The Green List pathway to New Zealand residence is for migrants who have a Tier 1 or Tier 2 job on the Green List of in-demand jobs.
New Zealand continues to experience significant skill shortages across various sectors, including healthcare, IT, construction, engineering and trades.
Two visa policies have been designed to address those identified skill shortages in key industries and help New Zealand businesses fill their roles:
The good news: Both Green List visa pathways lead to guaranteed residence in New Zealand.
If your role is listed on either Tier 1 or Tier 2 of the Green List, and you have the required qualifications, professional registration or experience, you may be eligible to obtain residence status immediately or after 2 years of working in New Zealand.
The Green List replaces all former Skill Shortage Lists, previously known as Essential Skills in Demand Lists: the Long Term Skill Shortage List, the Regional Skill Shortage List and the Construction and Infrastructure Skill Shortage List.
You might be eligible to apply for this visa if you currently work, or have a job offer from an accredited employer, and your role is on Tier 1 of the Green List in-demand.
To qualify for a Straight to Residence Visa
The Straight to Residence Visa allows you to stay in New Zealand indefinitely.
Immigration New Zealand is projecting to process 80% of all Straight to Residence Visa applications within 5 months.
You might be eligible to apply for this visa if you currently work for, or have a job offer from, an accredited employer, and have worked in a Tier 2 Green List in-demand role for 24 months.
To qualify for a Work to Residence Visa
There is a lot of noise around New Zealand’s Green List at the moment. And to be very direct: much of it is misunderstood.
Clients often come to us with the assumption: “My role is on the Green List, so I should be able to get residence.” In reality, it is not that simple.
The Green List, as defined by Immigration New Zealand, is a list of occupations that are considered to be in long-term shortage in New Zealand. That is all it is.
The Green List does not:
What it does is open two structured immigration pathways, as long as you meet the specific further criteria of the visa policies.
The Green List visa policies set the ground rules for your visa process, and your job search strategy is a core aspect of this pathway.
It is important that both components are aligned with each other, and you target the right role:
This is the pathway most people focus on. In theory, it allows you to apply for residence straight away.
Your Job Search Strategy must cover:
This is the more realistic pathway for many applicants.
Your Job Search Strategy will be tailored to help you:
Again, the requirements are strict:
This is not a quick pathway. It is a planned progression of a carefully developed visa strategy.
Candidates often assume eligibility based on
However, eligibility depends on alignment across multiple factors:
If one of these elements does not align, the pathway can fall over.
Salary is not just about income. It is often the deciding factor in whether a role qualifies. For example:
This is particularly relevant for candidates who:
Target the right roles, not just “similar” roles, but roles that align precisely with:
Position yourself correctly in your
Engage the right employers. Employers are far more receptive when:
This is often the difference between no response and meaningful engagement, and ultimately also their cooperation in your visa process.
"The Green List is a useful framework. But it only works if it is applied correctly.
It is not about whether your role appears on a list.
It is about whether your profile, job offer, and role description align with the requirements behind that role on Tier 1 or Tier 2.
From experience, the Green List is best understood as a structuring tool for your job hunt and migration pathway, not a shortcut.
If approached strategically, it can significantly improve your chances.
If approached casually, it often leads to delays, frustration and missed opportunities.
To achieve this, your Job Search Strategy must be aligned with the chosen immigration pathway, not just be tailored for job search success."
If you like, we can assess how your profile aligns with the Green List and outline the most suitable pathway for you.
The Green List is only one possible pathway to residence in New Zealand. The Skilled Migrant Category remains highly relevant.
In practice, this means that some applicants qualify under both policies, some qualify only under one of them. The right visa strategy depends on your individual profile.
Find out if your profession is on the Tier 1 or the Tier 2 list
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At first, Maj kindly explained the whole process and what to expect. I was coached and introduced to New Zealand job market by their Job Search team, and getting assistance until I got a job in the country. The Visa team would also follow me up on my pending documents, so I never felt left out. Truly recommended for those seeking out an option to live in New Zealand. Big thanks from me and my whole family for things NZIC did for us..!
NZIC helped me in my way to get a Visa and job search. They were always available to talk to and were open to all sorts of questions. No matter how random they were. Very friendly staff. And even when they had changes in employee and advisors, they always stayed professional and up to date. I can only say good things and recommend them highly.
Very pleased and satisfied with the service we received from NZIC. They assisted me and my family from start to finish. Always willing to assist, and communicated our progress every step of the way. With their assistance we managed to obtain permanent resident visa status.
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