Long Term Skill Shortage List Resident Visa
If you have a Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa and have worked in New Zealand for more than 2 years, you may be able to apply for this resident visa.
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Length of stay
Live, work and study
indefinitely
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Cost
From
NZD $6490
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Processing time
Data
not available
To apply you must:
- be in New Zealand
- have a Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa
- have worked in New Zealand for more than 2 years
- have ongoing, full-time employment in a job that was on the Long Term Skill Shortage List at the time you were given the work visa, or a job that is on the list at the time you apply for residence
- have a minimum base salary of NZD $45,000
- have registration where your job requires it
- meet the other requirements of this visa.
This visa lets you:
- live, work and study in New Zealand
- include your partner and dependent children aged 24 and younger in your residence application.
How long you can stay
A Long Term Skill Shortage List Resident Visa lets you stay in New Zealand indefinitely.
Who can apply
Check if you are eligible to apply for this visa and what supporting documents and information you need to provide.
Identity
You must provide proof of your identity:
- 2 acceptable photos if you use a paper application form or 1 photo if you apply online
- an original or certified copy of your passport or
- an original or
of your when you apply for residence.
If your photo does not meet all of our requirements we will ask you for a new photo. If you are applying for a visa, we will stop processing your application until we receive an acceptable photo. If you are requesting an NZeTA, your request may be delayed or refused. Use the photo examples on this page to check your photo is correct and meets our requirements. Alert Do not use the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs website or other online tools to check your photo as those tools are for passport photos only. Your photo is more likely to be accepted if you use a professional photographer or business that takes passport photos. Give the photographer our instructions to make sure you get a photo that meets our requirements.
The photo you submit with a paper application must be 35 mm wide and 45 mm high. Further instructions are on the paper application forms. Note You can only apply for an NZeTA online. The photo you submit with an online application must be: Alert We are unlikely to accept your photo if it is not the right size. If you request an NZeTA using the web app, you can either upload an existing photo or take one using your device's camera. If you use the mobile app, you can only take a photo using your device's camera. Your photo must be: If you take a photo with your device, the camera must have a minimum resolution of 540 x 720 pixels. Large photos will be automatically formatted. If there is an issue with your photo you will receive an error message when you submit your visa or NZeTA photo online. To help you, we have provided a list of online errors and how to fix them. Your photo must: It may be easier to remove them.
Visa and NZeTA photos
Your photo must be less than 6 months old and clearly identify you. It must also meet all of our technical requirements.
Meeting our photo requirements
Visa and NZeTA photos are not passport photos
Using a professional photographer
Paper applications for visas
Online applications for visas
Online requests for NZeTAs
Online photo error messages
Taking your visa photo
Be in portrait, not landscape
Be of you, not a photo of a photo or your travel document
Have even lighting with minimal shadowing
Be in colour, showing natural skin tones
Be in focus, not blurry
Not contain red-eye
Be an original photo, not changed by photo-editing software
Not be a selfie
Be taken 1.5 metres from the face
Be taken against a plain, light-coloured — but not white — background with no patterns or objects
Only contain plain clothing patterns
Be of one person
We need to clearly see your face
Face the camera and keep your head straight
Keep your eyes open and mouth closed
Do not smile or frown
Show your face clearly and that long hair is tucked behind your ears
Position yourself in the middle of the photo
Remove sunglasses and hats
If you wear prescription glasses
Make sure your eyes show clearly through the lenses, with no reflected light
If you wear a head covering for religious or medical reasons
Make sure that your face and hairline can be seen in the photo
Applicants from Hong Kong or Macao applying within Hong Kong or Macao
Also provide a copy of your identity card.
Character
You must be of good character.
If you are 17 or over, you must provide a police certificate from:
- your country of citizenship
- any country you have lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years.
Anyone applying for a New Zealand visa must meet the character requirements. When you apply, you must tell us about any issues or activities, both current and in your past, that could affect our decision, including whether you have been: If there is an issue, we may: You can request a character waiver or special direction when you apply. If your request is approved, we can give you a visa if your application meets all other requirements. Visas are given by special direction only in rare circumstances. You may need to provide us with police certificates to show your good character. Whether you need to give these certificates depends on how long you plan to stay in New Zealand and the visa you are applying for.
Character requirements for New Zealand visas
To be given a New Zealand visa, you must be of good character. If you have a criminal history, have provided false or misleading information, or could be a risk to New Zealand, we can decline your application.
Being of good character
Providing police certificates
How to get a police certificate
Note
Police certificates must be less than 6 months old at the time you apply.
If you provide a police certificate that is not in English, you must provide an
All supporting documents submitted with your resident visa application must be provided in English or include a certified English translation. You must include full English translations of all documents provided in your visitor visa application that are not written in English. Examples of documents that require full translation include: Supporting document translations for visitor visa applications (other than medical and police certificates) do not need to be certified. Who can complete translations for visitor visas You must provide us with certified English translations of all medical and police certificates. This includes police certificates that record no convictions. Note If your other evidence is not in English, you should provide a translated copy, as this will help us to process your application faster. Immigration New Zealand does not translate documents on behalf of visa applicants. You must get your documents translated before you send them to us. Translations for a visitor visa application can be completed by anyone, other than: You must include the following information with your visa application, about the person who translated your documents for you: You can provide certified translations completed by: We do not accept translations completed by: We will accept translations from a licensed immigration adviser (LIA) who is: Each certified translation must: Check your passport to see if it has your name written in English. Ask your translator to use this spelling when they translate your documents. If a translator used a different spelling of your name in your translated documents, then include this spelling of your name in the 'other names' section of the visa application form. We need to know if you have used other names that are in your translated documents. For example, if: In your visa application form, enter all other names that you have used in the section called 'other names'. When you apply for your visa, the supporting documents that you provide us are the: How you provide the documents depends on if you are applying online or on a paper form. If applying online, make sure all scanned copies are clear and readable. We may not need an original document or its certified copy in the following situations: When we process your application, we will contact you if we need you to send us a document.
Providing English translations of supporting documents
Check the requirements of the visa you are applying for. Provide translations of your documents to avoid delays processing your application.
Check the visa application requirements
Residence visa applications
Visitor visa applications
Translations for visitor visas do not need to be certified
All other visa applications
Our requirements for translated documents
Who can complete translations for visitor visas
Who can complete a certified translation
Requirements for certified translations
Using the English spelling of the name in your passport
Include your 'other names' in the application form
Submitting your original foreign language documents
Health
You must be in good health.
You must have a chest X-ray and a medical examination as proof of your good health.
Note You can check the situations where you need an X-ray or medical examination, and the different types of examinations. Who needs an X-ray or medical examination If you need a medical examination, you normally get a 'general medical examination' unless you need a limited medical examination. A general medical examination is sometimes called a 'full medical examination'. For some visas, you must have a chest X-ray, a medical examination or both before you apply. For an Accredited Employer Work Visa or a Visitor Visa, we will let you know after you submit your application if you need a chest X-ray or medical examination. If you need a chest X-ray or medical examination, you must visit a doctor or radiologist from our list of 'panel physicians' — unless there are no panel physicians in your country. Panel physicians are doctors and radiologists approved to complete chest X-rays and medical examinations for New Zealand visa applications. Check if there is a panel physician in your country. Doctors who can do examinations You must visit a panel physician. You can use any registered doctor. You must visit a panel medical clinic who will refer you to a panel radiology clinic. Note If there are other people on your application, they will each need an appointment. If you are menstruating (having a period), you need to wait until your period finishes before having your medical examination. You cannot have your medical examination during your period because the blood can affect your urine test. For an Accredited Employer Work Visa or Visitor Visa, if we need you to have a chest X-ray or medical examination, we give you an Immigration New Zealand health case reference number (NZHR). Give the NZHR to the clinic when you make your appointment. Finding your eMedical and INZ health case reference numbers You can bring a family member, support person or interpreter to your appointment. Let the clinic know when you make your appointment if you are bringing someone with you. If you are having a physical examination, you can ask the clinic for a chaperone. The clinic must have chaperones available. Have the following ready to bring to your appointment: Identity documents for X-rays and medical examinations Note If you are 17 years or under, you need your parent or legal guardian to come with you. If you are visiting any registered doctor because there are no panel physicians in your country, you need to also bring: Get the medical certificate form you need:
You need to also bring a completed 'Immigration Adviser Details' form to give to the clinic.
At your medical appointment, you must sign a form to allow the doctor to send your medical information to us. If you are 17 or younger, your parent or guardian must sign the form for you. If your doctor is using eMedical, they will give you an eMedical client consent and declaration form to sign. You can read the form before your appointment:
There are 3 parts to the medical examination: The doctor checks your height, weight, mental state, hearing and vision, listens to your heart and lungs, feels your abdomen and checks your reflexes and other parts of your nervous system. A nurse or health care assistant may complete parts of the examination. You will need to: You must pay any costs related to your X-ray and medical examinations. Note Ask the clinic about the costs when you make your appointment. In your visa application, you need to provide evidence of your X-ray or examination results. To show you had an examination you can either: To get a copy of your results you can ask the doctor when you have your examination, or any time afterwards. You can ask for email notifications. If you do, you will receive an email when your physician sends us your results. You cannot reply to this email. If you have any questions about your results, discuss these with your doctor. You can ask the clinic for a copy of your medical examination results. Once we receive your results you can also contact us if you want a copy of them. If you have an immigration adviser, and would like them to be able to see and ask questions about your medical information, you need to:
The panel physicians who use eMedical must agree to protect your personal information to meet New Zealand privacy laws. Your information is sent to us using a secure online channel and is available only to us and the clinic where you were examined. If you have any privacy concerns, you can contact us.
How to get an X-ray or medical examination
If you need a chest X-ray or medical examination for your visa application, you will need to make a doctor's appointment and take any relevant documents with you. You will need to provide evidence of your medical results in your application.
Process overview
Your chest X-ray and medical examination results must be no more than 3 months old when we get your application.
1. Check if you need a chest X-ray or medical examination
2. Make an appointment
If there is a panel physician in your country
If there is no panel physician in your country
If you are in New Zealand and only need a chest X-ray
Bringing someone with you to the appointment
3. Get what you need for your appointment
If you are visiting a doctor that is not a panel physician
If you are using a licensed immigration adviser
4. Go to your appointment
Authority to collect medical information
What happens at the medical examination
Paying for your medical examination
5. Provide evidence of your results in your application
6. How to get your results
If you need a copy of your results
Sharing your medical information with an immigration adviser
Your privacy
Current work visa
You must have a current Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa and have held it for at least 24 months.
We will check our records to see when your Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa was issued and if it is still valid.
Ongoing employment
You must have been employed in New Zealand for 24 months and have ongoing, full-time employment.
Your occupation must be on the Long Term Skill Shortage List (LTSSL) at the time you apply for residence, or have been on the LTSSL when you were granted your work visa.
You must provide a letter from your New Zealand employer outlining:
- your role
- your salary
- your hours of work
- whether your role is ongoing.
You must also provide a copy of your employment agreement, which must comply with New Zealand employment law.
We cannot approve your visa application if your employer is included on the list of non-compliant employers maintained by the Labour Inspectorate.
Employment agreements and rights — Employment New Zealand
List of non-compliant employers — Employment New Zealand
Note
The letter from your employer should be no more than a month old when you apply.
Minimum income
You must have a minimum base salary of NZD $45,000.
You must provide a Summary of Earnings form from New Zealand's
Note
The minimum base salary excludes any allowances like overtime, tool or uniform allowances, medical insurance, and accommodation.
Occupational registration
You may need New Zealand registration.
If the Long Term Shortage List lists New Zealand registration as a requirement for your occupation, you must provide evidence you have the full or provisional registration required to work in your occupation in New Zealand.
Check if you need occupational registration for your job
Relationship with family
Your family must meet the requirements for this visa.
You must provide evidence:
- of your relationship with your partner and dependent children
- that your partner and dependent children meet the identity, character, health and English language requirements for this visa.
We define partnership as 2 people, who live together in a
You must be able to show us that you and your partner are living together in a
Living together means sharing the same home as your partner. This does not include: Evidence showing you are living together can include: For some partnership applications – such as a Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa – evidence of living together must cover a period of 12 months prior to the application being submitted. Make sure you check the category you are applying under to see if we need this from you. You can provide us with items showing your shared address, dated every few months, to cover the full duration. These items can be addressed to you both jointly — or individually — as long as we can see that you have both been at the same address for the same period of time. Evidence of having a genuine and stable relationship needs to show that: Evidence can include: The way we want to receive this evidence depends on how you are applying. If you apply by paper for a residence visa, we must receive originals or certified copies. You can send electronically issued documents as we regard those as originals. If you apply online, we accept scanned images — so you do not need to send us originals or certified copies. You and your supporting partner must: When you apply for a visa based on your partnership with a New Zealand visa holder or New Zealand citizen, we call that person your supporting partner. Character requirements for New Zealand visas See also the requirements for supporting partners in the 'Eligible NZ supporting partner' and 'Your partner's' sections for these visas: When we assess your visa application, we consider things like: We will also look at your living and financial arrangements, including: If you and your partner have spent time living apart, you should provide information about your separation, including: We will use the information you provide to assess whether you and your partner have genuine and compelling reasons to have stayed apart. Note If you and your partner are coming together through a culturally arranged marriage, the rules are different.
Partnership and how to prove it
If you are applying for a visa based on your partnership, find out how we define partnership and what evidence you can provide to show your relationship is genuine.
How we define partnership
Providing evidence of your partnership
Living together
Having a genuine and stable relationship
How to supply this evidence
Applying by paper
Applying online
Minimum requirements
Supporting partners
How we assess partnership
If you have not always lived together
There are 2 ways that dependent children can apply for a visa. Note The definition of dependent children depends on age and whether they are applying for a resident visa or a temporary visa. Your child is dependent if they are: If they are 18 or over they must not have children of their own. If they are aged 21 to 24 they must also rely on you or another adult for financial support (depending on which visa they have applied for). Your child is dependent if they: If they are 18 or 19 they must not have children of their own. If your children are 20 or older: If they want to join you in New Zealand they need to apply for their own visa. If your children are aged 20 to 24 they may still be dependent if: Your children must have applied for, or have been included in your application for one of the following residence visas:
Bringing children
How to apply for visas for dependent children.
How your children apply for a visa
Dependent children are not eligible for work visas.
How we define dependent children
Resident visas for dependent children
Temporary visas for dependent children
Primary or secondary student visas and visitor visas
Child of a New Zealander or Worker visitor visas
Eligible residence visas
Your result must be no more than 2 years old at the time you apply and must be obtained by sitting the test in person at a test centre. Tests taken remotely outside of a test centre, such as ‘at home’ tests are not acceptable. Check Table 1 to find out which test results we accept as proof of your English language ability if you are: In 2023 the International English Language Test System (IELTS) provider introduced a One Skill Retake option for both their Academic and General Training tests. The IELTS One Skill Retake must be completed within 60 days of the original test date. The Cambridge English: First (FCE) is now called B2 First. The Cambridge English: First for Schools (FCE) is now called B2 First for Schools. International English Language Testing System (IELTS): Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT) (OET) Grade C or higher in all 4 skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking. You need this score in all 4 skills because there is no overall grade for this test. Instead of taking an English language test, you can meet our English language requirements by:
English language test results for residence from work
Check the test results we accept if you apply for a Religious Worker Resident Visa, or are the partner or dependent child of someone applying for residence from work.
Your English language test results
IELTS One Skill Retake (OSR)
Cambridge language assessments
Test
Minimum score you need
5 overall
35 overall
Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic)
36 overall
Cambridge English B2 First
154 overall
Cambridge B2 First for Schools
154 overall
Occupational English Test (OET)
Paper or computer-based test
Other ways to show English proficiency
Note
If your partner or dependent children have, or applied for, a New Zealand temporary entry visa based on their relationship with you, you must include them in your residence application.
English language for family
Your family must be able to speak English.
Your partner and any dependent children aged 16 or over that you include in your residence application must meet a minimum standard of English. Evidence can include proof they:
- have an acceptable English language test result
- have an English-speaking background
- are competent speakers of English for other reasons.
Your result must be no more than 2 years old at the time you apply and must be obtained by sitting the test in person at a test centre. Tests taken remotely outside of a test centre, such as ‘at home’ tests are not acceptable. Check Table 1 to find out which test results we accept as proof of your English language ability if you are: In 2023 the International English Language Test System (IELTS) provider introduced a One Skill Retake option for both their Academic and General Training tests. The IELTS One Skill Retake must be completed within 60 days of the original test date. The Cambridge English: First (FCE) is now called B2 First. The Cambridge English: First for Schools (FCE) is now called B2 First for Schools. International English Language Testing System (IELTS): Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT) (OET) Grade C or higher in all 4 skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking. You need this score in all 4 skills because there is no overall grade for this test. Instead of taking an English language test, you can meet our English language requirements by:
English language test results for residence from work
Check the test results we accept if you apply for a Religious Worker Resident Visa, or are the partner or dependent child of someone applying for residence from work.
Your English language test results
IELTS One Skill Retake (OSR)
Cambridge language assessments
Test
Minimum score you need
5 overall
35 overall
Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic)
36 overall
Cambridge English B2 First
154 overall
Cambridge B2 First for Schools
154 overall
Occupational English Test (OET)
Paper or computer-based test
Other ways to show English proficiency
Note
English language test results must be no more than 2 years old.
It is OK if your partner and children over 16 do not speak English, but you will have to pay for English language classes before we can approve your residence application. Then they can learn when they arrive in New Zealand.
Location
To apply for residence, you must be in New Zealand.
We will check our records to confirm your location.
How to pay and submit
We cannot display any process or costs information until you have provided your country details.
Enter your details so we can show information that is relevant to you.
While you are in New Zealand
These are the conditions that you must meet once you have your visa.
Work
Once granted a resident visa, you can work for anyone you like, in any occupation you like.
Study
Once granted a resident visa, you can do any study you like.
Travel
You can travel in and out of New Zealand as often as you like until your travel conditions expire — normally 2 years from the date you first arrive in New Zealand as a resident.
Alert
If you are outside New Zealand when your travel conditions expire, your visa will expire as well.
To travel in and out of New Zealand after your travel conditions expire, you need to apply for:
- a variation to your travel conditions, or
- a Permanent Resident Visa.
Check or change your resident visa conditions
Becoming a permanent resident of New Zealand
Note
Your travel conditions will expire 2 years from the date you first arrive in New Zealand as a resident.
Keep your visa in a valid passport
If you want to travel, your visa must be in a valid passport.
If your passport expires, you must apply to transfer your visa to a new passport before you can travel.
Transferring a visa to a new passport
Note
To transfer your visa, you must:
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- send us your old and new passports
- complete an ‘Application for Transfer or Confirmation of a Visa’
- pay a transfer fee.
Apply for a transfer or confirmation of a visa