The Specific Purpose Work Visa, Explained
The Specific Purpose Work Visa is for people coming to New Zealand to work on a defined purpose or event — a secondment, a project, a contract with an end point. It costs from NZ$1,455, 80% of applications are decided within 3 weeks, and an accredited employer is not explicitly required. Its seasonal pathway closed in December 2025.
Quick Facts
| Who it is for | People coming to work in New Zealand for a specific purpose or event that meets government requirements |
| Duration | As needed to complete the work — set by the purpose or event |
| Accredited employer | Not explicitly required. An Employer Supplementary Form may be needed |
| Fee | From NZ$1,455 = NZ$295 + NZ$1,060 immigration levy + NZ$100 IVL |
| Processing | 80% within 3 weeks — among the fastest work visas |
| Work rights | Limited to the job, employer and location on the visa |
| Family | Partners and dependent children cannot be included |
| Excluded | Entertainment workers and Chinese tour guides must apply for different visas |
| Seasonal pathway | Closed to new applications in December 2025 |
| Leads to residence | Not indicated |
Fees unchanged since 1 October 2024 and vary by fee band. Processing times as published 20 August 2026.
What it covers
The Specific Purpose Work Visa (SPWV) exists for work that has a defined shape: a beginning, an end, and a reason that is not simply "an employer wants to hire someone".
INZ's own description is that it is for people "coming to work in New Zealand for a specific purpose or event" that meets government requirements. Verified uses include senior or specialist business people on short-term secondments.
The duration follows the purpose. Rather than a fixed maximum, the visa is granted for as long as the work requires, based on the purpose or event itself.
INZ does not publish a list of qualifying specific purposes on the visa page. That is a genuine gap, and it is one this site is not going to fill with a guess. If your situation might qualify, the question of whether it does is one for INZ or for a licensed immigration adviser — not for a list someone assembled from secondary sources.
How it differs from the AEWV
| Specific Purpose Work Visa | Accredited Employer Work Visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Accredited employer | Not explicitly required | Required |
| Job Check | Not part of the process | Required |
| Fee | From NZ$1,455 | From NZ$1,540 |
| IVL | NZ$100 charged | Not charged |
| Processing (80%) | 3 weeks | 8 weeks |
| Duration | As needed for the purpose | Up to 5 years (skill levels 1–3); 3 years (levels 4–5) |
| Family | Cannot be included | Partner and children apply separately, subject to income thresholds |
| Basis | A defined purpose or event | An ongoing job with an accredited employer |
The absence of the accreditation and Job Check steps is the reason this visa is decided in three weeks rather than eight. It is also why the visa is narrow: it is not a shortcut around employer accreditation for ordinary hiring, and applications that look like ordinary hiring belong on the AEWV route.
See AEWV vs the Specific Purpose Work Visa for a fuller comparison.
What it costs
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee ("work visa – other") | NZ$295 |
| Immigration levy | NZ$1,060 |
| International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) | NZ$100 |
| Total | From NZ$1,455 |
Note the IVL. Unlike the Accredited Employer Work Visa, this visa carries the NZ$100 IVL — which is why a cheaper application fee produces a total only NZ$85 below the AEWV. INZ publishes only the combined "from NZ$1,455"; the split is what tells you which components you might be exempt from.
Australians and citizens of 16 Pacific nations are exempt from the IVL. Fee bands also vary by where you apply from. See visa fees, levies and fee bands explained.
There has been no general fee or levy increase in 2025 or 2026. INZ's fee page still states rates as at 1 October 2024.
Work rights and conditions
Work rights are strictly limited to the job, the employer and the location specified on the visa — the same closed structure as the Accredited Employer Work Visa. It is not an open work visa, and it does not permit taking other work.
Partners and dependent children cannot be included in the application. That is a significant limitation for anyone considering a longer secondment, and it distinguishes the SPWV from the AEWV, whose holders can support family visas subject to income thresholds.
Some business people can apply for another Specific Purpose or Event Work Visa to extend their stay. Whether that is available depends on the purpose, and it is not an automatic renewal.
Who must use a different visa
Two groups are expressly directed elsewhere:
- Entertainment workers — the Entertainers Work Visa
- Chinese tour guides — a separate visa product
Both exclusions are stated on INZ's own page. Applying under the wrong product wastes a fee that is not refunded once processed.
The December 2025 seasonal closure
The most important recent change to this visa affects an entire industry.
The "seasonal activity" specific purpose closed to new applications in December 2025. It was replaced by two purpose-built products:
- The Peak Seasonal Visa — up to 7 months, one prior season required
- The Global Workforce Seasonal Visa — up to 9 months a year across a 3-year visa, three prior seasons required
Existing holders may stay for the duration of their contract, up to nine months. The closure applies to new applications.
Two notes on the date. Research sources conflict on the exact day in December 2025, so this site writes the month without a day. And the replacement visas' own launch dates are not published by INZ either — the announcement, made on 10 August 2025, said only "late 2025".
For a side-by-side of what replaced what, see seasonal work visas compared.
Step 1: Confirm the purpose qualifies
This is the whole application. The visa turns on whether the purpose or event meets government requirements, and INZ does not publish a public list. Confirm with INZ, or with a licensed immigration adviser, before spending anything.
Step 2: Assemble evidence of the job offer and the purpose
Applicants need evidence of a job offer. An Employer Supplementary Form may be required in some cases — this is the form used where the employer is not accredited, and it is how INZ gathers employer information outside the accreditation system.
Step 3: Apply, allowing three weeks
80% of applications are decided within three weeks, which is fast by New Zealand standards. INZ updates its wait times weekly without a published timestamp, so check them on the day.
There is no priority processing. Nobody can move an application up the queue at any price, and the three-week figure is what the ordinary process delivers.
What we could not verify
Two gaps are worth stating rather than papering over:
- The list of acceptable specific purposes. INZ does not publish one on the visa page. Anyone presenting a definitive list is presenting an inference.
- Whether the visa leads to residence. INZ's page does not indicate a residence pathway. That is not the same as confirming there is none, and it should not be read as either.
Where a page cannot answer a question, saying so is more useful than a confident guess. Both questions have a correct destination: INZ, or a licensed immigration adviser. See how to find a licensed immigration adviser.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Specific Purpose Work Visa?
A New Zealand work visa for people coming to work on a defined purpose or event that meets government requirements — for example a senior or specialist business person on a short-term secondment. The visa is granted for as long as the work requires.
How much does the Specific Purpose Work Visa cost?
From NZ$1,455, made up of a NZ$295 application fee, a NZ$1,060 immigration levy and a NZ$100 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy. INZ publishes only the combined figure.
How long does a Specific Purpose Work Visa take?
80% of applications are decided within three weeks, as published 20 August 2026. That is among the fastest work visa processing times INZ publishes, largely because there is no accreditation or Job Check step in front of it.
Do I need an accredited employer for a Specific Purpose Work Visa?
Not explicitly. Applicants need evidence of a job offer, and an Employer Supplementary Form may be required in some cases. That is the main structural difference from the Accredited Employer Work Visa.
Can I bring my partner or children on this visa?
No. Partners and dependent children cannot be included in a Specific Purpose Work Visa application.
Is the Specific Purpose Work Visa still available for seasonal work?
No. The seasonal activity pathway closed to new applications in December 2025 and was replaced by the Peak Seasonal Visa and the Global Workforce Seasonal Visa. Existing holders may stay for the duration of their contract, up to nine months.
How long can I stay on a Specific Purpose Work Visa?
As long as the purpose or event requires — the duration is set by the work rather than by a fixed maximum. Some business people can apply for another Specific Purpose or Event Work Visa to extend their stay.
Can I change jobs on a Specific Purpose Work Visa?
Work rights are limited to the job, employer and location on the visa. Changing any of them is a variation of conditions or a new visa, the same structure that applies to other closed work visas — see variation of conditions explained.
