Citizen Advice Bureau - Monthly Comumn
Keeping up with immigration changes for Residency and changes to Student Visa work rights
From August 2026, important immigration changes are coming that may affect you.
These changes offer new opportunities for those working in skill level 1 to 3 roles. Creating a genuine chance for residency in New Zealand.
It is important to understand that there will still be conditions and requirements to meet, and not all final policy details have been released.
To help understand what is coming and how it may affect you, Arrowtown Immigration and Citizens Advice Bureau are hosting a FREE information event.
Held on Thursday, 12 March, at the Queenstown Events Centre, starting at 6pm.
This is a FREE event, but registration is required as numbers are limited. Email queenstown@cab.org.nz to register.
This is an opportunity to ask questions and gain an understanding of how these changes could affect you.
One of the most common questions we are asked relates to Restaurant Manager and Duty Manager positions.
These roles usually sit at skill level 2, and while accepted for an AEWV (Accredited Employer Work Visa), for a residence application, assessments can be very different.
Immigration New Zealand look much more closely at what you do in your role. It is not enough to hold a job title. You may be asked for evidence that your day-to-day duties match the official descriptions for your occupation.
For example, you may be asked to show that you genuinely hire and manage staff, are responsible for rosters and budgets, organise menus or events, take part in recruitment and interviews, and operate at a real management level within the business.
Immigration New Zealand may also ask for the structure of your workplace. If you work alongside the owner of a small business, they may question why a full-time manager role is required, particularly where there are only three or four staff. These are very common challenges for people applying for residence in hospitality.
Our advice is simple: start preparing early. Keep copies of emails, messages and documents that show you arranging rosters, managing budgets, placing orders, organising interviews and making management decisions. This evidence can be crucial when applying for residence.
Student Visa work rights: Student visa holders can now work up to 25 hours per week, but this is not automatic. If your visa was granted before 3 November 2025, you must apply for a Variation of Conditions before working the extra hours. Always check your visa conditions before increasing your work hours.
