China Special Work Visa

At a glance

The China Special Work visa allows limited numbers of citizens of the People's Republic of China in five designated occupations to work in New Zealand for a maximum of three years. [WI12] The occupations are Chinese chefs, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners (including nurses), Mandarin teachers' aides, Wushu Martial Arts coaches, and Chinese Tourism Specialists. [WI12] At any one time, the total number of holders must not exceed: 200 chefs, 75 TCM practitioners, 300 teachers' aides, 25 Wushu coaches, and 200 tourism specialists. [WI12] No labour market test is required. [WI12] After completing a three-year work period, applicants must remain outside New Zealand for three years before applying again. [WI12]

How to apply

Applicants must submit a completed work visa application form with the fee and immigration levy. [WI12] A full-time job offer in one of the specified occupations is required, meeting the generic work visa requirements in W2.10. [WI12][W2.10] Applicants must provide evidence of the specific qualifications and/or experience for their occupation, as set out in WI12(b). [WI12] They must also satisfy health (A4) and character (A5) requirements, and be considered bona fide applicants (E5). [WI12][A4][A5][E5] Applications may be lodged from outside New Zealand, or from within New Zealand if the applicant holds a valid work or student visa and is a TCM practitioner, Mandarin teachers' aide, Wushu coach, or tourism specialist. [WI12]

Successful offshore applicants receive a work visa and entry permission valid for multiple entries, with first entry required within six months and a maximum validity of three years depending on the job offer length. [WI12] Onshore applicants receive a multiple-entry work visa with a maximum of three years. [WI12] If the initial visa is less than three years, a further visa may be granted for the balance, provided the applicant continues to meet all requirements. [WI12] All visas are endorsed to permit work only for a specified employer and occupation. [WI12]

Eligibility criteria

Occupation and qualification requirements

Chinese chefs must hold a Chinese Occupational Skills Testing Authority Certificate Level 3 in traditional cuisine or a Chinese Certificate of Occupational Skill Level 3 in traditional cuisine. [WI12]

TCM practitioners (including nurses) must hold a higher education degree requiring at least three years' successful study in Traditional Chinese Medicine from an institution recognised by the Chinese government. [WI12]

Mandarin teachers' aides must hold a higher education degree requiring at least three years' successful study. [WI12] For this occupation, the job offer may be supported by a letter showing nomination by the Ministries of Education in New Zealand and China as an alternative to the usual W2.10.5 and W2.10.10 requirements. [WI12]

Wushu Martial Arts coaches must hold either:

• a Wushu Grade 3–5 Certificate and a post-compulsory education qualification in either physical education or teaching requiring at least two years' successful study from a Chinese government-recognised institution; or
• a Wushu Grade 6–9 Certificate and five years' teaching experience. [WI12]

Chinese Tourism Specialists must meet the criteria in WI12.15. [WI12.15] This includes holding a valid Tour Guide Licence in China with knowledge of New Zealand, or holding a relevant New Zealand qualification at Level 5 or above, or a Chinese Bachelor's degree or higher in tourism or a related field with a clear link to the role, or having completed at least one year of work in New Zealand as a tourism specialist for an endorsed tourism business (an Approved Destination Status (ADS) business endorsed by Tourism New Zealand). [WI12.15] Additionally, the job offer must require Chinese language skills, have a clear customer engagement focus, and not predominantly involve general hospitality, cleaning, maintenance, or general administration. [WI12.15] Tourism specialists must also provide acceptable English language test results (see WI12.1) obtained no more than two years before the application, sat in person at a test centre. [WI12.15][WI12.1]

English language requirements for tourism specialists

Acceptable tests and minimum scores are: IELTS General or Academic Module with 5.0+ in Listening and Speaking; TOEFL iBT with 4+ in Listening and 14+ in Speaking; PTE Academic with 36+ in Listening and Speaking; B2 First (or B2 First for Schools) with 154+ in Listening and Speaking; or OET with Grade C or higher in Listening and Speaking. [WI12.1] Tests taken remotely or at home are not acceptable. [WI12.15]

Interpretation & edge cases

• The numerical caps apply across all current visa holders, not per application cohort. An immigration officer must check the current holder count before granting a new visa. [WI12]
• The three-year stand-down after completing a three-year work period applies regardless of whether the full three years were used; any work under this visa triggers the stand-down. [WI12]
• The "endorsed tourism business" for Chinese Tourism Specialists is a New Zealand business that holds, or held at the time of the employment agreement, an ADS endorsement by Tourism New Zealand. [WI12.15]
• A valid Tour Guide Licence from China must be consistent with any current or future bilateral arrangements, including ADS requirements. [WI12.15]
• These instructions reflect New Zealand's international trade commitments; see E9. [E9]

Citations

• WI12 — China Special Work Instructions
• WI12.1 — Acceptable English language test results
• WI12.15 — Requirements for Chinese Tourism Specialists
• W2.10 — Generic work visa instructions
• A4 — Health requirements
• A5 — Character requirements
• E5 — Bona fide applicants
• E9 — Trade commitments