New Zealand Resident Visa
Residence visas in New Zealand are initially temporary visas, but they allow you to live in the country indefinitely. There is more than one category by which it is possible to apply for residency in New Zealand and once you obtain it, you acquire all the benefits of being a resident.
Cross-cutting requirements for a New Zealand residence visa
- Being under 55 years old
- Meet the English language requirements: IELTS general or academic 6.5 overall or its equivalent in other official exams.
- Meet the standard health and character requirements for residency
- Have a job or a job offer with an accredited employer in one of the occupations that are on the Green List or of high skill.
FIRST STEP
The Green List
The Green List is a grouping of occupations in high demand in New Zealand announced at the beginning of 2022. It includes 5 industries including construction, health, primary industries, telecommunications and more than 60 occupations.
It is divided into 2 groups: Level 1 (occupations that take you directly to the residence) and Level 2 (occupations that apply within the Work to Residence)
Types of Residency in New Zealand
FAQs
Straight to Residence
The objective of the Straight to Residence category is to provide a direct path to residence in New Zealand for people who demonstrate that they have the skills to perform specific functions that are highly qualified or difficult to fill and of high importance to the country.
- Comply with all transversal requirements
- Have a job or job offer in one of the Green List Tier 1 areas
- Meet the requirements associated with said occupation within the list
Work to Residence
The aim of the Work to Residence category is to provide a path to residence after 2 years of working in New Zealand in one of the Green List Level 2 occupations or earning 2x the median wage per hour.
Comply with all transversal requirements
1. Have a job in one of the Green List level 2 areasMeet the requirements associated with said occupation within the list.
Have worked at least 24 months in that occupation
Highly Paid
The purpose of the Highly paid subcategory is to provide a path to residency for individuals who can demonstrate that they have been highly paid while working in New Zealand for 24 months.
Understand high pay as at least twice the national average (currently $55.52 NZD per hour)
- Comply with all transversal requirements
- Have received the corresponding salary in this category for at least 24 months
Skilled Migrant
This category is currently under review, it is generally known as the “points” category and it focuses on providing a path to residence for people who have accumulated experience and studies that are considered valuable for the country. Once you have a minimum of required points you can apply.
This category will go into review in September 2022
This category will go into review in September 2022