Getting New Zealand residence through your skills
Find out how your qualifications, work experience, pay, occupational registration, or job can help you get skilled residence in New Zealand. Use this page to compare skilled residence pathways and decide which visa may be right for you.
What skilled residence means
Skilled residence is a way to live in New Zealand permanently if your skills are needed here.
Your skills may include your:
- job or job offer
- pay
- work experience
- qualifications, like a bachelor's or master's degree
- occupational registration (for example if you are a registered accountant, electrician, or plumber).
What you usually need for skilled residence
Most skilled residence visas require you to:
- have a job or job offer in New Zealand with an
- be paid at least the required amount (this can be different depending on which visa you apply for)
- meet any qualification,
, or work experience requirements - be in good health
- pass a character check, and
- be able to speak and understand English.
You may need to meet different requirements depending on the visa or pathway you apply for.
English language requirements for skilled residence visas
Compare skilled residence pathways
There are different pathways that can lead to a skilled residence visa. Each pathway has its own set of requirements that you must meet. Use this table to quickly narrow down which skilled residence pathways may be worth exploring.
| My situation |
Pathway to consider |
Needs New Zealand work experience first? |
What to check next |
|---|---|---|---|
| My job or job offer is on the Green List as a Tier 1 role | Straight to Residence Visa | No | Check the Green List role requirements, including any qualification, registration, or pay requirements |
| My job or job offer is on the Green List as a Tier 2 role | Work to Residence Visa | Yes | Check the Green List role requirements and how much New Zealand work experience you need |
| I work in an eligible care workforce role | Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa | Yes, usually 2 years | Check whether your job is eligible and whether your New Zealand work experience counts |
| I work in an eligible transport sector role | Transport Work to Residence Visa | Yes, usually 2 years | Check whether your job is eligible and whether you need certification |
| I have a highly paid job, a recognised qualification, or occupational registration | SMC Points-based pathway | Sometimes, if you need more points | Check whether you can claim enough points, and whether you need New Zealand skilled work experience |
| I have significant skilled work experience in an
|
SMC Skilled Work Experience pathway | Yes | Check whether your job is eligible, including whether it is affected by the Red or Amber Lists |
| I work in an eligible trades or technician job and have a relevant qualification | SMC Trades and Technician pathway | Yes | Check whether your job is on the Trades and Technician List and whether your work experience meets the requirements |
Tip
Not sure which pathway fits you? Keep reading for a short summary of each pathway, then check the detailed visa page for the option that sounds closest to your situation. It is common for more than one pathway to apply.
Green List pathways
Green List pathways are for people with a job or job offer in an occupation that is in-demand in New Zealand.
- Straight to Residence Visa is for Tier 1 Green List roles.
- Work to Residence Visa is for Tier 2 Green List roles.
Green List roles have qualification, registration, or pay requirements. Check the Green List before you choose a visa.
Straight to Residence Visa
This pathway may fit you if you have a job or job offer in an eligible Green List Tier 1 role. These are some of New Zealand's most in-demand jobs.
It may be worth checking this visa if your job is in an area like health, engineering, education, construction, or information and communications technology.
Work to Residence Visa
This pathway may fit you if you have a job or job offer in an eligible Green List Tier 2 role and you can meet the New Zealand work experience requirements.
It may be worth checking this visa if your job is in an area like construction, education, farming, or machinery operation.
Care workforce and transport sector pathways
These pathways are for people who have worked in New Zealand in eligible care workforce or transport sector roles.
Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa
This pathway may fit you if you have New Zealand work experience in an eligible care workforce job.
Care workforce jobs involve supporting people with their daily lives, health, or wellbeing. These can include jobs like aged or disabled carer, nursing support worker, personal care assistant, therapy aide, or child or youth residential care assistant.
- 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
- Diversional Therapist
Transport Work to Residence Visa
This pathway may fit you if you have New Zealand work experience in an eligible transport sector job.
Transport sector jobs help move people and goods around New Zealand.
- Ship's master
- Deck hand.
Note
If your job has been removed from the list, you may still be eligible for this visa. Check the visa page for more information.
Skilled Migrant Category pathways
The Skilled Migrant Category, or SMC, has different pathways. These pathways recognise different types of skills, including pay, qualifications, occupational registration, skilled work experience, and work experience in a trades or technician job.
| SMC pathway |
Main skill recognised |
What to check next |
|---|---|---|
| Points-based pathway | Pay, qualifications, or occupational registration | Whether you can claim 6 points, and whether you need New Zealand skilled work experience |
| Skilled Work Experience pathway | Relevant skilled work experience, including New Zealand skilled work experience | Whether your job is eligible, whether your work experience counts, and whether Red or Amber List rules apply |
| Trades and Technician pathway | Eligible trade or technician job, relevant qualification, and work experience | Whether your job is on the Trades and Technician List, and whether your qualification and work experience meet the requirements |
Points-based pathway
This pathway may fit you if you can claim points from 1 of these skill categories:
- your pay
- your qualification, or
- your occupational registration.
If you do not have enough points from 1 skill category, you may be able to add points from skilled work experience in New Zealand.
You can use our points calculator to find out how many points you can claim.
Skilled Work Experience pathway
This pathway may fit you if you have at least 5 years of work experience, including 2 years of work experience in New Zealand.
It is for ANZSCO skill level 1 to 3 jobs.
If your job is on the Red list you cannot use this pathway. If your job is on the Amber list you must meet higher requirements.
Red and Amber list occupations
Trades and Technician pathway
This pathway may fit you if you work in an eligible trade or technician job and have a relevant Level 4 or above qualification.
You also need work experience after your qualification, including work experience in New Zealand.
Eligible occupations for the SMC Trades and Technician pathway
Find out more about the SMC
Learn more about the SMC, including more about the 3 pathways and common SMC terms here:
Getting residence through the Skilled Migrant Category
Check the full SMC Resident Visa requirements, including what evidence you need to apply on the main visa page.
Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
If you are eligible for more than one pathway
You may find that more than one pathway could apply to you. This is common, especially if you have a skilled job, qualifications, occupational registration, or work experience in New Zealand.
For example, you may have:
- a Green List job and a qualification
- occupational registration and New Zealand work experience
- a highly paid job and overseas work experience
- a trade qualification and New Zealand work experience.
What to consider
Each visa has different requirements, evidence, and timing. When choosing which visa or pathway to apply for think about:
- which requirements you already meet
- whether you need more New Zealand work experience first
- how hard it will be to get evidence of your qualifications, registration, or work experience
- whether your job is on the Green List
- whether your pay meets the required threshold, and
- when your current visa expires.
What to do next
- Use the ‘Compare skilled residence pathways’ table to identify which visa or pathway sounds closest to your situation.
- Check whether your job is eligible, especially if the pathway depends on an occupation list.
- Read the full visa page for the pathway you are interested in.
- Compare your skills, job, pay, qualifications, registration, and work experience against the full requirements.
- Choose the pathway you are most likely to meet the requirements for.