Work to residence wage rates
To apply for a work to residence visa, you must be paid a required amount and have enough eligible work experience. The wage rate that applies will depend on your visa type, when you started counting work experience, and whether rules apply, such as the grace period.
What is the required wage rate?
When you apply for a residence visa, you must be paid a required amount an hour — we call this the required wage rate.
We check the wage rate that you have been offered for a job (or the wage rate for a job you have been doing), to make sure it meets the required wage rate for the visa you are applying for.
The wage rate rules for a Work to Residence Visa
To be eligible to apply for a Work to Residence Visa, you:
- must be paid the required wage rate for your job that was in place when you started counting work experience
- will not need to meet a higher wage rate if you change employer during your work experience period
- can use the required wage rate when your visa was granted, if you are within the 5-month grace period
- must have 24 months of work experience in a job that meets our requirements within a 30-month eligible period immediately before you apply for residence
- may need to meet a new wage rate if you apply for another type of visa or job.
Check the information below for the wage rate amounts for different residence visas:
Wage rate amounts for work to residence visas
What is the 30-month eligible timeframe?
We look back 30 months immediately before you apply for your Work to Residence Visa to make sure you have at least 24 months of eligible work experience in that 30-month timeframe.
We check:
- the job is an approved Green List Tier 2 job, care workforce, or transport workforce job, and
- you were paid at or above the required wage rate for that job in place at the time.
This means we can only look at the wage rate in place 30 months before you apply for your residence visa, or up to 5 months before that if the grace period applies.
Grace period if the wage rate increases before you start work
A grace period applies if the required wage rate for your job increases between the date your work visa is granted, and the date you start work.
You can use the wage rate that applied when your visa was granted if:
- you started work within 5 months of your visa being granted
- you were paid at least the required wage rate for your job when your visa was granted, and
- your work experience is within the 30-month period immediately before you apply for your Work to Residence Visa.
How we work out wage rates
The wage rates we use for skilled residence visas are usually based on the median wage. The median wage rate we use changes each year. When the median wage increases, wage rates based on the median wage also increase.
The wage rate that applies to you will depend on:
- the visa you are applying for
- what the wage rate for your job was when you started earning over that amount, and
- when your work visa was granted if the grace period rule applies to you.
Labour market statistics (income): June 2025 quarter — Stats NZ
All wage rates shown here are hourly rates and are in New Zealand dollars.
Use the hourly wage calculator to work out your hourly wage rate:
Median wage comparison calculator
Sector specific wage rates
We also use sector specific wage rates, for example, wage rates from pay equity settlements.
The Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) wage threshold
Other skilled residence visa pathways have different wage requirements. For more information:
- tied to the median wage
- depends on how many sponsors and parents are in the application.
- have worked for at least 24 months out of the last 30 months in this sector in a job on our care workforce list, and
- have been (and continue to be) paid at least the care workforce sector wage rate at the start of that time.
- have worked for 24 months in this sector, in a job on our transport workforce list, and
- for 24 out of the 30 months before you apply, you must have been paid at least the median wage (or the bus driver’s wage rate, if applicable).
- Bus Driver (ANZSCO code 731211)
- Truck Driver (ANZSCO code 733111)
- Aircraft Refueller (ANZSCO code 733112)
- Furniture Removalist (ANZSCO code 733113)
- Tanker Driver (ANZSCO code 733114)
- Tow Truck Driver (ANZSCO code 733115)
- started work in one of these jobs, or
- had been granted an AEWV to work in one of these jobs, or
- held or had applied for a non-AEWV work visa that was later granted, and
- had an offer of employment or signed employment agreement for one of these jobs, and
- started work in one of these jobs within 4 weeks of being granted your work visa or signing the employment agreement.
- the required wage rate in place for your Green list Tier 2 job when you started work, or
- the median wage that was in place at the time you started work (if a wage rate is not specified).
- started work within 5 months of his work visa being granted
- continued to be paid at or above NZD $51.50 – the required wage rate for his job when his visa was granted on 25 February 2026, and
- will have completed 24 months of work experience from when he started work in his current job (1 June 2026)
- will be within the 30-month period that we use to make sure he has met our wage rate and work experience requirements.
- he earned over 1.15 times the Green List median wage in effect at that time when he started work on 1 March (which is the same wage rate in place when his work visa was granted)
- he continued to be paid at or above NZD $36.35 an hour in both jobs – the required wage rate in place when he started counting his work experience
- will have counted 24 months of work experience: 11 months in his first job, 13 months in his current job (not counting the break between jobs)
- will have met the wage and job requirements within the 30-month ‘look back’ period immediately before he applies.
- is paid at or above the required wage rate throughout the 24-month work experience
- will have counted 24 months of work experience: 12 months between 9 December 2025 and 9 December 2026, and 12 months between 9 June 2027 and 9 June 2028 (excluding his 6-month break)
- will be applying within the 30-month period we use to make sure he has met our wage rate and work experience requirements.
- cannot include work before 15 March 2026 towards her 24 months of work in New Zealand
- cannot rely on the wage rate of NZD $38.59 an hour that applied before 9 March 2026
- was paid below the required wage rate of NZD $40.25 an hour for the work experience that remains within 30 months immediately before she applies.
The jobs in Table 1 are on the Green List and provide residence through the Straight to Residence Visa.
Green List jobs that do not have a specific pay threshold must pay at least NZD $35.00 (the 2025 median wage).
Green List roles – jobs we need people for in New Zealand
| Jobs | From 9 March 2026 (in NZD) |
|---|---|
| ICT, electronics and telecommunications (208% of the 2025 median wage) | $72.80 |
| ICT, electronics and telecommunications roles based on contract for services (312% of the 2025 median wage) | $109.20 |
| Multimedia specialist (165% of the 2025 median wage) | $57.75 |
| Multimedia specialist roles based on contract for services (247% of the 2025 median wage) | $86.45 |
| External auditor (130% of the 2025 median wage) | $45.5 |
| Internal auditor (130% of the 2025 median wage) | $45.5 |
| Database Administrator (200% of the 2025 median wage) | $70.00 |
| Database Administrator roles based on contract for services (250% of the 2025 median wage) | $87.50 |
| Systems Administrator (200% of the 2025 median wage) | $70.00 |
| Systems Administrator roles based on contract for services (250% of the 2025 median wage) | $87.50 |
There is a minimum earning threshold if you want to support your parents on a Parent Resident Visa. As a sponsor, you must earn more than the threshold for 2 out of the 3 years before their expression of interest is selected.
The threshold is:
The Parent Resident Visa sponsorship thresholds are updated in April each year.
To be eligible for this visa, you must:
Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa
| Date range | From 1 July 2022 (in NZD) |
|---|---|
| From 1 July 2022 | $28.25 |
| 29 September 2021 to 30 June 2022 | $27.00 |
To be eligible for this visa you must:
You must use the median wage (or the bus driver’s wage rate) in place when you started counting your 24 months of work experience (within the last 30 months), or when your work visa was granted if the grace period applies — this may be different to the current median wage.
Transport Work to Residence Visa
Use Table 3 to check the previous wage rates and when they were used.
Check if you can include past work experience
The following jobs were removed from the list of approved transport sector roles on 7 April 2024:
You may still be able to count work experience gained from a removed job towards your residence visa, if on or before 6 April 2024 you:
| Date range | Wage rate (in NZD) | Bus driver rate (in NZD) |
|---|---|---|
| 9 March 2026 (current) | $35.00 | $28 |
| 18 August 2025 to 8 March 2026 | $33.56 | $28 |
| 28 February 2024 to 17 August 2025 | $31.61 | $28 |
| 27 February 2023 to 27 February 2024 | $29.66 | $28 |
| 4 July 2022 to 26 February 2023 | $27.76 | $28 |
| 29 September 2021 to 3 July 2022 | $27.00 | $28 |
The jobs in Table 4 are on the Green List Tier 2 and provide residence through the Work to Residence Visa.
How we assess wage rates for the Work to Residence Visa
For 24 out of the 30 months immediately before you apply, you must have been paid at least:
Green list roles – jobs we need people for in New Zealand
Use Table 4 to check the percentage of the median wage we use for work to residence wage rates
| Job | % of median wage |
|---|---|
| Telecommunications Technician | 115% |
| Civil Machinery Operators | 115% |
| Panel Beater | 115% |
| Vehicle Painter | 115% |
| Metal Fabricator | 130% |
| Pressure Welder | 130% |
| Welder | 130% |
| Fitter (General) | 130% |
| Fitter and Turner | 130% |
| Fitter-Welder | 130% |
| Metal Machinist (First Class) | 130% |
| Crane Operator | 130% |
| Building associate | 150% |
Use Table 5 to check the previous wage rates and when they were used.
| Date range | Median wage | 115% of the median wage | 130% of the median wage | 150% of the median wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 March 2026 (current) | $35.00 | $40.25 | $45.50 | $52.50 |
| 18 August 2025 to 8 March 2026 | $33.56 | $38.59 | $43.63 | $50.34 |
| 28 February 2024 to 17 August 2025 | $31.61 | $36.35 | $41.09 | $47.41 |
| 27 February 2023 to 27 February 2024 | $29.66 | $34.11 | $38.56 | $44.49 |
| 4 July 2022 to 26 February 2023 | $27.76 | $31.96 | $35.96 | $41.64 |
| 29 September 2021 to 3 July 2022 | $27.00 | $31.05 | $35.10 | $40.50 |
Dan’s work visa as a Building Construction Supervisor (a Green List Tier 2 occupation) was granted on 25 February 2026. He was due to start work for a New Zealand construction company in 3 months on 1 June 2026. Dan’s wage rate is NZD $51.50 an hour, above the required wage rate of NZD $50.34 (1.5 times the median wage as at 25 February 2026).
On 9 March 2026, the median wage rate increased to NZD $35.00, which means the required wage rate for his job increased to NZD $52.50 (1.5 times the median wage).
Dan started work on 1 June 2026. Although the required wage rate for a Building Construction Supervisor has increased, Dan can start counting work experience because he started work within 5 months of his work visa being granted.
Dan will be eligible to apply for residence on 1 June 2028, because he:
Dan can apply for residence no later than 25 January 2029 to use the wage rate in place when his work visa was granted.
This is because we can only count his work experience that falls within the 30-month period immediately before he applies for residence.
Steve was granted his work visa on 1 December 2024, and started work as a Loader Operator on 1 March 2025. His hourly rate was NZD $36.50 an hour. At that time, the required wage rate for a Loader Operator was NZD $36.35 an hour (1.15 times the Green List median wage).
This means Steve can start counting his work experience from 1 March 2025 because he was earning over the required wage rate in place when he started work.
On 30 January 2026, Steve applied for a Variation of Conditions to change employer (in the same occupation). The wage rate for the new job is NZD $38.00 an hour. After a 1-month break, he started the new job on 1 March 2026. He can continue counting his work experience, as he was paid at or above $36.35 an hour – the wage rate in place when he started counting work experience.
Steve will be eligible to apply for residence on 1 April 2027, because:
Alejandro started work as a Special Needs Teacher on 9 December 2025. He was paid NZD $33.56 an hour — the median wage at that time. This means he could start counting his work experience from that date.
On 9 December 2026, Alejandro stopped working and took a break for 6 months.
On 9 June 2027, Alejandro returned to work as a Special Needs Teacher for a new employer and is paid NZD $34.00 an hour. Although the median wage increased to NZD $35.00 an hour on 9 March 2026, he can continue counting his work experience because their wage rate is at or above the wage rate in place when he started counting work experience (NZD $33.56).
If Alejandro stays in this job, he can apply for residence on 9 June 2028 because he:
Mia’s work visa was granted on 19 August 2025, and she started work as a Telecommunications Technician on 1 September 2025. She was paid NZD $40.00 an hour, which was above the required wage rate of NZD $38.59 (1.15 of the median wage) for her (tier 2) Green List job at that time. This means she could start counting her work experience from that date. Mia continues working in the same job at the same wage rate of NZD $40.00.
On 9 March 2026, the required wage rate for Telecommunications Technicians increased to NZD $40.25 an hour (1.15 the median wage of NZD $35.00 an hour).
Mia does not apply for residence until 15 September 2028.
When assessing Mia's residence application, we can only look back 30 months from the date she applies. This means any work experience gained before 15 March 2026 falls outside the 30-month eligible period and cannot be counted.
Mia will not be eligible for residence on 15 September 2028 because she:
Because Mia applied on 15 September 2028, all of that earlier work experience falls outside the 30-month look-back period, and the higher wage rate of NZD $40.25 an hour applies.
Mia would have needed to apply for residence before 9 September 2028 for some of her earlier work experience to remain within the 30-month period and be assessed using the earlier wage rate of NZD $38.59 an hour.