Fern Law Solicitors

22/09/2025

NEW SKILLED MIGRANT CATEGORY PATHWAYS ANNOUNCED
From mid-2026, two new Skilled Migrant Category pathways will be introduced:
• The Skilled Work Experience Pathway, for migrants in skilled roles (ANZSCO 1-3) with at least 5 years of directly relevant work experience, including a minimum of 2 years in New Zealand paid at least 1.1 times the median wage

• Trades and Technician Pathway, for migrants in specified trades or technician roles with a minimum Level 4 qualification and at least 4 years’ post-qualification experience, including 18 months in New Zealand paid at or above the median wage.
More information will be available closer to the time.

15/08/2025

Fern Law turns 10 years old today! What a day and what a journey.

I could not have achieved this without the best team ever! To Stacey, Rehana and Liz thank you for being there through the highs and the lows.

Thank you to all our clients for without you there is no firm.

Truly humbled and honoured.

13/07/2025

UPCOMING CHANGES TO STUDENT VISA WORK RIGHTS

In November 2025, INZ will be:
• increasing the number of hours eligible students can work while holding a student visa, from 20 to 25 hours a week
• extending eligibility for in-study work rights to all tertiary students on approved exchange or Study Abroad programmes, including 1-semester courses
• clarifying that if you change your education provider or lower your level of study, you will need to apply for a new student visa, not just a variation of conditions.

Increased in-study work hours
From 3 November 2025, eligible tertiary and secondary school students will be allowed to work up to 25 hours a week during the semester – an increase from the current 20-hour limit. This will apply to all new student visas granted from that date, even if the application was submitted earlier.

If you already have a student visa with a 20-hour work limit and want to work up to 25 hours, you will need to apply for a variation of conditions or a new student visa. The relevant immigrations fees will apply.

Many student visas already allow full-time work during summer and other scheduled breaks. If your visa includes this, you might not need to apply for the extra 5 hours right away. You can choose to apply for the variation of conditions after summer, if your visa is still valid.

School students in years 12 and 13 require parental and school permission for 20 hours in-study work rights during the year. This permission will still be a requirement with the increase to 25 hours a week.

Contact us on [email protected] for further information

13/06/2025

GREEN LIST EXPANDING TO MEET SKILLED TRADES SHORTAGES
On 18 August 2025, 10 skilled trades occupations will be added to the Green List Work to Residence pathway, allowing them to apply for residence after working in New Zealand for two years.
The trade occupations are:
• Metal Fabricator
• Pressure Welder
• Welder
• Fitter (General)
• Fitter and Turner
• Fitter-Welder
• Metal Machinist (First Class)
• Panel Be**er
• Vehicle Painter
• Paving Plant Operator

Work to Residence Visa applicants must meet the skills, work experience and wage requirements. Standard health, character, language and age requirements also apply.

Please note the median wage thresholds for skilled residence visas will be updated in August as part of our annual review.

Contact us on [email protected] for further information

08/06/2025

Announcement 📣

Just announced: The Parent Boost Visa is a multiple-entry visitor visa that allows parents of New Zealand citizens and residents to visit for up to 5 years. Applicants may apply for a second visa, enabling a total stay of up to 10 years, provided they continue to meet all eligibility requirements.

16/12/2024

LATEST UPDATE!

REMOVING THE MEDIAN WAGE REQUIREMENT
Wage thresholds for all AEWV roles will be removed. Employers still need to advertise and offer AEWV employees the market rate for their position and workplace location. This change does not affect existing employment agreements. There are no changes to the wages that AEWV workers must earn to apply for residence.

NEW EARNING THRESHOLD
AEWV migrants will need to earn at least NZ$55,844 a year to bring children, along with meeting other criteria. This threshold has not been updated since 2019.

REDUCING THE EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT FOR MIGRANTS
The experience requirement for migrants will be reduced from 3 years to 2. This ensures migrants are sufficiently skilled while addressing key issues raised during consultation.

INTRODUCING NEW PATHWAYS FOR EXPERIENCED SEASONAL WORKERS
In November 2025, two new pathways for seasonal workers will be introduced, including a 3-year multi-entry visa for experienced workers and a 7-month single entry visa for lesser-skilled workers. The existing temporary seasonal pathways will remain available until then.

INCREASING THE VISA DURATION FOR ANZSCO LEVEL 4 OR 5 AEWV HOLDERS TO 3 YEARS
Following feedback through consultation, the visa duration will increase to 3 years for new AEWVs issued for jobs assessed as skill level 4 or 5 on the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO). The visa length will change from 2 years (with the option of 1 additional year) to 3 years to align with the total time these workers can stay in New Zealand (their maximum continuous stay). Those currently on a 2-year visas will be able to apply for a further AEWV for 1 year if they meet the requirements.

AMENDING THE WORK AND INCOME ENGAGEMENT REQUIREMENT
The current requirement for employers to engage with the Work and Income will be amended to be declaration based. Employers must declare that they have, in good faith, advertised ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5 jobs with Work and Income and interviewed candidates who could have been suitable for the job. This can be done alongside the recruitment that employers will already be undertaking in the domestic labour market. There will also no longer be a set 21-day timeframe.

GREATER WORK RIGHTS FOR THOSE ON INTERIM VISAS
From April 2025, interim work rights will be extended to AEWV applicants who are applying from any work visa type or from a student visa that allows them to work during term time, supporting migrants to maintain employment while their visa is processed.

REMOVING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPLETION OF EMPLOYMENT NEW ZEALAND ONLINE MODULES
The requirements regarding online modules will be removed from 27 January 2025 for all current and future accredited employers and Recognised Seasonal Employers (RSE).

INZ will instead provide employers and workers with links to freely available Employment New Zealand or INZ webpages that set out employment rights and obligations at the most appropriate points in the immigration process.

REDUCING THE DOMESTIC WORKFORCE THRESHOLD FOR CERTAIN CONSTRUCTION ROLES
The domestic workforce threshold for employers of certain construction roles is being reduced from 35 per cent to 15 per cent.

More information about the changes will be available in early 2025.

23/10/2024

Great news

https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/media-centre/news-notifications/open-work-rights-for-partners-of-migrant-workers?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2UR9yooW6vkCFo5F_pgAAUczYnNrVyJunzOwDPx70GiBeRxBCDxlYy_TQ_aem_ceUMedSijuUkW-hqZNYOXg

Open work rights will be available to more partners of migrant workers from 2 December 2024.

22/10/2024

OPEN WORK RIGHTS FOR PARTNERS OF MIGRANT WORKERS.

From 2 December 2024, open work rights will be available to:
• all partners of Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) working in ANZSCO Level 1-3 role and earning at least NZD$25.29 an hour (80 percent of the standard median wage)
• partners of AEWV holders earning at least $25.29 an hour if they were already supporting a partner for a work visa on 26 June 2024
• all partners of Essential Skills work visa holders earning at least $25.29 an hour.

Furthermore, open work rights will be available to partners of AEWV holders working in an ANZSCO Level 4-5 role:
• earning at least $47.41 an hour (150 percent of the standard median wage), or
• earning at least $31.61 an hour in a role on the Green List and meeting the Green List requirements for that role, or
• earning at least $25.29 an hour (80 percent of the standard median wage) and meeting the requirements of a role in the Transport or Care Sector Agreements (or the wage specified in the sector agreement, whichever is higher).

What can you do if you already hold a partnership based visa with conditions?
If you meet the above criteria, you will be able to apply for a variation of conditions or a new work visa from 2 December 2024.

For further information, contact us on [email protected] or call us on 033651013

27/06/2024

Matariki celebrations take many forms across Aotearoa New Zealand, and all peoples across the motu (country) have the opportunity to celebrate, show respect for the land they live on, and share the Matariki tradition.

Fern Law wishes you a Mānawatia a Matariki (Happy Māori New Year) wherever you are.

We will close our office tomorrow (Friday) and are back to normal operational hours on Monday 1st July 2024.

Have a great and safe long weekend everyone!

26/06/2024

The Government has made further changes to the Accredited Employer Work Visa scheme.

From today, 26 June 2024, people holding an AEWV in roles at Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) levels 4 and 5 without a pathway to residency are no longer able to support work, visitor or student visa applications for their partners and dependent children.

Partners and dependent children will still be able to apply for a visa in their own right to come to New Zealand, such as an Accredited Employer Work Visa or an international student visa, provided they meet the requirements.

The government has made this change to align with the broader suite of changes to the AEWV scheme earlier this year, and returns the settings to similar ones under the previous Essential Skills Work Visa.

The change will not impact:

- people that already hold visas as a partner or dependent child, or
- AEWV holders working in ANZSCO level 4 and 5 roles with a pathway to residency, such as the Green List, sector agreements with residence pathways, and
- those earning at least 1.5 times the median wage threshold for the Skilled Migrant Category.

People who have an application as a partner or dependent child in progress will also not be affected. Those applications will be considered against the requirements that were in place on the date they applied.