19 November 2024
The government will lift the annual limit on the number of foreign fishing crew members allowed to work in New Zealand, effective December 2, 2024.
Previously, only 940 foreign workers could obtain a Fishing Crew Work Visa each year. With the cap removed, employers can now hire more overseas workers to address skill shortages on fishing vessels when there aren’t enough qualified New Zealanders available.
Fishing Crew Work Visa Overview
- Purpose: Allows you to work as a crew on a fishing vessel in New Zealand waters.
- Requirements: You must have a job offer and the necessary skills and experience.
- Length of Stay: Up to 12 months.
- Cost: Starting from NZD $1,355.
- Processing Time: 80% of applications are processed within 5 weeks.
What You Can Do with This Visa
- Work on a fishing vessel in New Zealand waters.
- You must work only for the employer who offered you the job.
Approval in Principle for Employers
Employers wishing to hire seven or more overseas crew members for a single vessel must obtain an Approval in Principle (AIP) from Immigration New Zealand (INZ). This approval is granted only if there are not enough New Zealanders available for the work.
- Validity: Initial 12 months.
- Cost: Starting from NZD $6,610.
- Processing Time: 80% of applications are processed within 4 months.
Key Points for Employers
- Crew Numbers: Apply for the maximum number of foreign crew needed at one time. Crew changes don’t count towards any cap.
- Less Than Seven Crew: If hiring fewer than seven foreign crew members, you don’t need an AIP but must complete additional forms and support the visa application similarly to employers with an AIP.
Industry Impact
The removal of the cap is expected to provide immediate relief to the seafood industry, which employs over 12,000 people and earned over $2 billion in exports for the year ending June 2024. Notably, 89% of the seafood workforce consists of New Zealand workers.
Additional Information
- The current allocation process for the upcoming cap year (October 31, 2024, to October 31, 2025) has been paused in collaboration with industry stakeholders.
- For guidance on hiring workers and understanding immigration rules and processes, please refer to Immigration New Zealand’s resources.
Reference
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/
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