The Government will extend Working Holiday visas and Supplementary Seasonal Employment (SSE) work visas for six months to provide more certainty to employers and visa holders over the coming summer period.
The six month extension will benefit more than 8,500 people on Working Holiday visas and SSE work visas which are due to expire between 21 December 2021 and 30 June 2022. They will now continue to have open work rights, allowing them to work in any sector to help meet labour market demands where they exist.
This will allow employers across a range of industries to make use of the onshore workforce while the border restrictions are in place.
These visa extensions complement the recently announced 2021 Resident visa which will provide a one-off pathway to residence for an estimated 165,000 migrants and their families.
Other changes over the past 18 months have included border exceptions to bring in over 18,000 critical workers and their families, and extending the length of new Essential Skills visas from 12 to 24 months for jobs paid below the median wage.
Immigration New Zealand will contact all visa holders eligible for the Working Holiday or SSE visa extension by the end of November.