How to get your SSE Visa in New Zealand after your Working Holiday Visa

How to get your SSE (Supplementary Seasonal Employment Visa) automatically

You are in New Zealand and have a Working Holiday Visa? In this case you will automatically receive an SSE Visa (Supplementary Seasonal Employment Visa). The only condition to be fulfilled is that your Working Holiday Visa for New Zealand must expire between 1.11.2020 and 31.3.2021.

If this is the case with your Working Holiday Visa (also possible in combination if you had extended your Working Holiday Visa), you will receive the SSE Visa afterwards. You will find the expiry date of your SSE in the confirmation email.

 

 

What is the process from Working Holiday Visa to SSE Visa for New Zealand

1. Your Working Holiday Visa for New Zealand expires between 1.10.2020 and 31.3.2021.
2. You have received an email from Immigration New Zealand with the general information that your visa will be extended with the SSE This general email was automatically sent to your mailbox between October and November.
3. If both conditions above are met, you will automatically receive a confirmation of your SSE shortly before your Working Holiday Visa expires. This email usually arrives approximately 2 to 7 days before the expiry date. However, we have also heard of cases where the email was sent the day after your Working Holiday Visa for New Zealand expires.
   
   

   This is how the SSE confirmation looks like.

4. With the SSE visa you are only allowed to work for selected employers in horticulture and viticulture (you are only allowed to work in horticulture and viticulture. That is, farms that produce vegetables or fruit).
5. The official list of all certified employers who are allowed to hire you can be found here on the Immigration website. Both SSE and RSE employers can hire you.
   Click here for the list of employers in New Zealand.
   • List of SSE employers
   • List of RSE employers
     (Note that the lists are not always up-to-date and many employers are certified but not yet on the list. If in doubt, ask the employer if they can hire you with an SSE visa!)
6. Have fun in New Zealand. Stay healthy and enjoy the time!

 

Frequently asked questions about SSE and the extension of the Working Holiday Visa

When does the automatic renewal and issuance of the SSE Visa for New Zealand apply?

The automatic extension of all Working Holiday Visas with an SSE is only valid for the 2020/2021 season.

Are there any restrictions on which employers I can work for?

You may only work for Horti- and Viticulture employers. This means that many of the jobs you were previously allowed to do with your Working Holiday Visa are no longer available.

• List of SSE employers
• List of RSE employers
  (Note that the lists are not always up-to-date and many employers are certified but not yet on the list. If in doubt, ask the employer if they can hire you with an SSE visa!)

Do I get the extension even if I have already reached the age limit for my Working Holiday?

According to our information, there is no age limit for the SSE extension.

 

Questions, suggestions or comments

You have a question, a remark or a comment about this article? We look forward to your message under this article. Please note that we cannot make any concrete statements about your individual case. You should therefore contact an Immigration Adviser, Immigration Lawyer or Immigration New Zealand.

 

Disclaimer

Please contact Immigration New Zealand, a trained Immigration Adviser or Immigration Lawyer if you require specific and legally sound advice.

We only compile publicly available information here. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of our research. If you find an error, please leave us a comment and we will change the article accordingly.

 

Sources

Here you can find the original press release on the extension of the Working Holiday Visa from Work and Income New Zealand. Click here for the press release from September 2020.

The list of all employers on the Immigration New Zealand website can be found here.

Click here for the list of SSE employers in New Zealand.

In addition, RSE employers are also allowed to employ people with SSE visas.

Click here for the list of RSE employers in New Zealand.