The Green List - Skill Shortages in New Zealand

The Green List addresses skill shortages in New Zealand. It opens guaranteed residence pathways for migrants.

To make New Zealand a highly desirable destination for skilled migrants, professionals on the Green List can now qualify for two different fast-track visa pathways: the Straight to Residence Visa or the Work to Residence Visa.

The Green List replaces all Skill Shortage Lists, also known as Essential Skills in Demand Lists.

What does it mean for you if your profession is on the Green List?

If your role is listed on the Green List and you have the qualifications, registration or experience required, you may be able to get residence immediately or after 2 years of working in New Zealand.

The Straight to Residence Visa

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.

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To 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.

The Work to Residence Visa

Gain 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.

To 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.

What does the Green List mean for New Zealand employers?

An employer can complete the job check stage without proof of advertising if the job:

  • pays at least twice the NZ median wage, or
  • is an occupation on the Green List.

If you are an employer wanting to employ a migrant, find out more about how we can help you with the visa formalities of employing a migrant.

What happened to the previously existing skills shortage lists?

New Zealand has previously used 3 Skill Shortages Lists that recorded the skill shortages in New Zealand.

They were the:

  • Long Term Skill Shortage List
  • Regional Skill Shortage List
  • Construction and Infrastructure Skill Shortage List.

These lists have been replaced by the Green List in-demand.

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