Essential Skills Work Visa (ESWV) Holders Can Now Bring Families in New Zealand
New Zealand is welcoming families with open arms! If you’re an international worker in Aotearoa holding an Essential Skills Work Visa (ESWV), there’s great news — you may now be able to bring your partner and dependent children along, with clearer rules based on your income level. Whether you’re working in construction, healthcare, agriculture, or IT, this update could change your life.
Who Can Bring Their Family?
If you hold a valid Essential Skills Work Visa (ESWV), you may sponsor visa applications for your family based on your hourly wage or annual income. The options include:
- Partner of a Worker Visitor Visa
- Partner of a Worker Work Visa
- Dependent Child Student Visa
- Child of a Worker Visitor Visa.
Supporting Your Partner’s Visa — What You Need to Earn
You can support a Partner of a Worker Work Visa if your hourly wage is NZD $26.85 or more — that’s 80% of New Zealand’s median wage. If your partner already holds a Partner of a Worker Work Visa issued before 2 December 2024, there may be work conditions attached, especially if:
- You earn less than NZD $59.32/hour, or
- Your job is not on the Green List, or
- You do not meet the Green List job requirements.
But here’s the game-changer:
If your wage is now NZD $26.85/hour or higher, your partner can apply to remove work conditions, allowing them to work for any employer across New Zealand — a major step toward independence and flexibility!
Supporting Visas for Your Children
To bring your children to New Zealand, here’s what you need to earn:
| Annual Salary | What You Can Support? |
|---|---|
| NZD $55,844 or more | Child of a Worker Visitor Visa or Dependent Child Student Visa |
| NZD $43,322.76 (until 9 March 2025) | Child visas IF your child already applied/was approved AND you held or applied for an ESWV |
So yes — your children’s education and care can now be aligned with your career in New Zealand.
Got a Raise Recently? Here’s What to Do
Did you previously fall short of the income requirement? If your pay has recently increased, you can now unlock new family visa options:
- Earn NZD $26.85/hour? Sponsor your partner’s open work visa
- Earn NZD $55,844/year? Sponsor your children’s student or visitor visas.
This makes career progression not just good for you — but a gateway to bring your entire family into a new life in New Zealand!
Why This Matters?
New Zealand’s move to ease family reunification under the ESWV scheme marks a progressive immigration shift, especially in a time where skilled workers are in high demand globally. It offers not just job security, but family stability and educational continuity — all in a country known for its natural beauty, healthcare system, and quality of life.
References
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