New Zealand relaxes visa conditions during COVID-19
Effective from today, 16 April 2020, the New Zealand Government has relaxed visa conditions for a temporary period of time to allow temporary migrant workers and international students to further assist with essential services during the COVID-19 response.
This will assist essential businesses that are still operating to continue to do so.
Employer-specific work visas
The changes mean that temporary migrant workers who hold an employer-specific work visa and are already employed in essential services can now:
- Vary their hours and be redeployed to do other roles within their current workplace.
- Perform their current role in a different workplace to help essential businesses keep operating while New Zealand remains at Alert Level 3 or 4 and for six weeks after that.
International students
As of today, international students who are already employed in an essential services role:
- Can work longer hours for their current employer while New Zealand remains at Alert Level 3 or 4 and for six weeks following.
- If they wish to work more than 20 hours they must still meet their study requirements and should discuss their plans with their relevant education provider.
Any amendment to an employee’s conditions of work must still be compliant with normal New Zealand employment law and the individual or collective employment agreement relevant to the employee.
Applying for a Variation of Conditions
- People holding interim visas are not able to apply for a Variation of Conditions.
- No fees or levies are payable for a Variation of Conditions under this special category.
For more information including the relevant form needed to apply visit the New Zealand Government website.
