The New Zealand government has announced a new temporary visa option for some seasonal workers. A new subcategory of the Specific Purpose Work Visa has been announced to assist companies in industries that experience seasonal peaks. A Specific Purpose Work Visa allows you to come to New Zealand for a specific purpose or event.

On 15 August 2024, the New Zealand Government announced a new subcategory of the Specific Purpose Work Visa. This subcategory will provide short-term relief to employers in industries with seasonal peaks.

To be eligible, the seasonal work must be directly impacted by changes in weather, such as harvesting, ski instructing, or tree planting. The role must also start on or before 31 May 2025, and be for no longer than 9 months. Horticulture, viticulture, and fishing crew work covered by other visas is excluded.

Applications from migrants must be received on or before 31 March 2025.

As an employer, you will need to:

Hold employer accreditation
Pay at least NZD$29.66 per hour for a minimum of 30 hours per week.
Advertise the role beforehand, and provide evidence of this to the migrant to include in their application.

The migrant being hired must also have at least 4 months of experience in a role with the same tasks or responsibilities as the being offered to them.

The New Zealand government is considering the need for a longer-term visa option for seasonal workers as part of the ongoing review of the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) and will undertake targeted consultation shortly as part of this work.

The New Zealand Government has announced this new subcategory of the Specific Purpose Work Visa to provide some short-term relief to employers in industries with upcoming seasonal peaks. This is an interim, time-limited, streamlined pathway and is more in line with the length of seasonal work.