The New Zealand Government is providing migrant school leavers with greater opportunities, by increasing access to part-time work rights for those awaiting the outcome of a family residence application, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford has announced.

“Many young people who are part of a family residence application process are unable to work. They can remain on visitor visas for long periods because they can’t afford international student fees and can’t qualify for a skilled work visa.

“As I said while in Opposition, this is a critical time in any young person’s life. We want to ensure that migrants aged 17-24 who are onshore, have completed secondary school and applied for residence can continue to contribute and live a meaningful life in New Zealand.”

To be eligible to apply for work rights, migrants must:

• Be an applicant on an already-lodged skilled residence visa or Dependent Child Residence Visa application; and
• Hold an eligible visitor visa and be a dependent child of a Work Visa holder or New Zealand citizen/resident; and
• Be aged 17 and have completed high school, or aged 18 to 24 years old (inclusive).

If eligible, they will be entitled to work up to 20 hours per week during the school year, and up to 40 hours per week over the summer holiday period to align with work rights available to Year 12 and 13 students on a Dependent Child Student Visa.

“This will be implemented by the end of October. Immigration New Zealand will provide details about how to apply and the exact date the change comes into effect by 30 August.”

“This change is part of a more comprehensive work programme to create a smarter immigration system. Getting our immigration settings right is critical to this Government’s plan to rebuild the economy.”

To be eligible to apply for work rights, migrants must be an applicant on an already-lodged application for one of the following residence visas:

Dependent Child Resident Visa

Skilled Migrant Category Visa

Any of the Skilled Migrant Category sub-categories (Green List Straight to Residence Visa, Green List Work to Residence Visa, Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa, Transport Sector Work to Residence Visa).