Global Workforce Seasonal Visa (GWSV) & Peak Seasonal Visa (PSV) Changes

NZIES
3 days ago
4 min read

New Zealand is preparing for a major shift in how seasonal workers enter the country. From 8 December 2025, two new visa pathways will open under the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) framework — the Global Workforce Seasonal Visa (GWSV) and the Peak Seasonal Visa (PSV).

Both are designed to give employers greater access to seasonal labour, particularly in industries like horticulture, agriculture, meat processing, tourism, manufacturing, and logistics. But there’s also one significant change that will deeply affect many workers already in New Zealand: These visas do not support partners or dependent children.

For many families, that will be the toughest part of this transition. Below is a breakdown of what these visas mean, how they work, and why employers and workers need to prepare now.

Why New Zealand Is Introducing New Seasonal Visas

New Zealand continues to face labour shortages in industries that depend on seasonal peaks — harvesting, processing, packing, freezing, tourism surges, summer construction, and more. Employers have consistently said hiring locally during these peak periods is extremely difficult.

These new visas are intended to:

Give employers faster access to proven seasonal workers
Allow experienced workers to return year after year
Provide flexibility without lowering standards
Maintain safeguards to prevent misuse

The goal is clear: keep critical sectors running without placing unnecessary barriers in front of employers who genuinely need short-term or seasonal labour.

1. Global Workforce Seasonal Visa (GWSV)

For long-term seasonal roles (up to 3 years)

This visa is designed for workers who return repeatedly for the same seasonal work every year.

✔ Key features:

No advertising or labour market test required Employers don’t need to show they tried to hire a New Zealander first.
Three-year visa length Workers can stay for extended periods, as long as they meet seasonal requirements.
Must complete 3 months outside NZ every year This ensures the job remains truly seasonal.
Must have at least 3 seasons of experience in the past 6 years This pathway favours proven, reliable workers.
No English testing required
Full health and character checks are required due to the visa length.

This visa aims to build a stable, experienced pool of workers employers can rely on year after year.

2. Peak Seasonal Visa (PSV)

For short bursts of seasonal demand This visa is designed for sectors that need workers during short, intense peak periods.

✔ Key features:

Advertising in New Zealand is required Employers must first try to recruit locally.
Work and Income involvement Employers must either:
- Work with Work & Income in good faith, or
- Hold an official PSV endorsement
Visa length up to 7 months
Minimum of 1 season’s experience in the past 3 years
Health insurance required if the job lasts more than 3 months
No English testing required

This pathway is ideal for seasonal peaks such as fruit picking, packhouse work, meat processing peaks, and tourism surges.

⚠️ A Major Change: No Support for Partners or Dependent Children

One of the most significant and challenging changes is that these visas do not allow workers to support a partner or dependent children.

For many, this will be the single greatest impact of the new system.

Here’s what this means in practice:

Workers who switch from another work visa to a seasonal visa will lose the ability to bring or support their family in New Zealand
Families already in New Zealand may face difficult decisions if the main visa holder changes to a seasonal category
Partners currently working or studying in New Zealand may no longer be eligible to stay based on the seasonal visa holder
Dependent children attending school could be affected

This change is likely to cause stress for many families and may influence whether workers choose to move onto the new GWSV or PSV pathways.

For employers, this may also affect retention, as some workers may avoid roles that require moving to a visa category that separates them from their families. This is where guidance becomes critical.

📉 Why This Matters for Employers

Seasonal industries rely heavily on returning, experienced workers — many of whom have established lives in New Zealand with partners and children. If a worker must switch to a seasonal visa to stay compliant, but doing so means losing the right to support their family, they may choose:

To leave the role
To work for another employer
To leave New Zealand entirely

This could make it harder for businesses to retain the workers they rely on, especially those with years of seasonal experience.

Understanding the impacts early — and planning ahead — will be essential.

How we Can Help Employers and Workers Navigate These Changes

At NZIES, we support both employers and applicants through the full process, including:

✔ Assessing whether a worker is eligible for GWSV or PSV

✔ Identifying alternative visa pathways when family members are involved

✔ Helping employers prepare their documentation, job offers, and evidence

✔ Avoiding common mistakes that lead to delays or refusals

✔ Advising on long-term visa strategies to maintain workforce stability

Our goal is to ensure both workers and employers understand the implications before switching to a seasonal visa — especially when family members are in New Zealand or planning to join.

Talk to Us Before Making Any Changes

The introduction of the GWSV and PSV will bring new opportunities — but also new challenges, particularly for those with partners and children already in New Zealand.

Before making any changes to your visa or hiring arrangements, speak with us.

We can help you:

Confirm the best pathway
Understand the impacts on family members
Avoid unintentional loss of work rights or visa eligibility
Keep your workforce stable and compliant

👉 Contact NZIES today to get expert guidance on the new seasonal visa pathways. Your team, your workforce, and your future matter — and we’re here to support them.