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)
Eligible migrants employed in these occupations can apply for residence in New Zealand directly from offshore. Minimum requirements, such as qualifications or salary requirements apply where specified.
Business Professionals
External Auditor
Internal Auditor
Construction
Construction Project Manager
Project Builder (including Building Project Manager and Site Foreman)
Quantity Surveyor
Surveyor
Engineering
Chemical Engineer
Materials Engineer
Civil Engineer
Geotechnical Engineer
Structural Engineer
Electrical Engineer
Electronics Engineer
Industrial Engineer
Mechanical Engineer
Production or Plant Engineer
Aeronautical (Aerospace/Avionics/Aviation) Engineer
Environmental Engineer
Naval Architect/Marine Designer
Engineering Professionals nec
Civil Engineering Technician
Electrical Engineering Technician
Electronic Engineering Technician
Mechanical Engineering Technician
Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Avionics)
Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Mechanical)
Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Structures)
Telecommunications Engineer
Telecommunications Network Engineer
Health and Social Services
Clinical Dental Technician (Dental Prosthetist)
Dentist (Dental Practitioner or Dental Surgeon)
Dental Specialist
Dental Technician
Dental Therapist
Endodontist
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
Oral medicine specialist
Oral Pathologist
Oral surgery specialist
Orthodontist
Paedodontist
Periodontist
Prosthodontist
Public health dentistry specialist
Restorative dentistry specialist
Special needs dentistry specialist
Oral Health Therapist
General Practitioner
Resident Medical Officer
Anaesthetist
Specialist Physician (General Medicine
Cardiologist
Clinical Haematologist
Medical Oncologist
Endocrinologist
Gastroenterologist
Intensive Care Specialist
Neurologist
Paediatrician
Renal Medicine Specialist
Rheumatologist
Thoracic Medicine Specialist
Specialist Physicians nec
Psychiatrist
Surgeon (General)
Cardiothoracic Surgeon
Neurosurgeon
Orthopaedic Surgeon
Otorhinolaryngologist
Paediatric Surgeon
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon
Urologist
Vascular Surgeon
Dermatologist
Emergency Medicine Specialist
Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
Ophthalmologist
Pathologist
Diagnostic and Interventional Radiologist
Radiation Oncologist
Medical Practitioners nec
Midwife
Nurse Practitioners
Registered Nurse (Aged Care)
Registered Nurse (Child and Family Health)
Registered Nurse (Community Health)
Registered Nurse (Critical Care and Emergency)
Registered Nurse (Developmental Disability)
Registered Nurse (Disability and Rehabilitation)
Registered Nurse (Medical)
Registered Nurse (Medical Practice)
Registered Nurse (Mental Health)
Registered Nurse (Perioperative)
Registered Nurse (Surgical)
Registered Nurse (Paediatrics)
Registered Nurses nec
Enrolled Nurse (Nursing Assistant)
Medical Laboratory Scientist
Anaesthetic Technician
Medical Laboratory Pre-Analytical Technician
Medical Laboratory Technician
Clinical Psychologist
Educational Psychologist
Organisational Psychologist
Psychologists nec
Psychotherapist
Physicist (Medical)
Orthoptist
Veterinarian
Addiction Practitioner / Alcohol & Drug Clinician
Drug and Alcohol Counsellor
Audiometrist
Chiropractor
Clinical Physiologist
Careers Counsellor
Family and Marriage Counsellor
Rehabilitation Counsellor
Student Counsellor
Counsellors NEC
Dietician
Dispensing Optician
Optometrist
Genetic Counsellor
Orthotic and Prosthetic Technician
Orthotist/Prosthetist
Osteopath
Ambulance Paramedic
Perfusionist (cardiac)
Hospital Pharmacist
Industrial Pharmacist
Retail Pharmacist
Physiotherapist
Play Therapist (hospital)
Speech Language Therapist
Sterilisation Technician
Social Worker
Audiologist
Medical Imaging Technologist
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist
Medical Radiation Therapist
Nuclear Medicine Technologist
Sonographer
Occupational Therapist
Podiatrist
Teaching
Secondary School Teacher
Other: (Primary Industries, Science)
Other Spatial Scientist
Environmental Research Scientist
Food Technologist
ICT, Electronics and Telecommunications
Chief Information Officer
ICT Project Manager
ICT Managers nec
Analyst Programmer
Developer Programmer
Software Engineer
Software Tester
ICT Security Specialist
Software and Applications Programmers nec
Database Administrator
Systems Administrator
Multimedia Specialist
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 Process Worker
Slaughterer
Health and Social Services
School Principal
Kaiako Kura Kaupapa Māori (Māori-medium Primary School Teacher)
Pouako Kura Kaupapa Māori (Māori-medium Primary School Senior Teacher)
Primary School Teacher
Middle School Teacher / Intermediate School Teacher
Special Needs Teacher
Teacher of the Hearing Impaired
Teacher of the Sight Impaired
Special Education Teachers nec
Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages
Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher – registered
ICT, Electronics and Telecommunications
Telecommunications Technician
Civil Machinery Operators
Earthmoving Plant Operator (General)
Backhoe Operator
Bulldozer Operator
Excavator Operator
Grader Operator
Loader Operator
Protective Service Workers
Corrections Officer
Trades
Automotive Electrician
Diesel Motor Mechanic (including Heavy Vehicle Inspector)
Motor Mechanic (General)
Motorcycle Mechanic
Electrician (General)
Plumber (General)
Drainlayer
Gasfitter
Agriculture
Dairy Cattle Farmer (Dairy Cattle Farm Manager) including Dairy Farm Manager, Assistant Dairy Farm Manager and Dairy Herd Manager
Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa
If you have a job or job offer for an occupation in the Care Workforce sector agreement, and you meet the specified qualification, registration, and wage requirements, you need 2 years’ relevant work in New Zealand on a specified visa.
- Māori Health Assistant — Kaiawhina (Hauora)
- Disabilities Services Officer
- Residential Care Officer
- Aged or Disabled Carer
- Nursing Support Worker
- Personal Care Assistant
- Therapy Aide
- Child or Youth Residential Care Assistant, or
- Diversional Therapist.
After this you can apply for the Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa. You must have been paid at least NZD$28.25 an hour during your 2 years’ work experience in a Care Workforce sector agreement role. With this residence visa you can include your partner and dependent children aged 24 or younger in your visa application.
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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