Care Workforce Visa Pathways

If you are working, or planning to work, in a care workforce role in New Zealand, it is important to understand how your job affects your visa, your family’s visa options, and any potential pathway to residence.

Accredited Employer Work Visa – Care Workforce sector role

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has made significant changes to the AEWV since 2024. Most notably, since March 2025, the median wage is no longer used to determine AEWV eligibility or visa length. Instead, INZ now assesses whether the role is genuine and paid at the market rate. For care workforce roles, additional remuneration thresholds apply in specific circumstances, particularly where residence pathways or family support are sought, as outlined below.

For care workforce roles, ANZSCO skill level remains central to how applications are assessed. Some care workforce roles may be assessed at ANZSCO skill level 3 if the job requires either:

• a NZQF Level 4 qualification, or
• at least three years of relevant work experience.

If a role does not meet these requirements, it is likely to be assessed at skill level 4 or 5, even if it appears on the Care Workforce List.

Skill level matters because it affects:

• for how long an AEWV can be granted, and
• whether family members can be supported.

Roles assessed at skill levels 1–3 may be granted AEWVs of up to five years. Roles assessed at skill levels 4–5 are generally limited to visas for up to three years, unless they are listed on Appendix 14 of INZ’s Immigration Instructions and paid at or above the care workforce residence remuneration rate (currently NZ$28.25 per hour). In those cases, all applicable skill level 4-5 requirements must still be met, including meeting the required level of English language.

Care workforce roles listed in Appendix 14 include Kaiāwhina (Māori Health Assistant), Disabilities Service Officer, Residential Care Officer, Aged or Disabled Carer, Nursing Support Worker, Personal Care Assistant, Therapy Aide, Child or Youth Residential Care Assistant, and Diversional Therapist.

It is important that employers accurately reflect qualification and experience requirements in job advertisements and Job Check applications. INZ will assess the actual requirements of the role, not just the job title or list inclusion.

Family visas

Where a care workforce worker is granted an AEWV based on a skill level 4 or 5 role, but is paid at or above the Care Workforce residence remuneration requirement (currently NZ$28.25 per hour), they may be eligible to support:

• a partner for a work visa, and
• dependent children for student or visitor visas.

Where the AEWV holder earns an annual income of at least NZ$58,240, dependent children may be eligible for student visas with domestic student status, up to the completion of secondary schooling. This income threshold is assessed based on the guaranteed hours stated in the employment agreement and the hourly pay rate.

In all cases, partners and dependent children must independently meet the relevant immigration policy requirements for the visa applied for.

Care Workforce Work to Residence pathway

The Care Workforce Sector Agreement provides a Work to Residence pathway for specified care workforce roles.

To be eligible, applicants must:

• have worked in New Zealand for at least 24 months in an eligible role,
• have been paid at or above the care workforce residence pay rate for that period,
• hold current employment (or an offer of employment) with an accredited employer, and
• be paid at or above the applicable Level 4 pay rate at the time of applying for residence, as well as throughout the 24 month work period; and
• the employment must be full time (minimum 30 hours per week) and be either permanent, or fixed term for at least 12 months.

INZ will assess the main job tasks actually undertaken when determining whether the role matches one of the specified care workforce occupations.

The 24 month work period can be counted from the point at which the applicant’s pay first met the Level 4 care workforce residence rate in place at the time. This rate is NZ$28.25 per hour from 1 July 2022. Applicants are not required to hold a Level 4 Certificate in Health and Wellbeing, but must be paid at the Level 4 rate.

The main residence applicant must be under 56 years of age at the time their residence application is lodged. Their application may include their partner and any dependent children aged under 25 who meet the policy requirements.

English language requirements

The main residence applicant must satisfy the English language requirement before lodging their residence application. This is normally an acceptable English test result obtained in the last 2 years (e.g., IELTS. 6.5, PTE 58, TOEFL iBT 79 & others). Please read our English language test guide to understand more about each test process and to provide information on which test may be more suitable.

It can be possible for citizens of Canada, USA, UK and Ireland, or applicants who have undertaken particular tertiary studies in these countries, or in New Zealand and Australia, to satisfy the English requirement without having to take an English test.

Any partner and dependent children included in the residence application must also meet an English standard, but at a lower level than the main applicant. Alternatively, these applicants are also able to meet this requirement by pre-purchasing English language lessons.

English language ability can be one of the biggest challenges for care workforce workers seeking residence. Planning ahead and working towards the English requirement early is strongly recommended.

This information is general guidance only. Immigration outcomes depend on individual circumstances, and seeking professional immigration advice is recommended. Pathways® licensed immigration advisers are here to help – contact one of our friendly and experienced advisers today!