Live & Work in New Zealand
An Accredited Employer Work Visa allows you to work in New Zealand for an Accredited Employer in a position that you have the skills and/or qualifications for.
What it means to obtain a New Zealand Work Visa
This visa is generally granted for 5 years (in some cases, 3 years) and, obtaining this visa in New Zealand allows you to:
- Work in New Zealand for an accredited employer who has offered you at least 30 hours work a week.
- Support a work visa for your partner and visitor or student visas for your dependent children.
- Study for up to 3 months in any 12-month period, or do any study required as part of your employment.
- If you are eligible, apply for a Straight to Residence Visa, Work to Residence Visa, Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa or Transport Work to Residence Visa.
- If you are eligible, use skilled work experience in New Zealand to claim points towards the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa.
New Zealand Skilled Residence Pathways
There are 3 skills-based pathways that allow you to get New Zealand residence if you meet the eligibility criteria:
- the Green List pathway through the Straight to Residence Visa and Work to Residence Visa
- the Care Workforce and Transport Sector Agreement pathways
- the Skilled Migrant Resident pathway.
Some of the visas on these pathways allow you to apply for residence straight away, such as the Straight to Residence Visa. Other pathways may require you to work in New Zealand before you can apply for residence, such as the Work to Residence Visa.
The Green List
The Green List makes it easier for New Zealand employers to hire and attract migrants for specified high skilled, hard-to-fill occupations, with residence pathways for eligible migrants.
The Green List includes just under 200 highly skilled roles that have been identified as being in high demand globally and in ongoing shortage in New Zealand.
These roles often have professional registration, qualification or experience requirements and some roles have a minimum remuneration requirement.
Eligible migrants working in these occupations will have clear pathways to residence and, in many cases, their partners will have open work rights.
The Green List is about making it easier to attract globally in-demand workers.
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New Zealand Green List Tier 1 (Straight to Res)
New Zealand is actively seeking skilled professionals across a wide range of industries — and the Green List provides one of the most direct pathways to live and work in the country.
Whether you’re an engineer, healthcare professional, tradesperson, teacher, IT specialist or farm manager, the Green List may offer you a fast-track to residency.
Below is a complete breakdown of the Tier 1 (Straight-to-Residence) and Tier 2 (Work-to-Residence) occupations.
You can apply for residence immediately if you:
✔ Secure a job from an Accredited Employer
✔ Meet qualification/salary/experience criteria
Business Professionals
External Auditor
Internal Auditor
Construction
Construction Project Manager
Project Builder (including Building Project Manager & Site Foreman)
Quantity Surveyor
Surveyor
Engineering
Aeronautical/Aerospace/Avionics/Aviation Engineer
Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Avionics)
Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Mechanical)
Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Structures)
Chemical Engineer
Civil Engineer
Civil Engineering Technician
Electrical Engineer
Electrical Engineering Technician
Electronic Engineering Technician
Electronics Engineer
Engineering Professionals nec
Environmental Engineer
Geotechnical Engineer
Industrial Engineer
Materials Engineer
Mechanical Engineer
Mechanical Engineering Technician
Naval Architect/Marine Designer
Production or Plant Engineer
Structural Engineer
Telecommunications Engineer
Telecommunications Network Engineer
Health & Social Services
Addiction Practitioner / Alcohol & Drug Clinician
Ambulance Paramedic
Anaesthetic Technician
Anaesthetist
Audiologist
Audiometrist
Cardiologist
Cardiothoracic Surgeon
Careers Counsellor
Chiropractor
Clinical Dental Technician
Dental Prosthetist
Clinical Haematologist
Clinical Physiologist
Clinical Psychologist
Counsellors NEC
Dental Specialist
Dental Technician
Dental Therapist
Dentist
Dermatologist
Diagnostic & Interventional Radiologist
Dietician
Dispensing Optician
Drug & Alcohol Counsellor
Educational Psychologist
Emergency Medicine Specialist
Endocrinologist
Endodontist
Enrolled Nurse
Family & Marriage Counsellor
Gastroenterologist
General Practitioner
Genetic Counsellor
Hospital Pharmacist
Industrial Pharmacist
Intensive Care Specialist
MRI Technologist
Medical Imaging Technologist
Medical Laboratory Pre-Analytical Technician
Medical Laboratory Scientist
Medical Laboratory Technician
Medical Oncologist
Medical Practitioners nec
Medical Radiation Therapist
Midwife
Neurologist
Neurosurgeon
Nuclear Medicine Technologist
Nurse Practitioner
Obstetrician & Gynaecologist
Occupational Therapist
Operating Theatre Technician
Ophthalmologist
Optometrist
Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon
Oral Health Therapist
Oral Medicine Specialist
Oral Pathologist
Oral Surgery Specialist
Organisational Psychologist
Orthodontist
Orthopaedic Surgeon
Orthoptist
Orthotic & Prosthetic Technician
Orthotist/Prosthetist
Osteopath
ENT Specialist
Paediatric Surgeon
Paediatrician
Paedodontist
Pathologist
Perfusionist (cardiac)
Periodontist
Medical Physicist
Physiotherapist
Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon
Play Therapist (hospital)
Podiatrist
Prosthodontist
Psychiatrist
Psychologists nec
Psychotherapist
Public Health Dentistry Specialist
Radiation Oncologist
Registered Nurses (all specialties — list retained exactly)
Rehabilitation Counsellor
Renal Medicine Specialist
Resident Medical Officer
Restorative Dentistry Specialist
Retail Pharmacist
Rheumatologist
Primary School Teacher
Māori-medium Primary & Senior Teachers
Middle School Teacher
Secondary School Teacher
Social Worker
Sonographer
Special Needs Dentistry Specialist
Specialist Physician (General Medicine)
Specialist Physicians nec
Speech Language Therapist
Sterilisation Technician
Student Counsellor
General Surgeon
Thoracic Medicine Specialist
Urologist
Vascular Surgeon
Veterinarian
Primary Industries, Science
Other Spatial Scientist
Environmental Research Scientist
Food Technologist
ICT, Electronics & Telecommunications
Analyst Programmer
Chief Information Officer
Database Administrator
Developer Programmer
ICT Managers nec
ICT Project Manager
ICT Security Specialist
Multimedia Specialist
Software & Applications Programmers nec
Software Engineer
Software Tester
Systems Administrator
New Zealand Green List Tier 2 (Work to Res)
Eligible migrants in these occupations can apply for residence after 2 years.
Construction
Building Associate
Building Construction Supervisor
Crane, Hoist or Lifter Operator
Factory Processing
Worker Slaughterer
Education & Social Services
Early Childhood (Pre-primary) Teacher – Registered
School Principal
Special Education Teachers nec
Special Needs Teacher
Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages
Teacher of the Hearing Impaired
Teacher of the Sight Impaired
ICT, Electronics & Telecoms
Telecommunications Technician
Civil Machinery Operators
Earthmoving Plant Operator (General)
Backhoe Operator
Bulldozer Operator
Excavator Operator
Grader Operator
Loader Operator
Paving Plant Operator
Trades
Automotive Electrician
Diesel Motor Mechanic (including Heavy Vehicle Inspector)
Drainlayer
Electrician (General)
Fitter (General)
Fitter & Turner
Fitter-Welder
Gasfitter
Metal Fabricator
Metal Machinist
Motor Mechanic (General)
Motorcycle Mechanic
Panelbeater
Plumber (General)
Pressure Welder
Vehicle Painter
Welders
Agriculture
Dairy Cattle Farmer / Farm Manager / Assistant Manager / Herd Manager
Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
This visa is for people who have skills that will contribute to New Zealand’s economic growth. You must have a job or job offer in skilled employment in New Zealand and your job must pay at least the median wage.
You need an acceptable job or job offer in New Zealand and you need to be able to claim a minimum of 6 points to apply for the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa. This can be made up from:
- 3 to 6 points based on New Zealand occupational registration, qualifications, or income, and
- 1 point for each year of work experience in New Zealand in a skilled job, up to a maximum of 3 points.
You can achieve 6 points in 4 different ways. You can receive 6 points if you have:
- New Zealand registration in a specified occupation, requiring at least 6 years’ training, or
- a PhD or doctorate, or
- a job or job offer in New Zealand which pays at least 3 times the median wage.
Any 1 of these is worth 6 points and you can apply for the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa with no skilled work in New Zealand.
You can receive 5 points if you have:
- New Zealand registration in a specified occupation, requiring at least 5 years’ training, or
- a Master’s degree.
Either of these is worth 5 points. You can receive an additional point for 1 year’s skilled work in New Zealand on any work visa. With this, you will have 6 points, and you can apply for the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa.
You can receive 4 points if you have
- New Zealand registration in a specified occupation, requiring at least 4 years’ training, or
- an Honours Degree or Post-graduate Diploma, or
- a job or job offer in New Zealand which pays at least 2 times the median wage.
You can receive an additional 2 points for 2 year’s skilled work in New Zealand on any work visa.
With this, you will have 6 points, and you can apply for the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa.
You can receive 3 points if you have:
- New Zealand registration in a specified occupation, requiring at least 2 years’ training, or
- a Bachelor’s Degree or Post-graduate Certificate, or
- a job or job offer in New Zealand which pays at least 1.5 times the median wage.
You can receive an additional 3 points for 3 year’s skilled work in New Zealand on any work visa.
With this, you will have 6 points, and you can apply for the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa.
Free Assessment & Consult
Once we receive your CV, age, marital status and family structure, we will provide you with a full assessment and free consultation to discuss your pathway into your country of choice.
Doc Checks & Visa Applications
Our amazing team of file managers will ensure that your visa application to your country of choice is successful and as stress-free as possible.
Job Search & Recruitment
We provide you with ACTUAL job search training, consisting of 5-6 hours of face to face training, as well as market your new CV to relevant recruiters and employers.
Relocation Services
We provide assistance with your relocation process to your country of choice. Consisting of flight tickets, banking, money transfer, pet and furniture relocation and much more!
Get in touch today for your New Zealand Work Visa
We can assist you on your journey to start working in New Zealand.
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