Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visas - Implications for WTR Visa Holders?

Update as of 7 April 2022: 

• INZ released further updates on the fee and estimated processing timeframes for the 3 steps to hiring a migrant on an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV). Find out here!

Update as of 22 March 2022:

• INZ released further updates on the accreditation and job check steps. Please see them here.

With the launch of the new temporary work visa in mid-2022, the landscape of immigration as we know it will evolve substantially.

Six Work Visas Into One 

A question we get asked consistently is how removal of the six work visa categories and merger into one temporary work visa scheme will impact those that already hold these work visas. This question is of utmost significance to those holding Accredited Employer (Talent) work visas as there is a pathway to residence tied into these visas, so a lot is at stake.

It will come as a relief to Talent – Accredited Employer work visa holders and their employers that the work visa and its subsequent pathway to residence will be retained, even after the dissolution of this work visa category.

The Subsequent Talent Work Visa

Additionally, it is a likely scenario that their visa will expire before their residence is approved, given the processing times that stand at the moment. There are immigration instructions that allow them to submit another Talent visa on the salary threshold they were originally approved under, as long as the residence is submitted and is under assessment. To do this, they must:

• Apply for the new visa before their current one expires 
• Continue working for the same employer that the residence is based on. 

This subsequent visa can be granted for another 24 months. These policy settings would apply irrespective of the new changes that go live mid next year.

Changing Employers While on the Accredited Employer (Talent) Visa

Another question we get asked often is whether someone can change employers during the course of their Talent Accredited Employer Work visa and still retain their residence pathway. If someone moves to another accredited employer, a variation of conditions to their work visa can most likely be applied however if they move to a non-accredited employer, then depending on the situation, the visa may or may not be varied.

Though INZ is intending minimal disruption to the residence pathways for Talent – Accredited Employer work visa holders, there are some traps that migrants and employers could still fall into. To ensure this does not happen, it is paramount to remain informed of policy settings and how these can impact your business and employees. Uncertainty and ambiguity for employees impacts business productivity, and in the current environment it is essential to seek the right advice when immigration policy and human resourcing decisions are so deeply intertwined.

If you would like to better understand how the above could impact you,
reach out to us for a complimentary consultation.

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