Immigration New Zealand announced that they will apply NZD $27.00 as the New Zealand median wage from 19 July 2021. While as of July 2020 the median wage is NZD $25.50 an hour. If you will apply for Essential skills work visa, this update will affect on you.
How this change affects your visa application?
For an Essential Skills Work Visa applicant, whether your pay rate is below the median wage, or the median wage or above will determine:
- How long your visa is granted for
- If there is a maximum time you can hold an Essential Skills Visa
- If you can support a work visa for your partner
- Do you need to leave New Zealand for 12 months once you have been New Zealand for 3 years.
As a result, this change is a crucial for Essential Skills work visa applicants. Therefore, we recommend that if you need to apply for this visa and your current pay rate is at or above NZD $25.50, but below NZD $27.00, you should contact us as soon as possible.