Your partner holds a New Zealand work visa

If your partner holds a work visa for more than six months the Immigration New Zealand may grant you a work visa for the same length of time your partner is allowed to work in New Zealand.

You will need to show that you are in a genuine and stable relationship with your partner and your partner must:

• be eligible to support you
• meet the character requirement for partners supporting partnership-based temporary entry applications’
• intend to be in New Zealand for the period you apply for in your application
• provide a completed Form for partners supporting partnership based temporary entry applications (INZ 1146).

However, you are not eligible for a work visa if your partner's work visa:

• is a special visa that allows them to work in New Zealand until we verify their claim of refugee status
• You must show that the employment is considered relevant practical experience by the professional association. Evidence might include documentation from the professional association, or from the employer, which says how the employment meets the association’s requirements.
• You must show that your New Zealand qualification meets the requirements for registration or membership of the professional association.

Your application for a work visa must be made no later than three months (six months if you have completed a doctoral qualification) after the end date of your student visa for that programme of study or qualification, unless you hold a Post-study work visa (open).

Your partner holds a New Zealand student visa

You must be in a genuine and stable relationship with your partner and they must hold a New Zealand student visa to study for:

• a level seven (or higher) qualification on the New Zealand Qualification Framework in an area of absolute skill shortage as specified in the Long Term Skill Shortage List, or
• a postgraduate qualification.