Updated: Permanent Residency in New Zealand: Green List roles

Many Green List jobs use this as the minimum pay requirement. If your role does not have a fixed salary listed, your pay usually needs to reach NZD $35.00 per hour for your work to count toward residence.

The New Zealand Green List is an official list of occupations that Immigration New Zealand identifies as in high demand. These jobs are grouped into two tiers.

If your role is in either Tier 1 or 2 of the Green List, you can apply for these two residence visas:

• Tier 1 = Straight to Residence visa

• Tier 2 = Work to Residence visa

The Straight to Residence visa is for applicants who already have a job or job offer in a Tier 1 Green List role.

Key details:

• Cost: From NZD $6450

• Processing time: 80% within 5 months

• Age range: 55 years or younger

Benefits:

• Allows you to apply for residence directly if your job is listed under Tier 1 of the Green List and you meet the role requirements.

• You can apply while you are overseas or already in New Zealand.

• You can include your partner and dependent children under the age of 24 in your residence application.

The Work to Residence visa is a pathway for applicants working in a Tier 2 Green List role. To apply, you first need to complete 24 months of eligible full-time work in New Zealand.

Key details:

• Cost: From NZD $6450

• Age range: 55 years or younger

Benefits:

• This pathway can lead to residence after 24 months of eligible work in New Zealand.

• You can stay on a clear residence pathway while working in a Tier 2 Green List role.

• You can include your partner and dependent children under the age of 24 in your residence application.

For New Zealand’s Green List pathways, the primary applicant needs an IELTS overall score of 6.5 or more. A partner or dependent child aged 16 or older needs an overall score of 5.0 or more. 

These are the same English language requirements for both the Straight to Residence pathway and the Work to Residence pathway.

Your test must be taken in person at an approved test centre.

• Your result must be less than 2 years old when you apply.

• New Zealand accepts both IELTS Academic, IELTS General Training, and IELTS One Skill Retake (OSR) for residence applications.

Book IELTS for migration

New Zealand’s Green List mainly covers occupations in sectors where shortages remain strongest. The most common occupation groups are engineering, healthcare, construction, ICT, teaching, and skilled trades.

Common examples include:

• Engineering: civil engineers, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, structural engineers

• Healthcare: nurses, doctors, pharmacists, physiotherapists, medical specialists

• ICT: software engineers, developer programmers, ICT security specialists, systems administrators

• Teaching: primary teachers, secondary teachers, early childhood teachers

• Construction: quantity surveyors, construction project managers, surveyors

• Skilled trades: electricians, plumbers, welders, mechanics, gasfitters

For a full list of Green List occupations, view our Green List guide.

Tier 1: Straight to Residence visa

You may apply if:

• Your job is listed under Tier 1 of the Green List.

• You already work in New Zealand, or you have a job offer for a Tier 1 role.

• You have an accredited employer.

• Your role is full-time, usually at least 30 hours per week.

• Your job is permanent, fixed-term for at least 12 months, or based on a contract of at least 6 months.

• Your salary meets the wage rate specified for your Green List job, or at least NZD $35.00 per hour if no fixed salary is listed.

• You meet English, health, and character requirements.

• You meet the Green List requirements for your role. This can be a registration, professional membership, or an International Qualification Assessment. Check the Green List requirements for your role.

Tier 2: Work to Residence visa

You may apply if:

• Your job is listed under Tier 2 of the Green List.

• You have completed 24 months of eligible work in New Zealand in that role.

• That work was completed within the 30 months before you applied.

• You have an accredited employer.

• Your role stayed full-time during the qualifying period.

• Your salary stayed at the required rate during those 24 months.

• You have the qualifications, registration, and other requirements needed for your Green List job. Check the Green List requirements for your role.

• You meet English, health, and character requirements.

Accredited Employers are the only employers allowed to hire migrants in New Zealand.

They are employers approved by Immigration New Zealand to employ workers on the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) and other visas such as the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa, Straight to Residence Visa and Work to Residence Visa.

There is no full public employer list, so many applicants confirm accreditation directly during recruitment. Some employers mention accreditation in job ads, while others only confirm it during the hiring process.

The application process is similar for both Green List pathways because both are submitted online through Immigration New Zealand. The main difference is that Tier 2 applicants must also show 24 months of eligible work in New Zealand before applying.

1. Prepare your documents.

Before you apply for a Green List visa, prepare all required documents early. Missing or incorrect documents can delay your application. Here are the documents you’ll have to prepare:

Identity documents

• Passport or certificate of identity.

• Visa photos that meet New Zealand visa photo requirements.

• Identity documents for your partner or children, if they are included in your application.

• Relationship evidence if you are including family members.

Your identity details should match your passport exactly.

Certified English translations

If any document is not in English, prepare:

• A certified English translation.

• A copy of the original document.

Translations must be completed by an approved translator.

Health and character documents

You may need:

• Medical certificate or chest X-ray certificate.

• eMedical reference code if your clinic submitted your health results electronically.

• Police certificates, if required.

Medical evidence usually needs to be less than 3 months old. Police certificates usually need to be less than 6 months old when you apply.

Proof of English language ability

• IELTS or another approved English language test result if required.

• Or evidence of citizenship, study, or work that already meets English language requirements.

Proof of your Green List job

• Job offer letter showing your role, hours, salary, and length of employment.

• Employment agreement.

• Job description.

• Qualification certificates.

• Registration documents, if your occupation requires registration.

Proof of 24 months of work (Tier 2 only)

If you are applying under Work to Residence, also prepare:

• Employment agreements covering your qualifying period.

• Employer letter confirming your role, hours, and work period.

• Inland Revenue earnings summary showing at least 24 months of eligible work in New Zealand.

2. Submit your application online.

Complete the online residence application, upload your documents, and pay the visa fee.

• The application fee for both the Straight to Residence visa and Work to Residence visa is NZD $6450.

3. Wait for a decision.

After you apply, check your online account for updates. Immigration New Zealand may ask for more documents before making a final decision. You will receive an email once a decision is made. If approved, your visa will be issued as an eVisa.

No, you cannot apply for a Green List residence pathway while you are still studying or working part-time. To qualify, you need a full-time job in an eligible Green List role.

For many students, the usual pathway looks like this:

• Finish a qualification linked to a Green List industry.

• Apply for a post-study work visa after graduation.

• Find a full-time job in an eligible Green List role.

• Make sure your employer is accredited.

• Check that your salary and job conditions meet Green List requirements.

• Apply under the pathway that matches your role, either Tier 1 or Tier 2.

Your course is only the first step. Your job details will decide whether you can use a Green List pathway later.

For a Green List visa, your job is important, but your English score also needs to be ready when you apply. Both Green List pathways use the same English requirement, so it helps to prepare early with a test that New Zealand already accepts.

We help you meet this Green List requirement by providing you with:

• Free IELTS preparation materials

We offer a wide range of free preparation materials, including practice tests, video tutorials, vodcasts by IELTS experts, and articles to help you prepare for your test. 

• Full IELTS mock test

A mock test helps you see your current score and which skills still need more work.

• Choice of IELTS Academic or General Training

New Zealand accepts both, so you can choose the one that suits your purpose best.

• IELTS One Skill Retake (OSR)

If you miss your target in one skill, you can retake just that part instead of sitting the full test again.

If you are thinking about residence in New Zealand, it helps to understand your pathway early. Your job, salary, qualification, and English score all need to line up when you apply.

We can help you book IELTS, explain the score you need, and guide you if you are still choosing a course that could lead to a Green List job. 

If you also want to understand your next visa step better, you can speak with our migration experts at IDP. 

Legislation about immigration changes frequently. It’s important to check the New Zealand Immigration website for changes that may apply to you. You may want to consider getting support from a lawyer or migration agent.