The Green List has been established to make it easier for employers to hire and attract migrants for specified high-skilled, hard-to-fill occupations, with guaranteed residence pathways for eligible people.
The Green List provides a fast-track to residence and a work to residence pathway for migrants.
The Green List replaces all Skill Shortage Lists, also known as Essential Skills in Demand Lists.
Migrants who are eligible and have work in any of the jobs on the Green List can come to New Zealand on a work visa and apply for residence.
Roles qualifying for a fast-track to residence, as set out in the original Green List:
Bus & truck drivers
Bus and truck drivers will have a time limited residence pathway through a sector agreement.
If a role is on the Green List, an employer can complete the job check stage withouth proof of advertising, as long as the minimum requirements for the role at least match the minimum requirements on the Green List.
If you are an employer wanting to employ a migrant, ask us how we can help.
To find out if you might qualify for a fast-track to residence, or for a work to residence pathway under the new legislation, join our Immigration & Job Hunt Webinar, where our Principal Licensed Immigration Adviser Dr.Carsten Hallwass and his team will explain the implications of the latest changes, and what it will take for you to obtain a visa for New Zealand and find a job.
The Skilled Migrant Category: This pathway is now open once again for skilled migrants. Selections of Expressions of Interest have resumed.
What will happen to the skills shortage lists, the Long-Term Skill Shortage List, Regional Skills Shortage List, and Constructions and Infrastructure Skill Shortage List?
The existing skills shortage lists will be replaced by the new Green List.
This means any roles that are currently on a skills shortage list, but not on the Green List won’t be exempt from a labour market test unless they pay at least 200% of the median wage.
Well qualified and experienced professionals are needed in New Zealand. The occupations on the Essential Skills in Demand Lists recognise the need for overseas professionals in different industries and areas of New Zealand.
- The Long Term Skill Shortages List
- The Regional Skill Shortages List
- The Construction and Infrastructure Skill Shortages List
Many industries in New Zealand experience ongoing shortages of skilled professionals, and as a result businesses are unable to fill key positions and thrive to their full potential.
To enable New Zealand's economy to grow, New Zealand's Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) identifies these skill shortages based on feedback from key industries and publishes their findings in three Skill Shortages Lists.
The Skill Shortages Lists are reviewed regularly, with updated contributions from various industry groups.
The lists are relevant for your visa application and also play an essential role for your job search in New Zealand.
Find out if your skills are listed in one of the Skill Shortages Lists.
If you can find your occupation on one of the Skill Shortages Lists, you will have a decisive advantage for your visa application and potentially for your job search as well.
The Long Term Skill Shortage List identifies occupations where there is a sustained and on-going shortage of highly skilled workers throughout New Zealand. This list covers shortages across the whole country, not by specific region, unlike the Regional Skill Shortage List.
The Regional Skill Shortage List names particular regions of New Zealand. It includes occupations where skilled workers are immediately required and no New Zealanders available to take up the position.
This means that you are permitted to work in New Zealand temporarily. You won’t necessarily be able to apply for residence.
The Construction and Infrastructure Skill Shortage List identifies specific occupations needed in the construction industry across New Zealand.
If your skills are on the Long Term Skill Shortage List, they are considered to be "in an area of absolute skill shortage" and as a result you will be able to claim bonus points for your Expression of Interest.
You will be eligible for:
If your occupation is listed on the Skill Shortage Lists, your New Zealand employer will not have to prove that no New Zealander can be found to fill the role offered to you.
This will obviously be a considerable advantage, as labour market testing is a highly complex and bureaucratic process.
If you have held a work visa that was granted under the Long Term Skill Shortage List policy, you may be able to apply for a resident visa.
To be eligible for a resident visa under this policy, you must:
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