Green List pathway to residence
This pathway to New Zealand residence is for people who have a Tier 1 or Tier 2 job on the Green List of in-demand jobs.
Follow this pathway to residence if you have a Tier 1 or Tier 2 job on the Green List.
The Green List is a list of jobs that we need people for in New Zealand — these jobs are separated into skill levels called tiers. Tier 1 is the highest skill level.
Green list roles — jobs we need people for in New Zealand
The Green List pathway leads to these resident visas:
- Straight to Residence Visa, if you have a Tier 1 job
- Work to Residence Visa, if you have a Tier 2 job.
To be ready to apply for residence, follow these steps.
What to do
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1
Step 1: Receive a job offer
Receive a job offer for a Tier 1 or Tier 2 job on the Green List from an
. You must meet the Green List requirements for qualification, registration and pay rate for your job. Check the Green List for these requirements.
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2
Step 2: Get relevant work experience if your job is Tier 2
If your job is in Tier 2, you will need 24 months of relevant work experience working
in New Zealand on an acceptable visa, which can be: - any work visa including an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)
- Critical Purpose Visitor Visa — if you already have one that lets you work
- an interim visa given while you were waiting on an application for a new work visa, and your last visa was a work visa or Critical Purpose Visitor Visa that lets you work.
You must meet the wage requirements during your work experience to count the time towards your 24 months.
Check the Work to Residence Visa under 'Previous job' for full details on counting work experience.
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3
Step 3: Apply for residence when you meet the requirements
Straight to Residence Visa for a Tier 1 job
You can apply for a Straight to Residence Visa if you:
- are working for, or have a job offer from, an
for a Tier 1 job on the Green List, and - meet the other requirements for the Straight to Residence Visa — including qualification, registration and wage rate.
If you meet the requirements, you can apply for this visa now. You can either:
- come to New Zealand on a work visa then apply for residence, or
- apply for residence from outside of New Zealand.
Check the visa under 'Current job' for full requirements and how to apply.
Work to Residence Visa for a Tier 2 job
You can apply for a Work to Residence Visa if you:
- are working for, or have a job offer from, an
for a Tier 2 Green List job - have worked in a Tier 2 Green List job for 24 months
- are being paid the current
when you apply, and - meet the other requirements for the Work to Residence Visa — including qualification and registration.
Check the visa under 'Current job' for full requirements and how to apply.
- are working for, or have a job offer from, an