Work Visa UK New Zealand: How to Move and Work Between the Two Countries

When you’re planning to work in the UK work visa, a permit that allows foreign nationals to take up employment in the United Kingdom. Also known as UK work permit, it’s not just a stamp in your passport—it’s your legal right to live and earn in the country. The same goes for the New Zealand work visa, a government-issued authorization letting non-residents take jobs in New Zealand. Also known as work permit New Zealand, it’s tied to your job offer, skill level, and how long you plan to stay. These aren’t interchangeable. A UK visa won’t let you work in Auckland, and a New Zealand visa won’t get you past the border at Heathrow. But if you’re thinking of switching between the two—maybe you worked in London and now want to try Wellington, or vice versa—you need to know how each system works, what’s required, and where the gaps are.

People often assume that because both countries are English-speaking and have similar legal systems, moving between them is easy. It’s not. The UK’s Skilled Worker Visa requires a job offer from a licensed sponsor, proof of English language ability, and a minimum salary threshold—usually £26,200 or the going rate for your job, whichever is higher. New Zealand’s Essential Skills Work Visa, on the other hand, doesn’t always need a sponsor, but your job must be on a shortage list, and you have to prove you’re being paid fairly compared to locals. There’s also the Working Holiday Visa for younger people—18 to 30 in the UK, 18 to 35 in New Zealand—which lets you work temporarily while traveling. But you can’t switch from a working holiday to a long-term visa without leaving and reapplying. And if you’ve lived in one country for years, don’t assume your experience automatically counts in the other. The UK doesn’t recognize New Zealand work experience for points-based immigration, and New Zealand doesn’t count UK residency toward permanent residency unless you meet strict criteria.

What you’ll find below are real, practical guides from people who’ve done this. Some wrote about how they got a UK visa after working in Auckland. Others shared how they avoided visa refusals by fixing paperwork mistakes others made. There are posts on rent prices in London if you’re planning to move there, how to handle transport costs, where to find vegan food on a budget, and even how to claim refunds if your Tube card gets overcharged. None of it is fluff. Every article is something someone actually needed when they were in your shoes. Whether you’re applying for the first time, stuck in a visa limbo, or just planning ahead, the posts here give you the facts—not the sales pitch.