[oldtimbo]

We are currently in NZ on a 2 year work permit secured on the back of my better half`s job.
To put something back into the community, my wife decided to join the St Johns ambulance service as an un-paid volunteer. She has spent days and days of her free time travelling and completing all the required training to become a driver and trainee paramedic.
To play safe, we decided to run it by immigration, just in case.
Well, we just had a phone call from Hamilton immi office (not from our case officer, but what sounded like a junior) to inform us that we have to complete a variation of conditions form and pay them $60 as this kind of volunteer work is considered to be "paid".
AARRGGHH!!!

[stu70]

Man that sucks. Well that is government in action for you ...I think they should change the rules. Sounds rather unfair

[eternalkiwi]

For immigration purposes work is work.
If you are on an employer sponsored work permit, you can only work for that employer. Also if you are here on a visitor permit you generally cannot do any type of volunteer work without a variation of conditions.

If your wife is in NZ on an Employer sponsored work permit then it would be normal for permission to be needed for your wife to work for someone other than the organisation who sponsored her.