Step 1 Visas & Immigration
So, you have decided you want to look at New Zealand as a possible destination for emigration (that’s when you leave South Africa). Immigrants (people coming into New Zealand), generally can’t just pitch up here and start to work or open a business.
So, in simple terms, you can come into New Zealand on a visitor visa, which is most often for a maximum period of 3 month. It’s easy to apply for yourself. And, if you like it, or have a job to come to, you can then apply for a work visa. We will not deal with the full variety of visas.
Also, bear in mind that it is an offence for anyone other than a lawyer or a registered immigration advisor or Immigration New Zealand, to give immigration advice. So, we have been careful to assist with the links to the relevant websites only, and only used information available on the official websites.
All Immigration Advisors must be registered. There are some wonderful companies and individuals, and there are also the others. Please be cautious.
Disclaimer: Lekker Life New Zealand is NOT an immigration advisor, we cannot help you obtain a visa, we can however recommend who to use.
All the information in this section is copied and pasted directly from the Immigration New Zealand websites. We have taken care not to interpret it or to give immigration information which is not freely available on NZ government websites
Please click HERE for all the LATEST changes that have been made by Immigration New Zealand
Click for –> GREEN LIST OCCUPATIONS
Visitor Visa
You don’t need an agent to apply for a visitor visa. You can apply online. All South Africans need a visitor visa. This is not unusual. There are lots of places where NZ requires a visa. However, check if you have a British passport or one of the other visa waiver countries, you may not need one. Check here You will need a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority ( NZeTA)
ONLINE application.
1 Person – NZD 441.00
2 People – NZD 541.00
3 People – NZD 641.00
4 people – NZD 741.00
Processing time – Withing 4 weeks.
Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)
The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV), announced in 2019, will replace 6 visas with a streamlined single visa process
Employers must be accredited to hire a migrant on the new Accredited Employer Work Visa.
If you are eligible, apply for a Straight to Residence Visa, Work to Residence Visa, Care Workforce or Transport Work to Residence Visa.
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. Read HERE
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.
Most immigrants will find the use of an Immigration Advisor or lawyer useful at this point. Even if you don’t decide to proceed with emigration, a registered advisor or lawyer can at least tell you if you are heading in the right direction or if you are wasting your energy, and need to look at an alternative destination
ONLINE application.
Per application – NZD 1540.00
Processing time – Within 7 weeks
Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
To apply for this visa, You must have a job or a job offer in New Zealand. Your employment must be with an accredited employer and either full-time and permanent, for a fixed-term of at least 12 months or a contract for services of at least 6 months.
If you are applying for a Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa, you need to find the closest matching Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupation (ANZSCO) occupation for your current job or job offer. You must also be suitably qualified to do the job — your training and experience must match your occupation’s ANZSCO skill level.
Please note that there was an announcement that ANZSCO was to be replaced by NOL (National Occupation List) – The immigration website still refers to ANZSCO, for clarity please discuss this with your immigration advisor or call immigration New Zealand on (Customer Service Centre (Toll-free from NZ landlines only) 0508 558 855 Or
Auckland +64 9 914 4100
Wellington +64 4 910 9915
ONLINE application.
Stage 1 – Expression of Interest – NZD0.00
Stage 2 – Apply For Residence
Per application – NZD 6450.00
Processing time – Within 4 Months
Entrepreneur Work Visa
Some South Africans who don’t have the skills or qualifications, but have the funds or business experience, may want to consider a entrepreneur work visa.
You can stay 12 months in the start-up stage of your visa, then another 24 months once you have shown us that you have set-up your business
If your business is in the science or ICT sectors, shows a high level of innovation or export potential, we may consider waiving the NZD $100,000 capital investment requirement.
We will not be able to grant you an Entrepreneur Work Visa if you’ve been made bankrupt or been involved in a business failure in the last 5 years.
With this visa you can:
Come to New Zealand to buy or set up your own business.
Work in your own business in New Zealand for up to 3 years in total.
Include your partner, and dependent children aged 19 and under, in your visa application.
ONLINE application.
Per application – NZD 12 380.00
Processing time – Within 10 Months
Entrepreneur Resident Visa
With this visa you can continue to operate your own business in New Zealand, Live, work and study in New Zealand. Include your partner, and dependent children aged 24 and under, in your visa application.
If you apply after less than 2 years of being self-employed, you’ll need to have an Entrepreneur Work Visa, have invested capital of at least NZ $500,000 and have created 3 new jobs in New Zealand.
ONLINE application.
Per application – NZD 14 890.00
Processing time – Not Available
Visa Costs
You need to take into consideration that all visas have a certain cost. It is possible to apply for any of the visas yourself. It is generally less expensive applying directly online, than submitting a paper application.
These fees vary from time to time. Here are the current processing times.
Your agent or lawyer will also charge you for the work done in putting together the application. This can sometimes be a considerable volume of work, and agents don’t work for nothing.
Also, you need to be aware that there will be costs for couriers, photographs and other costs.
Time frames for visa processing will also vary, and are on the INZ website
