New Zealand has been experiencing staff shortages in various industries for some time, and the recent extreme weather conditions caused by Gabrielle have exacerbated the situation. To address this problem, the Minister of Immigration Michael Wood has announced a new Specific Purpose Work Visa called the Recovery Visa. This blog post will provide an overview of this new visa, including its features, conditions, and benefits.

Features of the Recovery Visa

The Recovery Visa is a Specific Purpose Work Visa that allows a migrant to enter New Zealand to perform a specific job for a set period. The following are some key features of this visa:

• It is valid for only six months, from the date of entry into New Zealand.
• The processing time for the visa application is expected to be only one week.
• The application fee of $700 will be refunded within 25 days for every successful application, effectively making it a free visa.
• There is no requirement for the employer to be accredited, nor any need for a job check, which brings down the cost and complexity.

Conditions of the Recovery Visa

The Recovery Visa is intended to allow workers in roles that support both the North and South Islands in responding to and recovering from the extreme weather that occurred in January and February 2023. The following are some of the conditions of this visa:

• The migrant may work in any extreme weather response/recovery role, for any employer in New Zealand.
• The worker must be involved in providing emergency response, immediate clean-up, assessing risk or loss, infrastructure, building and housing stabilization and/or repair (including planning functions).
• The employer must complete the INZ1377 form.
• As it is a six-month visa, Immigration New Zealand should not request medicals or police certificates with the application.

Benefits of the Recovery Visa

The Recovery Visa has several benefits, including:

• It provides a solution to staff shortages in industries affected by the extreme weather.
• It allows workers to enter New Zealand quickly, with a processing time of only one week.
• It is a cost-effective option for employers, with the application fee being refunded within 25 days for every successful application.
• It is a flexible option for workers, as it allows them to work in any extreme weather response/recovery role for any employer in New Zealand.

Conclusion

The Recovery Visa is a welcome solution to the staff shortages faced by various industries in New Zealand, especially in light of the extreme weather caused by Gabrielle. With its short processing time, low application fee, and flexible conditions, it is an excellent option for both employers and workers. If you are interested in this visa or would like more information, please connect with us.