Thailand has two New Zealand visas of its own. The working holiday visa for Thai citizens needs a tertiary qualification from at least three years of full-time study, evidence of English and a letter of support from Thailand's Department of Children and Youth, and allows only temporary jobs. The Thai Chefs Work Visa is for a qualified Thai chef with an offer of full-time work as one, and ties you to that employer and location. Other skilled jobs start with an offer from an employer accredited by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) to hire migrants, which supports the Accredited Employer Work Visa, a visa that can lead to residence.

For the working holiday visa, get the letter of support first: INZ asks for it when you apply, and applicants outside Thailand must request it before submitting. English can be shown by a test or English-medium study. To count toward skilled residence, a Thai degree needs an assessment by NZQA, New Zealand's qualifications authority, as Thailand has no list among INZ's qualifications exempt from assessment. The police certificate comes from the Police Clearance Service Center of the Royal Thai Police: INZ's tool says to apply in person in Thailand or through someone you authorise, or by post from abroad with fingerprints taken by local police or a Thai embassy, plus certified copies of your passport and any name change certificates.

The mistake to avoid, for chefs, is assuming that years in a Thai kitchen are enough. INZ grants the Thai Chefs Work Visa only with a Thailand National Skills Standard Thai Cooking Certificate plus practical experience, pairing each certificate level with a minimum amount of experience, so that a higher level needs fewer years; experience alone, however long, does not qualify. Earn the certificate before an employer makes the offer, keep evidence of every kitchen job, and remember that the visa is temporary: staying longer means applying for a different visa.