Skill Shortages in New Zealand - The Green List

New Zealand continues to experience significant skill shortages across various sectors, creating excellent opportunities for skilled migrants.

Key industries where international professionals are in high demand include healthcare, IT, construction, engineering, and trades.

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Two new Visa Pathways for Green List roles

To address specific identified skill shortages and help New Zealand businesses fill their roles, two new visa pathways have been designed:

1. The Straight to Residence Visa pathway, and
2. The Work to Residence Visa pathway.

Both Green List visa pathways lead to guaranteed residence in New Zealand.

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Tier 1 and Tier 2 roles on the Green List

The two Green List visa pathways are based on two lists that contain roles in areas of identified skill shortages: Tier 1 and Tier 2 of the Green List.

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.

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^{Please note: 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.}

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The two Green List pathways to residence:

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The Straight to Residence Visa

Tier 1 of the Green List - your fast-track to residence in New Zealand.

You might be eligible to apply for this visa if you currently work, or you have a job offer from an accredited employer, and your role is on Tier 1 of the Green List in-demand.

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.

Can you qualify for a Straight to Residence Visa?

• You must be 55 or younger.
• At the time you apply, you must be working for, or have a job offer from an accredited employer.
• An accredited employer is an employer who has been approved by Immigration New Zealand to employ workers on the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV).
• Your role must be on Tier 1 of the Green List and meet the requirements set out in the Green List for your role.
  
• Older dependent children under 24 in your application must be single, without children of their own, and only supported financially by you.
• You can either come to New Zealand on a work visa now and apply for the Straight to Residence Visa, or apply from outside New Zealand.

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The Work to Residence Visa

Tier 2 of the Green List - residence in New Zealand after two years.

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.

Can you qualify for a Work to Residence Visa?

• At the time you apply, you must be working for, or have a job offer from an accredited employer.
• Your employment must be full-time, and permanent or fixed-term for at least 12 months.
• You must have worked for 24 months in a Green List Tier 2 in-demand role.
• If your partner or children have, or have applied for, visas to study, work or visit based on their relationship with you, you must include them in your application.

If your profession is on the Green List, whether Tier 1 or Tier 2 applies to you, you will have a significant advantage in your migration process.  
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Check if your profession is on the Tier 1 or the Tier 2 list.