China Skilled Workers Visa

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa name	China Skilled Workers Visa
Purpose	Skilled work in New Zealand
Maximum stay	Up to 3 years
Cost	From NZD $1,355
Processing	80% within 10 weeks
Annual availability	1,000 visas each year
Eligibility timing	In China or lawfully NZ
Work rights	Specified job, employer and location
Study	Up to 3 months yearly
Medicare	Not stated in the source
Travel facility	Multiple entry before expiry
Citizenship	Not stated in the source
Family sponsorship	Family cannot be included
Visa record	Conditions recorded in eVisa
Arrival deadline	Within 6 months of grant

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Purpose

This visa is for citizens of the People’s Republic of China with a full-time job offer in an approved skilled occupation.

Your visa length depends on your employment offer, up to 3 years.

Eligibility

You must:

• Be a citizen of the People’s Republic of China.
• Be living in China, or lawfully in New Zealand, when applying.
• Have a valid People’s Republic of China passport.
• Have a full-time offer in an approved skilled occupation.
• Be qualified for the offered role.
• Hold New Zealand occupational registration where required.
• Be in good health and of good character.
• Genuinely intend to meet visa conditions.

You may apply while in New Zealand if you hold:

• A visitor visa granted to arrange occupational registration; or
• A work or student visa.

If applying from China, provide evidence of where you currently live, such as utility bills or recent payslips.

Eligible Skilled Occupations

The approved occupations are:

• Auditor
• Automotive electrician
• Boatbuilder
• Computer applications engineer
• Design engineer — electronics or product engineer
• Diesel mechanic
• Early childhood teacher
• Electrician
• Electronics technician
• Film animator
• Fitter and turner
• Fitter or welder
• Medical diagnostic radiographer
• Medical radiation therapist
• Motor mechanic
• Plumber
• Registered nurse
• Senior test analyst
• Structural engineer
• University or higher education lecturer or tutor
• Veterinarian

Qualification Requirements

Qualifications must be comparable to relevant New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework requirements.

Occupation	Required qualification or experience
Auditor	Level 7 accountancy degree; NZICA membership
Automotive electrician	Comparable Level 4 motor-industry qualification
Boatbuilder	Comparable Level 4 boatbuilding qualification
Computer applications engineer	Level 7 relevant degree; 3 years’ experience
Design engineer	Level 7 relevant degree; 3 years’ experience
Diesel mechanic	Comparable Level 4 heavy-engineering qualification
Early childhood teacher	Approved Level 7 ECE qualification; registration
Electrician	EWRB certificate and NZ registration
Electronics technician	Level 6/7 qualification; 3 years’ experience
Film animator	Level 7 specialised relevant degree
Fitter and turner	Comparable Level 5 qualification
Fitter or welder	Comparable Level 5 fabrication qualification
Radiographer or radiation therapist	Level 7 degree; NZ registration
Motor mechanic	Comparable Level 4 automotive qualification
Plumber	New Zealand plumbing registration
Registered nurse	Listed nursing qualification; NZ registration
Senior test analyst	Level 7 relevant degree; 3 years’ experience
Structural engineer	Accredited degree or recognised registration
Lecturer or tutor	Master’s degree or PhD
Veterinarian	New Zealand veterinary registration

For design engineers, electronics technicians and senior test analysts, at least 12 months of relevant work experience must have been gained in the last 18 months.

Occupational Registration

Provide a certified copy of New Zealand registration if working as a:

• Auditor
• Early childhood teacher
• Electrician
• Medical diagnostic radiographer or medical radiation therapist
• Plumber
• Registered nurse
• Veterinarian

If registration is required, you must come to New Zealand to begin the registration process. You may apply for a visitor visa for this purpose, but Immigration New Zealand needs written confirmation from the registration body that you are eligible for registration before granting that visitor visa.

Required Evidence

Identity

Provide:

• Two acceptable head-and-shoulders photographs.
• Your passport or certificate of identity.

Your passport must remain valid for at least 3 months after your planned departure from New Zealand. A certified passport copy may be accepted initially, but Immigration New Zealand may request the original.

Applicants from China must also provide:

• Hukou household registration book.
• Chinese identity card.
• INZ 1027 supplementary form if submitting a paper application in China.

Health

You must provide:

• A medical examination.
• A chest X-ray.

Applicants from China must provide a chest X-ray completed within the last 3 months if they have spent 6 consecutive months in China since their previous X-ray and will stay in New Zealand for more than 6 months.

Character

Police certificates are required if your total time in New Zealand will be 24 months or more across all visits, including previous visa stays. They may also be requested in other cases.

Police certificates must:

• Be less than 6 months old when submitted.
• Cover countries where you are a citizen.
• Cover countries where you lived more than 5 years since age 17.
• Include an English translation if not in English.

Applicants aged 16 or younger do not need police certificates. Previously submitted certificates may be reused if they are less than 24 months old.

Job Offer

Provide an employment agreement showing:

• The eligible skilled occupation.
• Employer name and contact details.
• Full-time working hours.
• Contract length.
• Required qualifications or experience.

Work and Study Conditions

You may work only:

• In the occupation specified on your visa.
• For the employer specified on your visa.
• At the location specified on your visa.

You may study for up to 3 months in any 12-month period.

Family Provisions

You cannot include your partner or dependent children in your application.

Your partner and dependent children may apply for visas based on their relationship to you.

Travel and Arrival

You must travel to New Zealand within 6 months of visa grant.

After arriving, you may travel in and out of New Zealand as many times as you wish before the visa expires.

All travellers must complete a New Zealand Traveller Declaration:

• By air: from 24 hours before travel begins.
• By sea: from 24 hours before the ship leaves its last overseas port.

Obligations and Warnings

You must leave New Zealand before your visa expires.

You may be refused entry permission if you:

• Do not meet character requirements.
• Have changed circumstances since visa grant.
• Refuse a photo, fingerprint or iris scan.

If granted a visa for less than 3 years, you may apply for another visa for the remaining period, provided you continue meeting all requirements.

If applying for another China Skilled Workers Visa after your visa expires, you must have been outside New Zealand for 3 years before applying.