified to take up the position that you are being offered. To do this, you need to show evidence that you have relevant work experience. The length of this work experience needs to match the requirement of the ANZSCO as mentioned above, as well as what has been mentioned in the job description, employer supplementary form and the job advertising.

A reference from each employer is the standard piece of evidence. This outlines your dates of employment, your position, your salary, etc. However, immigration is increasingly requesting additional evidence to support the reference such as tax records, payslips, bank statements, previous employment agreements and job descriptions.

Pay rates for essential workers must be in the correct range

You might have checked that your wage is over the salary threshold for a mid-skilled work visa but have you checked that it is within current market rates? Check your salary against a couple of NZ salary guides first to ensure you are within market rates before submitting your application.

We hope this helps you prepare a more robust application. Remember, immigration is a fast and ever-changing place and the advice we have provided can change. Always consult with us prior to considering lodging an application.

Click Here to book some time with us to discuss your case.

About the author

Cameron is highly experienced in visa applications and spent over a decade as a Visa Officer for the Australian Consulate General in New Zealand. He is a licensed immigration adviser for New Zealand is also an Australian Registered Migration Agent.

Cameron has extensive experience with assisting NZ businesses to look after their migrant teams as well as managing approval in principal and accreditation applications. He also specialises in employer assisted NZ work visas, as well as SMC and other residence visas.