Recognised Seasonal Employer Limited Visa

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa name	Recognised Seasonal Employer Limited Visa
Purpose	Seasonal horticulture and viticulture work
Stay	Usually 7 months in 11
Cost	From NZD $325
Processing	80% within 1.5 weeks
Age	18 or older
Eligibility timing	Apply from outside New Zealand
Eligible nationality	Eligible Pacific nations, normally
Job offer	Required from a Recognised Seasonal Employer
Work rights	Named RSE employers only
Study	Allowed with employer authorisation
Medical insurance	Required for entire stay
Medicare	Not stated in the source
Travel facility	Multiple entry during season
Citizenship	Not stated in the source
Family sponsorship	Partner and children cannot be included
Visa record	eVisa
Annual places	20,750 visas
Other visas	Apply only after leaving NZ

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Purpose

This visa lets eligible workers come to New Zealand temporarily to work in horticulture and viticulture for a Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE). Work may include planting, crop maintenance, harvesting and packing.

Eligibility

You must:

• Be 18 or older.
• Normally be a citizen of an eligible Pacific nation.
• Have a job offer from an RSE.
• Have a signed employment agreement.
• Have acceptable medical insurance for your full stay.
• Meet health and character requirements.
• Have genuine intentions to work in New Zealand.

Eligible Pacific nations are:

• Federated States of Micronesia
• Fiji
• Kiribati
• Nauru
• Palau
• Papua New Guinea
• Republic of Marshall Islands
• Samoa
• Solomon Islands
• Timor-Leste
• Tonga
• Tuvalu
• Vanuatu

In exceptional circumstances, an employer may recruit workers from other nations with Immigration New Zealand agreement.

Stay and extensions

Most visa holders can stay for a maximum of 7 months in any 11-month period.

Citizens of Tuvalu and Kiribati who also live there may stay an additional 2 months.

In exceptional circumstances, you may apply for a further RSE Limited Visa to work for the remaining allowed period, if you have not already reached your maximum stay.

You must leave New Zealand before your visa expires. Staying after expiry risks deportation.

Work rights and pay

You may work only:

• For the RSE employers named on your visa.
• In horticulture or viticulture work.

Your employment agreement must provide at least 30 hours a week, averaged over 4 weeks. If the employer cannot provide 120 hours over 4 weeks, they must top up your pay.

Pay must be at least:

• The New Zealand adult minimum wage; or
• The adult minimum wage plus 10%, if you have worked 2 or more New Zealand seasons.

You must pay tax on your New Zealand earnings. You can apply online for an IRD number.

Study and training

You may study, train or develop skills if your employer authorises it. Training does not need to relate directly to your role.

You must continue meeting your employment agreement requirements while studying or training.

Health, character and insurance

You may need medical and chest X-ray certificates. Medical evidence must be less than 3 months old when received.

A chest X-ray is normally not required for stays of 12 months or less if you are from a low-TB-incidence country, including Samoa, Tonga or Vanuatu. Applicants from other countries may need a chest X-ray regardless of intended stay.

You may need police certificates. If required, they must be less than 6 months old when you apply.

You must provide certified English translations of all medical and police certificates.

You must hold acceptable medical insurance for your entire stay. Evidence can include:

• Insurance certificate; or
• Insurance company approval letter.

See the Guide to Working for a Recognised Seasonal Employer (INZ 1144).

Required documents

Provide:

• Passport or certificate of identity copy.
• Two acceptable photos.
• Signed RSE employment agreement.
• Medical insurance evidence.
• Chest X-ray certificate, if required.
• Police certificates, if requested.

Additional documents may apply:

• Chinese citizens applying in China: Hukou and Chinese identity card.
• Hong Kong or Macao applicants applying locally: identity card copy.

How to apply

1. Obtain an RSE job offer and sign the employment agreement.
2. Gather identity, health, insurance and other required evidence.
3. Complete the Application to Work for a Recognised Seasonal Employer (INZ 1142).
4. Apply from outside New Zealand.
5. Your Pacific agent submits the form, documents, fee and immigration levy.
6. Provide further information if Immigration New Zealand requests it.
7. If approved, receive an eVisa by email.

Enter identity details exactly as shown on your passport or identity document. Errors may delay or result in refusal of the application or entry.

Before travel and arrival

You may enter New Zealand up to 14 days before your work start date. You cannot arrive more than 14 days after your scheduled start date.

Before travelling, you will be invited to an information presentation about living and working in New Zealand.

All travellers must complete a New Zealand Traveller Declaration:

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

Entry permission may be refused if you are not considered genuine, no longer meet character requirements, have changed circumstances, refuse biometric collection, or cannot show onward travel or funds to leave New Zealand.

Travel

This is a multiple-entry visa. You may travel in and out of New Zealand during the season, but:

• You must not exceed your maximum allowed stay.
• You must apply for entry permission each time you return.

Family and other visa applications

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

You cannot apply for another type of visa while holding an RSE Limited Visa. To apply for another visa, you must first leave New Zealand.