1 Jul 2021
Changes in Essential Skills Work Visa
By Francesca Giansanti
Advisor
From 19 July the Essential Skills Work Visa Application rules will temporarily change in response to the Covid19 pandemic.
The main changes are:
- The maximum duration of an Essential Skills Visa for a job paid below the median wage will be extended from 12 to 24 months. The duration of Essential Skills visas for roles paid the median wage or above will still be up to three years.
- Employers who are retaining migrant workers in the same roles will not have to undergo a labour market check test, unless the worker will change employment location
- Applicants remaining in the identical role will not need to include an employment agreement with their new Essential Skills visa application, and they will not be required to provide medical and police certificates, if these were previously supplied with a visa application
- The introduction of the new Accredited Employer Work Visa previously scheduled for 1 November 2021, will be temporarily deferred to the middle of next year.
- The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) is changing its process for testing our labour market. The updated Skills Match Report will be available from 19 July 2021.