New ZealandWork and qualifications

Work to Residence Visa in New Zealand

A resident visa for those who have already worked for an accredited employer in New Zealand in an occupation on the second tier of the Green List of occupations in demand and have evidenced that service. The visa gives resident status straight away — with the right to live, work and study in the country with no limit of time.

Source: Immigration New Zealand — Work to Residence Visa

Who can apply

Requirements for the applicant

Age — 55 or under at lodgement
For at least 24 consecutive months before lodgement a work visa, or a Critical Purpose visitor visa with the right to work, has been in effect
24 months of full-time work in a second-tier Green List occupation completed over the preceding 30 months — the service can be built up over several periods
There is current employment or a full-time job offer with an accredited employer, permanent or fixed-term for at least 12 months
Pay no lower than the rate set for the occupation, and where no separate rate exists — no lower than the median wage of NZD 35.00 an hour (2025)
English language ability, good health and good character

What it costs

Fee for lodging the residence application	6 450 NZD

Documents to gather

The following have to be provided when the application is lodged:

A copy of your passport or certificate of identity, one photograph meeting the requirements
Confirmation of a chest x-ray and a medical examination
Police certificates
Evidence of English language ability
Documents on the 24 months of employment and on the pay over that period
A job offer or confirmation of current employment in a second-tier Green List occupation with an accredited employer
Documents evidencing that you meet the requirements of the particular Green List occupation
Translations of all documents that are not in English
For a partner and children — documents evidencing the relationship, photographs, police certificates and medical documents where required, evidence of English language ability or of paid courses

How the process runs

The application is lodged online through an account on the Immigration New Zealand website.

1
Gather the documents
You gather evidence of your service, documents on current employment or an offer from an accredited employer, translations of documents that are not in English, and medical and police certificates.
2
Lodge the application and pay the fee
Through your account you complete the application, attach the documents and pay the fee.
3
Wait for the decision
Immigration New Zealand says if further documents are needed. If your current visa expires during the assessment, you lodge separately for a temporary visa.
4
Receive the decision and the visa
The status of the application is tracked in your account. If the application is approved, Immigration New Zealand issues an electronic resident visa (eVisa).

Timelines and rights

Work

The right to live, work and study in New Zealand with no limit of time.

Who you can bring with you

A partner and children can be included in the application.

Partner

A genuine relationship with the applicant and documents evidencing it are needed, for example a marriage certificate. The partner is included in the application if they already hold, or are obtaining, a visa based on their relationship with the applicant. From age 16 the partner has to have English language ability or to pay for English courses in New Zealand.

Children

Dependent children aged 24 and under are included. Documents evidencing the relationship are needed, for example a birth certificate. From age 16 a child too needs English language ability or paid courses.

Trips, renewal and the grace period

To obtain a permanent resident visa after two years you have to spend at least 184 days in the country in each of those two years.

The visa has no expiry date and does not need to be renewed. The right to leave and enter the country freely lasts 2 years from first entry after the visa is granted, or from the date of grant if the applicant is already in New Zealand. After 2 consecutive years holding the resident visa you can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa — it removes the expiring conditions on departure and entry. The fee for a Permanent Resident Visa is from NZD 315, and 80% of applications are decided within 2 weeks. One way of evidencing eligibility for it is to spend at least 184 days in New Zealand in each of those 2 years.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	Work to Residence Visa	Active investor visa	New Zealand permanent residence
Visa term	This is a resident visa: you live, work and study in the country with no limit of time	This is a resident visa with no limit of time: you live, work and study in the country	Open-ended, as long as the visa is held in a current passport
Money	The fee is from NZD 6,450	Growth category — an investment of at least NZD 5,000,000 for a term of 36 months	The fee is from NZD 315
Work	The right to live, work and study in New Zealand with no limit of time	The right to live in New Zealand with no limit of time	The right to live, work and study in New Zealand

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

After two years on the resident visa you apply for a Permanent Resident Visa: the fee is from NZD 315 and 80% of applications are decided within two weeks.

Route to citizenship

Citizenship is applied for after five years of living as a resident: 1,350 days of presence over the five years and no fewer than 240 days in each year. The fee is NZD 560 for an adult and NZD 280 for a child under 15.

Frequently asked questions about Work to Residence Visa

Who can apply for the Green List Work to Residence visa?

The applicant has to be no older than 55, to have held a work visa in effect for at least 24 consecutive months before lodgement, and to have worked 24 months full-time in a second-tier Green List occupation over the last 30 months. Current employment or a job offer with an accredited employer, English language ability, good health and good character are needed.

What does lodging the application cost?

The fee for lodging an application for this resident visa is from NZD 6,450.

How are the 24 months of service counted for this visa?

Immigration New Zealand looks back 30 months from the date of lodgement and looks for 24 months of full-time work in a second-tier Green List occupation. Those 24 months can be built up over several periods with breaks, but all of the working time has to have been paid at no less than the rate set for the occupation, or the median wage where no separate rate exists.

Can a partner and children be included in the application?

Yes. A genuine relationship and documents evidencing it are needed: a marriage certificate, birth certificates. A partner and children aged 16 and over are additionally asked to evidence English language ability or to pay for English courses in New Zealand.

Does this visa have to be renewed?

No, it is a resident visa with no limit on the period of residence. After 2 consecutive years holding it you can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa, which removes the expiring conditions on departure and entry.

How does this visa differ from the Green List Straight to Residence Visa?

Both visas give residence for work in a Green List occupation, but at different tiers: second-tier occupations open the route through the Work to Residence Visa with mandatory service in New Zealand, while first-tier occupations go through the Straight to Residence Visa, where residence is granted with no prior service.

Does this visa give a right to New Zealand citizenship?

Citizenship can be obtained once the applicant has lived as a resident for at least 1,350 days over 5 years and at least 240 days in each of those five years. A Permanent Resident Visa is not required in order to apply for citizenship.

Other ways to move to New Zealand

Every route in one list — migration programmes: New Zealand.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.