Green List residence pathways.

The Green List, provides a streamlined pathway to residence for those specific occupations who meet specific criteria.

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What is the Green List?

The Green List identifies occupations for which New Zealand offers specific skilled residence pathways. It is divided into two tiers: Tier 1 leads to the Straight to Residence Visa, while Tier 2 leads to the Work to Residence Visa after qualifying work in New Zealand.

Tier 1: Straight to Residence

This route is for applicants working in, or offered, an eligible Tier 1 role with an accredited employer. If all requirements are met, there is no requirement to complete two years of New Zealand work first. An eligible applicant can apply from overseas.

The job must be full-time and satisfy the employment-duration rules: permanent employment, a fixed term of at least 12 months, or qualifying contracts for at least six months. Contract-for-services arrangements can carry additional requirements.

The occupation and employment must match

The Green List contains requirements for individual occupations. These may specify qualifications, New Zealand registration, professional membership, relevant experience or a particular rate of pay. A similar job title, an overseas licence or years of general experience do not necessarily satisfy the listed criteria.

The assessment needs to connect the work actually being done with the occupation being claimed. Your duties, employment agreement, qualifications and registration records should tell a consistent story. Overseas qualifications may need an assessment, although exemptions can apply.

Personal requirements for you and your family

For both pathways, the principal applicant must be aged 55 or younger when applying and meet the applicable English-language, health and character requirements.

An eligible partner and dependent children aged 24 or younger can be included. Relationship and dependency evidence is required, and family members have their own applicable health, character and English-language requirements. Inclusion is not automatic simply because a family member is named in the application.

What evidence do you need?

The documents should demonstrate the connection between the role, your qualifications and the pathway being used. A useful starting point is:

• A current offer or employment agreement recording the role, hours, pay and employment term.

• A job description that explains the actual duties and responsibilities.

• Relevant qualifications, registration or professional membership, with an assessment where required.

• For Work to Residence, a timeline supported by employment and pay records for the periods being counted.

• Identity, relationship and other personal evidence relevant to the people included.

This is a preparation overview, not a universal document checklist. The evidence needed depends on the occupation, employment arrangement, work history and people applying.

Tier 2: Work to Residence

This route generally requires 24 months of qualifying New Zealand employment within the 30 months immediately before applying. The applicant must also have an eligible current Tier 2 job or offer with an accredited employer. That current employment must be full-time and permanent or fixed-term for at least 12 months.

The work-history assessment considers the roles held, wages and acceptable visa status over the relevant period.

Pay and the timing of qualifying experience

There is no single pay figure that safely describes every Green List case. The occupation and visa pathway determine the applicable requirement. For Work to Residence, the relevant rate can depend on when qualifying work began and whether a grace-period rule applies.

A change in pay, occupation or visa may affect the calculation. Changing employers does not automatically mean a higher wage threshold applies, but the new employment must still meet the relevant rules. A dated record of roles, hours and pay helps establish which periods can count.

Putting the pathway together

Start by establishing the exact occupation and tier, then test the employment and personal requirements. For Tier 2, calculate the qualifying period before choosing an application date. Resolve gaps or inconsistencies in the records before relying on a planned residence timeline.

The key is to assess the whole position together. A role appearing on the Green List is a starting point—not confirmation that every person working in that field qualifies.