New Zealand•Oceania9 weeks
4,290 NZD
Indefinite
No
Not Required
Allowed
Available
Not Required
Permanent residence pathway for religious workers who have spent 3+ years on a Religious Worker Work Visa and have ongoing charity-sponsored religious work in New Zealand.
A permanent-residence pathway from Immigration New Zealand for ministers, priests, monks, imams and other religious workers who have served at least three years on a Religious Worker Work Visa. Applicants must be 55 or younger, currently in New Zealand, and sponsored by a charity-registered religious organisation offering ongoing religious work.
Holders may live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely, and may include a partner and dependent children aged 24 or younger if minimum-income or sponsor-support tests are met. Total cost is NZD 6,490 (fee plus levy); 80% of applications are decided within 9 weeks. English must be shown via an IELTS-class test under 2 years old or an English-speaking background.
This visa is ideal for long-serving religious practitioners three years into a Religious Worker Work Visa who want to settle permanently in New Zealand while continuing ministry with their sponsoring charitable congregation.
Must be aged 55 years or under.
Must be in New Zealand at the time of application.
Must have held a Religious Worker Work Visa for at least 3 years.
Must have a genuine offer of ongoing religious work from an acceptable sponsoring organization.
Must have at least 5 years of religious training and/or religious work experience.
Must meet English language requirements (IELTS 5.0 or equivalent).
Must meet health and character requirements.
Must not have applied for or been granted welfare assistance since the grant of the work visa.
Sponsoring organization must be a registered charity with the primary purpose of advancing religion.
Education
none or higher
Experience
5+ years
Valid passport.
Evidence of religious training and/or work experience.
Evidence of English language proficiency.
Sponsorship documentation from the religious organization.
Evidence of the job offer and ongoing work commitment.
Police certificates from countries lived in for 5+ years since age 17.
Medical and chest X-ray certificates.
Evidence of relationship for partners and dependent children (if included).
| Religious Worker Resident Visa Application | — |
| Application Steps · 6 | Pay fee: NZD 6,490 | immigration.govt.nz |
| Fee Breakdown · 0 · amount | 6490 | immigration.govt.nz |
| Fee Breakdown · 0 · label | Application fee and immigration levy | immigration.govt.nz |
| Processing Time | 80% within 9 weeks | immigration.govt.nz |
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