Short-Term Work Visas for New Zealand
Apply for New Zealand short-term work visas like the Specific Purpose Work Visa. Get expert help from Intergate to avoid delays or refusals.
New Zealand short-term work visas, primarily the Specific Purpose Work Visa, allow specialists and professionals to work in New Zealand for a defined, time-limited purpose such as an event, project, or equipment installation. The visa is for genuinely temporary, non-ongoing assignments; roles that are ongoing or open-ended require an Accredited Employer Work Visa instead. How long you can stay depends on the purpose: up to 12 months for a short-term secondment and up to three years for a transfer within a multinational.
Eligibility
- 01
Clear, time-bound purpose for the New Zealand work activity
The Specific Purpose Work Visa is for work on a set purpose or event that Immigration New Zealand accepts, for the time that purpose needs, backed by a job offer, an invitation letter or a schedule of events. Open-ended roles do not qualify.
- 02
Supporting documentation from the inviting New Zealand organisation
Applications require formal support from the entity that invited the applicant to New Zealand: a letter of invitation, contract, event schedule, or secondment agreement. Documentation must specify the role, duration, and nature of the work.
- 03
Relevant skills and professional experience matching the stated purpose
The applicant must demonstrate that their qualifications and experience justify the short-term specialist engagement. Generic or junior profiles are not accepted for specialist-purpose visas; the expertise must be demonstrably linked to the stated task.
- 04
Genuine intent to depart New Zealand at the end of the assignment
The Department assesses whether the applicant will leave New Zealand when the visa period ends. Evidence of employment, business interests, family, or property in the home country supports the departure-intent assessment.
- 05
Health and character requirements met
Standard health and character requirements apply, including a background history disclosure. Short-stay applicants may not require a full medical examination but must meet character standards.
- 06
No ongoing or permanent role in New Zealand after the assignment ends
Short-term work visas are for non-recurring, temporary assignments. If the role is ongoing or if the same work will continue after the initial period, the correct pathway is an Accredited Employer Work Visa, not a short-term specialist visa.
Mistakes that cost a refusal
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Applying for a Specific Purpose Work Visa when the role is ongoing and should be covered by an Accredited Employer Work Visa; this leads to a conditions breach when the applicant continues working after the short-term visa expires.
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Submitting vague or incomplete supporting documentation from the inviting organisation; a letter that describes the applicant's general expertise without specifying the task or duration is insufficient.
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Not demonstrating intent to depart New Zealand after the assignment; applicants without clear ties to a home country face a higher scrutiny threshold on the temporary nature of the visit.
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Overlooking health and character requirements by assuming a short duration exempts the applicant from standard checks; INZ applies character requirements to all visa categories.
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Using an expired visa for continued work because the assignment ran longer than expected; only some purposes allow a second visa, and it must be applied for before the original visa expires.
From first call to grant
01 · 1 wk
Strategy
Visa category confirmation (Specific Purpose Work Visa vs AEWV), duration and purpose clarity check, and departure-intent evidence planning.
02 · 1-2 wk
Documentation
Invitation letter, employment contract or secondment agreement, qualifications evidence, home-country ties evidence, and character history gathered.
03 · 1 wk
Lodgement
Application submitted to Immigration New Zealand with all required documents and fees paid.
04 · 1-3 wk
Decision and grant
INZ processes the application. Requests for further information responded to promptly. Visa conditions confirmed before travel.
What that buys you
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Licensed Immigration Advisers identify the correct short-term visa category immediately, preventing applicants from using a specific-purpose visa for a role that requires an employer-sponsored work visa.
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Documentation review: advisers check whether the inviting organisation's supporting letter meets INZ standards before lodgement, avoiding a request for further information that delays the grant.
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Prior immigration history management: applicants with previous refusals or immigration breaches face higher scrutiny; advisers advise on how to address the history in the application.
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Future pathway protection: the short-term work record in New Zealand can affect future employer-sponsored or skilled migration applications; advisers ensure the initial visa is used in compliance with its conditions.
We work on a transparent flat fee, quoted at the consultation. We do not publish prices because the right number is the case-specific one.
Specific Purpose Work Visa
The Specific Purpose Work Visa lets you work in New Zealand for a set purpose or event that Immigration New Zealand accepts. For a business, the two main purposes are a short-term secondment of a senior or specialist employee to a substantial New Zealand company or a New Zealand subsidiary of an overseas company, for up to 12 months, and the transfer of a senior manager or specialist from one part of a multinational to another in New Zealand, for up to three years. Other purposes include installing or servicing specialised machinery bought from an overseas company. What you need to show depends on the purpose, such as a job offer, an invitation letter or a schedule of events; for a secondment the employer also completes form INZ 1113.
The visa is not for roles that are ongoing or open-ended. Only some purposes allow a second visa if the work runs longer than planned; if the role has become a permanent position, the Accredited Employer Work Visa is the route to look at.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
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Can a Specific Purpose Work Visa be extended if the project runs longer than expected?
Only some purposes allow a second visa. Senior or specialist staff on a secondment can apply for another 12 months, and senior managers or specialists transferred within a multinational can apply for another three years. For many other purposes Immigration New Zealand does not allow a second one. If the role has become ongoing, look at the Accredited Employer Work Visa.
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Is there a maximum duration for the Specific Purpose Work Visa?
It depends on the purpose. A short-term secondment of a senior or specialist employee allows up to 12 months. A senior manager or specialist moving within a multinational can stay up to three years. Other purposes have their own limits, such as up to three months for installing or servicing specialised machinery.
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Can I bring my family on a short-term work visa?
You cannot include your partner or children in your application, but they can apply for their own visas based on their relationship to you.
Next step
Speak with a licensed advisor about your visa options.
A focused consultation routed to the right licensed advisor. Continue independently after the call, or proceed with us and have the consultation fee deducted from the service fee.