This is a reminder to the forum that the Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa and Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa will be discontinued at the end of October 2021.

First time applications for either of these visas will not be accepted after 31 October 2021. You will need to apply for the Essential Skills Work Visa instead, which will remain open until the new Accredited Employer Work Visa is introduced on 4 July 2022.

Those who already hold or who have held either of these visas will have their pathway to residence maintained, as follows:

  • Applications for a subsequent Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa or Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa will remain open for people who
    • have made an application for residence under the corresponding Residence from Work instructions, and a decision on that residence application is yet to be made, or
    • had commenced employment in New Zealand while holding a Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa or Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa, but who departed New Zealand before 19 March 2020 and returned after 31 October 2021.
  • Some criteria regarding the accreditation of an employer with respect to obtaining a subsequent Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa have been relaxed, given that it is no longer possible for an employer to obtain such accreditation:
    • The conditions of a Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa may now be varied to allow work for an employer who held accreditation status after 31 March 2021, even if the accreditation has since expired.
    • Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visas may be granted if the employer’s accreditation has expired between the visa application being made and being decided, providing that certain criteria are met.
    • Changes to the eligibility criteria for the Talent (Accredited Employer) Resident Visa have been made in line with the above Work Visa changes.


For more details of these changes, refer to this news posting by INZ. For more details of changes to relevant immigration instructions, refer to Amendment Circular 2021-47.

There is no information on eligibility for a subsequent Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa or Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa for those who plan to apply for the forthcoming 2021 Resident Visa.