&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "WION Horizons: Applying for New Zealand work visa? Stricter English rules kick in from June 1")
New Zealand has announced stricter visa rules that will make English proficiency mandatory for a wider category of foreign workers, including those applying for lower-skilled jobs under the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) scheme from June 1.
Under the revised rules, English language requirements will now apply to skill level 3 jobs such as hospitality, trades and other mid-skilled roles. Until now, these standards were mainly enforced for lower skill categories classified under levels 4 and 5.
Explaining the move, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford said the policy aims to ensure migrant workers can communicate effectively in workplaces and everyday life. "Being able to communicate in basic, everyday English ensures that workers understand their rights and engage effectively at work and in the community while they are here," Stanford said in a statement.
The government clarified that the minimum language threshold will continue to be IELTS 4.0 or an equivalent qualification.
"The required standard is the current baseline (IELTS 4.0 or equivalent), which demonstrates basic, everyday English for common situations, not a high or advanced level of English," she said.
Stanford added that the decision comes ahead of the launch of two new skilled residence pathways expected in August. According to her, migrants entering New Zealand in “mid-skilled roles with aspirations for residence” should possess at least functional English skills upon arrival. "They will then have up to five years to meet the higher level of English required for residence," she said.
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The revised rules, however, will not apply to applications filed under the Global Workforce Seasonal Visa and Peak Seasonal Visa categories.
New rules for wealthy investors
Alongside tighter work visa norms, New Zealand has also announced changes to its investor migration programme aimed at attracting wealthy migrants.
From June 1, applicants under the Active Investor Growth category will be allowed to count philanthropic donations toward their investment requirement. Under the revised policy, migrants can include donations of up to 20 per cent of their total NZ$5 million investment, while the remaining amount must still go into growth-focused assets.
Stanford said the changes would allow investors to support charities and selected conservation projects while maintaining the programme’s focus on active investment.
The developments are significant for Indian applicants, who remain among the largest groups applying for New Zealand work visas under the AEWV system.
The recently signed India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement has also opened dedicated migration pathways for Indians. The agreement creates 5,000 annual Temporary Employment Entry visas for skilled Indian professionals in sectors including IT, healthcare, engineering, hospitality and education. It also introduces 1,000 Working Holiday Visas annually for Indian citizens aged between 18 and 30.
According to estimates, nearly 300,000 people of Indian origin currently live in New Zealand, accounting for around 5.8 per cent of the country’s population.
