What is the New Zealand Work to Residence Visa?
The Work to Residence Visa is for workers in Tier 2 Green List occupations who have completed 24 months of qualifying work experience in New Zealand. Unlike Tier 1 (Straight to Residence), Tier 2 requires a period of work in New Zealand before residence can be applied for. You start on an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV), work for 24 months at the required pay rate, then apply for residence. You must have held a work visa for at least 24 months before applying, be aged 55 or under, speak and understand English, and be in good health and of good character. The same outcome as Tier 1 — indefinite residence, then Permanent Resident Visa after 2 more years, just with a 2-year work period first.
Do you qualify?
You must meet five requirements to be eligible for the Work to Residence Visa. Health, character, and family relationships are proven through the documents section below. Missing any of them will disqualify you.
You must have held a work visa for at least 24 months before applying. You must also have been working in New Zealand for 24 months in a Green List Tier 2 job with an accredited employer. The work must be full-time (at least 30 hours per week).
At the time of applying, you must have an offer of, or be working in, a Green List Tier 2 in-demand job with an INZ-accredited employer. The employment must be full-time (at least 30 hours per week) and either permanent or fixed-term for at least 12 months.
You must be aged 55 or younger at the time of your residence application. There is no exemption.
You must speak and understand English. This applies to the main applicant and to any partner and dependent children aged 16 or older included in the application. English can be demonstrated through citizenship of an English-speaking country, qualifications taught in English, or an approved test result. Family members who cannot demonstrate English may be able to pay for English classes in New Zealand instead.
You must be in good health and of good character. These are proven through the medical certificates and police certificates listed in the documents section below.
2026 salary requirements
Your pay during the 24-month work period must meet the required rate. You can use the median wage in effect when you started work for counting your qualifying months.
Important: If the median wage increases during your 24-month work period, you can count months where you were paid the old rate — you don't need to meet the new rate for those months. But when you apply for residence, your current pay must meet the rate in effect at the time of application.
What you need to apply
The Work to Residence visa has two phases. Phase 1 is the AEWV (see the AEWV page for those documents). Phase 2 is the residence application after 24 months. The documents below cover Phase 2 — the residence application. You will apply for the visa.
If you do not have any of the documents below, you can read the FAQs section below for further guidance.
What to expect, step by step
Once you have completed 24 months of qualifying work in a Tier 2 Green List role, the residence application itself takes 4–8 months from submission to approval.
Most common delay: Expired certificates. Police certificates must be less than 6 months old and medical certificates less than 3 months old at the time of submission. If processing takes longer than expected and certificates expire, INZ may request new ones, adding weeks. Time the certificates so they are as fresh as possible when you submit.
Collect all required documents — evidence of 24 months' qualifying work (employment agreements, payslips, tax certificates), current employment agreement, qualifications, professional registration (if required), police certificates (must be less than 6 months old), medical certificates (must be less than 3 months old), English proficiency evidence, and proof of genuine relationship if including family.
Submit the Work to Residence application online through Immigration New Zealand (INZ). The application fee is approximately NZ$4,000. Ensure all documents are uploaded and any non-English documents include certified English translations.
INZ reviews the residence application. Processing currently takes 3–6 months. INZ may request additional documents during this period — including further evidence of English ability or updated police certificates.
On approval, you receive a Work to Residence visa allowing indefinite stay in New Zealand. After a further 2 consecutive years, you can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa, which allows indefinite travel in and out of New Zealand.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, but the new employer must also be accredited, and the new role must also be on Tier 2 of the Green List. A new AEWV or Job Change application is required. Time worked for the previous employer in a qualifying role counts toward the 24 months — you do not restart the clock. You cannot work a second job during the AEWV period.
During the AEWV phase, partner and children cannot be included in the AEWV application — they must apply for separate visas, and your ability to support their visa depends on your wage level (see AEWV page FAQ Q2). Once residence is granted, your partner and dependent children can be included. You must have a genuine relationship with your partner and any dependent children. Partner and children aged 16+ must demonstrate English proficiency — or pay for English classes in New Zealand.
Tier 2 covers occupations where New Zealand needs workers but requires a period of in-country work experience before granting residence. Examples include software engineers, construction project managers, ICT security specialists, quantity surveyors, surveyors, early childhood teachers, special education teachers, various trades (welders, fitters, metal fabricators, panel beaters), earthmoving plant operators, agricultural roles (dairy cattle farm managers), and external auditors. The full list is searchable here.
Budget NZ$6,000–NZ$10,000 over the full 2.5-year journey. The AEWV visa fee is NZ$750 upfront. The residence application fee is approximately NZ$4,000 after 24 months. Add police certificates, medical examinations, qualification assessments, and professional registration fees. The employer pays accreditation and Job Check fees and cannot pass recruitment costs to you.
You can use the median wage that was in effect when you started work for counting your qualifying months. If you started when the median was NZ$33.56/hour and it has since risen to NZ$35.00/hour, the months where you were paid at least NZ$33.56 still count. But your pay at the time of the residence application must meet the current rate.
No. The age limit of 55 or younger is a hard requirement with no exemption. If you are over 55, you may still be eligible for an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) to work in New Zealand, but you cannot apply for residence through the Green List pathway.
Find visa-sponsored jobs in New Zealand
You cannot begin this pathway without a qualifying job offer from an accredited employer. We have got you covered. Every job listed on Workbeyond is from employers who sponsor international talent to work in New Zealand. Use the filters to narrow by profession, city, and seniority level to find roles that match your criteria and achieve your residency in New Zealand.
Other visas you may qualify for
New Zealand's main employer-sponsored work visa. Three-stage employer-led process. No fixed salary threshold beyond minimum wage, but earning at or above the median wage (NZ$35/hour) unlocks residence pathways and partner work rights.
New Zealand's direct residence visa for Tier 1 Green List occupations. No waiting period — apply for residence immediately with a qualifying job offer. Covers 200+ critical shortage roles. Must be aged 55 or under.