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Student and Trainee Work Visa — religious trainee

New ZealandCulture, faith and volunteering

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

Official link

Explore pathways in New Zealand Read the five questions ↓

What exact activity, role or purpose qualifies?

Religious training is one of the practical training activities covered by the Student and Trainee Work Visa.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The checked route page does not resolve every condition and exception within this question.

What organisation, institution, religious body, charity, teacher or host must support the activity?

The religious organisation providing the training must sponsor the trainee by completing a 'Sponsorship Form for Religious Workers'; it must be registered as a charity with Charities Services, have advancing religion as its main purpose, have provided religious training for 5 years or more, and be able to meet acceptable-sponsor requirements including providing accommodation, financial support and help to return home if needed.

See recorded sources
  • https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/student-and-trainee-work-visa/
    the religious organisation providing your training will sponsor will you — they will need to complete a ‘Sponsorship Form for Religious Workers’ and be eligible to sponsor you.
  • https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/student-and-trainee-work-visa/
    For your sponsoring organisation to be eligible, it must: be registered as a charity with Charities Services show us that its main purpose is to advance religion have been providing religious training for 5 years or more be able to meet the requirements for acceptable sponsors, including having the ability to provide you with accommodation, financial support and help to return home, if you need it.

What proves the placement, role, affiliation, experience or cultural/religious/voluntary activity?

A religious trainee must provide written confirmation of a place on a formal religious training programme in New Zealand, and cannot be an 'officer' or a 'nominated person' of the sponsoring religious organisation.

See recorded sources

Can the person receive salary, pocket money, accommodation, meals or reimbursement? Can they undertake other work?

The sponsoring religious organisation must be able to provide accommodation, financial support and help to return home if needed, and agrees to this in the Sponsorship Form for Religious Workers. Religious trainees do not have to meet the separate funds-or-sponsorship requirement. They can only work for the organisation providing their religious training. The official source does not state whether religious trainees receive a salary or pocket money.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The page does not say whether religious trainees receive a salary or pocket money.

How long can they stay, can they change host/activity, can family accompany, and can the status be extended?

A religious trainee may stay for up to 12 months and apply for additional annual visas, up to 4 years total; dependent children cannot be included. The official source does not state whether a partner may be included or the training organisation changed.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The checked route page does not resolve every condition and exception within this question.

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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