Changing the conditions of a work visa or applying for a Job Change

Some work visas come with conditions or rules about your employment. Find out if you can change these conditions or apply for a Job Change.

Finding your visa conditions

Your conditions are recorded in your eVisa, on the visa label in your passport, or explained to you in a letter we sent you.

Check your visa conditions

Conditions you can change

If your work visa comes with conditions, you can apply to change:

  • the employer you work for
  • the job you are doing
  • the location you are working
  • how long you can study for while you work.
Note

Even if you change the conditions of your visa, it will still expire on the same date.

You want to change, employer, job or location

If your work visa lets you work in any job, for any employer and in any location, you do not need to apply for a variation of conditions or a Job Change.

What you need when applying

If you are changing your job, employer or the location where you work, you need to include in your application:

  • an offer of employment
  • an employment agreement
  • our Employer supplementary form (INZ 1113), completed by your new employer if they are not an accredited employer
  • if you need to work out a notice period, a covering letter that sets out the length of your notice period.

Employer supplementary form (INZ 1113) PDF 388KB

If you have an Accredited Employer Work Visa

You can apply for a Job Change to change your employer, occupation, location, or a combination of these.

Your employer must be accredited to hire migrants for the AEWV and have a valid job check for your new job. You will need the job check approval number for your application.

If you want to change to a job paid below NZD$29.66 an hour, it must be exempt from paying the February 2023 median wage rate. Your current visa must also be valid for no longer than the maximum visa length allowed for roles paid below the February 2023 median wage rate. You must apply for a new AEWV if your current visa is valid for longer than the time allowed.

AEWV roles exempt from paying the February 2023 median wage rate

We use the February 2023 median wage rate (NZD$29.66 an hour) when assessing Job Change applications, unless your role is exempt.

Wage rate requirements for visas

If you have an Essential Skills Work Visa

You can apply to change your employer, job, location, or a combination of these.

If you are changing your job or location, your employer must:

  • have advertised the job and
  • been unable to find suitable or available New Zealand workers.

During your application you will need to upload a letter from your employer. In the letter they must declare they could not find suitable or available New Zealanders for the job.

Your employer does not need to advertise your new job, and you do not need to upload a letter, if the role is:

  • on the Essential Skills in Demand List and you meet the requirements of the list
  • on the Green List and you meet the Green List role requirements, or
  • paid at least NZD$59.32 an hour (twice the February 2023 median wage rate).

If your new job has different skills and experience requirements to your old job, you will need to show that you are suitably qualified for the job.

Green list roles

How we calculate pay rates for AEWV

If you have a Talent (accredited employer) Work Visa

Before 4 July 2022 employers were able to apply for accreditation under the Talent (accredited employer) Work Visa policy. It was replaced by the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) from 4 July 2022. Visas granted under the Talent (accredited employer) policy are still valid.

You can apply for a variation of conditions to change your employer.

You can change to an employer:

  • who is accredited under the Talent (accredited employer) policy
  • who was previously accredited under the Talent (accredited employer) policy but their accreditation expired after 31 March 2021
  • who is not accredited under the Talent (accredited employer) policy, if your current job is no longer available for reasons outside your control.

You do not need to complete an Employer supplementary form (INZ 1113) if your new employer:

  • was accredited under the Talent (accredited employer) policy and their accreditation expired after 31 March 2021, or
  • is currently accredited under the Talent (accredited employer) policy or the AEWV policy.

Your new job must pay the same or more than the minimum salary you needed to earn when you applied for your visa.

Talent (accredited employer) Work Visa

If your employer loses their accreditation

If your employer loses or does not renew their accreditation, you can keep working for them without applying for a variation to the conditions of your visa.

If you have a Partner of a Worker Work Visa

If you hold a work visa with conditions you can change to an open visa if your partner:

  • has been given a pay rise and now earns at least NZD$59.32 an hour, or
  • had their role added to the Green List and they meet the role's Green List requirements.

For more information about wage rates and how much your partner must earn to support your application:
Wage rate requirements for visas

Green List roles

Pay rise or Green List evidence you need for your application

Pay rise evidence you need for your application are your partner's:

  • employment agreement or a letter from their employer confirming the pay and hours, and
  • full bank statements showing a salary payment or a summary of income details from Inland Revenue or pay slips.

Green List evidence must show that your partner meets the Green List requirements. These are set out for each role in the Green List.

How to apply to change your work visa conditions

Download and complete the application form.
INZ 1020 Application for a Variation of Conditions PDF 424KB

Our online fees tool can tell you how much your application will be and where to send it.
Fees, decision times, where to apply

You want to study

If you want to study for more than 3 months on a work visa, you may need to apply for a variation of conditions or a student visa.

Your visa must match your main purpose for being in New Zealand. If your main purpose is still to work, but your study will complement this work, then normally you need to apply for a variation of conditions. If your main purpose is to study, then you should apply for a student visa.

When to apply for a variation of conditions

Apply for a variation of conditions if you want to study part time for more than 3 months. 

With your application you need to include:

  • an offer of place from the education provider you want to study with, and
  • evidence that you have paid the tuition fees.

When to apply for a student visa

Apply for a student visa if your study will be more important than your work. 

Visas that allow you to study

When you can work and study without a student visa or a variation of conditions

If you are planning to study for more than 3 months, you do not need to apply for a variation of conditions or a student visa if:

  • your employer requires you to undertake the study as part of your employment, or
  • you have a working holiday visa and are studying for less than 6 months.

How to apply for a variation of conditions or Job Change

Online form

Work visa holders can apply online for a variation of conditions and AEWV holders can apply online for a Job Change.

If you need to apply for a variation of travel conditions, you will need to apply on paper.

Application for a Job Change or a variation of conditions for work visa holders

On paper

Follow these steps.

  1. Download, print and complete the application form for a variation of conditions.
  2. Use our online tool to find out where to send your application and how much it costs.
  3. Send in your application with the fee and any supporting evidence.

Application for a Variation of Conditions or a Variation of Travel Conditions (INZ 1020) PDF 424KB

Timeframes and processes

How long it takes to process an application

Fees, decision times and where to apply

Assessing your application

Before we approve your application we check that:

  • the new conditions you are asking for align with the reason your visa was originally granted
  • you have met the conditions of your current visa, and
  • you still have a genuine intention to work in New Zealand.

Genuine intentions to visit, study or work in New Zealand