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Transport Work to Residence Visa work requirements and roles

Transport Work to Residence Visa work requirements and roles

Before applying for the Transport Work to Residence Visa check to see if you are in an approved transport role and meet its requirements.

Qualifications for work

Overview

Before you can apply for the Transport Work to Residence Visa you must have:

worked in a work to residence transport role for 24 months
met the requirements of the role when you apply for the visa.

You must also be working for an accredited employer or have a job offer from one when you apply for the visa.

Full details of the roles and requirements are in Table 1: Transport roles, ANZCO codes and requirements, and Table 2: Transport roles, ANZCO codes and requirements before 7 April 2024.

Work to residence approved transport roles

These are the approved work to residence transport roles:

ship’s master
deck hand.

Transport Work to Residence role requirements

Before you can apply for a Transport Work to Residence Visa you must have worked in a work to residence transport role for 24 months in New Zealand.

The specific requirements for each role type are listed in Tables 1 and 2.

Note

If earning the median wage is 1 of your requirements, the current rate is on the wage rate requirements page
Wage rate requirements for visas

Table 1: Transport roles, ANZCO codes and requirements
Transport role	ANZCO code	Work requirements
Ship’s master	231231	On the day you apply for your residence visa you must: be currently employed by, or have a job offer from, a New Zealand employer and your role is ship’s master have been employed for at least 24 months as a ship’s master have been paid at least the median wage for 24 months hold either: the Skipper Restricted Limits qualification with 500GT or 3000GT endorsement, or a Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) certificate for duties of a Ship’s Master on a vessel that is 500 gross tonnes or more (as recognised by Maritime New Zealand).
Deck hand	899211	On the day you apply for your residence visa you must: be currently employed by, or have a job offer from, a New Zealand employer and your role is deck hand have been employed for at least 24 months as a deck hand have been paid at least the median wage for 24 months hold either a: Qualified Deck Crew Certificate of Proficiency (CoP), or Deck Watch Rating (DWR) Certificate of Proficiency (CoP) that entitles the holder to perform the duties of Deck Hand (as recognised by Maritime New Zealand).

Work to residence approved transport roles before 7 April 2024

These roles were also approved work to residence transport roles before 7 April 2024:

bus driver
truck driver
aircraft refueller
furniture removalist
tanker driver
tow truck driver.

You can still count work experience gained from these roles towards your residence visa if, on or before 6 April 2024, you:

started working in one of these roles, on any work visa
received an AEWV to work in one of these roles, or
applied for an AEWV to work in one of these roles, and were successful in your application.

Table 2: Transport roles, ANZCO codes and requirements before 7 April 2024
Transport role	ANZCO code	Work requirements
Bus driver	731211	On the day you apply for your residence visa you must: be currently employed by, or have a job offer from, a New Zealand employer and your role is passenger bus driver have been employed for at least 24 months as a passenger bus driver in New Zealand have been paid at least $28 an hour for 24 months hold a class 2 New Zealand driver licence with a passenger endorsement. You must be working either: for an employer who has signed a Waka Kotahi (New Zealand Transport Agency) ‘All Parties Memorandum of Understanding on Improving Driver Terms and Conditions’ for the region you are working in, or as a school bus driver on a Ministry of Education-funded school bus service, or as a school bus driver on a service directly contracted to a school. Ministry of Education school bus services
Truck driver	733111	On the day you apply for your residence visa you must: be currently employed by, or have a job offer from, a New Zealand employer and your role is driver of a class 4 or 5 vehicle have been employed for at least 24 months driving a class 4 or 5 vehicle have been paid at least the median wage for 24 months hold a New Zealand class 4 or 5 driver licence.
Aircraft refueller	733112	On the day you apply for your residence visa you must: be currently employed by, or have a job offer from, a New Zealand employer and your role is driver of a class 4 or 5 vehicle have been employed for at least 24 months driving a class 4 or 5 vehicle have been paid at least the median wage for 24 months hold a New Zealand class 4 or 5 driver licence.
Furniture removalist	733113	On the day you apply for your residence visa you must: be currently employed by, or have a job offer from, a New Zealand employer and your role is driver of a class 4 or 5 vehicle have been employed for at least 24 months driving a class 4 or 5 vehicle have been paid at least the median wage for 24 months hold a New Zealand class 4 or 5 driver licence.
Tanker driver	733114	On the day you apply for your residence visa you must: be currently employed by, or have a job offer from, a New Zealand employer and your role is driver of a class 4 or 5 vehicle have been employed for at least 24 months driving a class 4 or 5 vehicle have been paid at least the median wage for 24 months hold a New Zealand class 4 or 5 driver licence.
Tow truck driver	733115	On the day you apply for your residence visa you must: be currently employed by, or have a job offer from, a New Zealand employer and your role is driver of a class 4 or 5 vehicle have been employed for at least 24 months driving a class 4 or 5 vehicle have been paid at least the median wage for 24 months hold a New Zealand class 4 or 5 driver licence.