New Zealand Green List Tier 1

Summary

The Straight to Residence Visa is New Zealand's direct residence route for people with a qualifying Tier 1 Green List job or job offer from an accredited employer. If you meet the exact role requirements, you can apply for residence without first completing a Work to Residence period.

This is a strong pathway, but it is not just an occupation-match route. Immigration New Zealand checks the specific job offer, employer accreditation, pay, qualifications, registration or professional membership, English, health, and character.

Eligibility

Your occupation must be on the Tier 1 list

The Tier 1 Green List is published and updated by Immigration New Zealand. Broad categories:

• Healthcare and medical roles
• Engineering and construction roles
• ICT and technology roles
• Teaching roles
• Some trades and primary-sector roles

Do not rely on the category alone. Search the current Green List entry for your exact role and confirm it is Tier 1 / Straight to Residence.

Job offer from an accredited employer

• The offer must be full-time, meaning at least 30 hours per week.
• For employment, the role must be permanent or fixed-term for at least 12 months from when you apply.
• For contracting, the contract or continuous contracts must meet Immigration New Zealand's contractor rules.
• The employer must hold Accredited Employer status — the same accreditation used for the AEWV. You can check the public register.
• You must be paid at the rate listed for the Green List role. If no role-specific rate is listed, the current median wage applies.

Qualification and registration

Each Tier 1 role has role-specific criteria. Depending on the role, this may include:

• A qualification at a listed New Zealand Qualifications Framework level, or an accepted overseas equivalent.
• New Zealand occupational registration.
• A specific professional membership.
• A listed pay rate.
• Relevant experience, especially for some contractor situations.

Overseas qualifications may need an International Qualification Assessment unless an exception applies, such as some Washington Accord or Sydney Accord engineering qualifications.

Age, English, health, and character

• You must be 55 or younger when you apply.
• You must speak and understand English. Some applicants can prove this through citizenship, study, or qualifications; others need an English test.
• You and included family members must meet New Zealand health requirements.
• You and included family members must meet character requirements. Police certificates are usually required for applicants aged 17 or older.

Duration, Renewal, and Long-Term Path

• Duration: Resident visa from approval.
• Renewal: Can support permanent resident status and later citizenship if New Zealand rules are met.

What This Route Allows

This route can allow you to live in New Zealand for qualifying work, usually with a specific employer, role, or approved work activity. Eligible family members may be able to accompany you when this pathway accepts dependants. Confirm the dependant file before relying on it: relationship records, minimum income or housing if required, health insurance or background checks, and whether dependants receive work authorization or residence only.

What This Route Is Not

This is not a general open work permission. Work routes usually depend on a qualifying job, employer, occupation, salary, or transfer arrangement.

Application Process

Step 1 — Secure a job offer

Recruitment frequently happens directly through:

• Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand) — for medical and nursing roles.
• Ministry of Education — for teacher recruitment, often via agencies like TeachNZ.
• Direct applications to NZ employers, or through specialised recruiters.

Step 2 — Pursue NZ registration (if required)

For regulated roles, registration can be the hardest part of the pathway. Start with the New Zealand registration body for your occupation before assuming the visa can be filed.

Step 3 — Apply for the Straight to Residence Visa

• Online via Immigration New Zealand's portal.
• Immigration New Zealand assesses the job offer, Green List criteria, health, character, English, and family evidence.
• You can apply from offshore or onshore.

Step 4 — Arrive and settle

The visa lets you live, work, and study in New Zealand indefinitely. After holding the Resident Visa for 2 years, you can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa with broader travel rights. Time as a resident can also count toward citizenship by grant if you later meet New Zealand's citizenship rules.

American-friendly notes

• Medical credentials: the Medical Council's registration routes can be favorable for some U.S.-trained doctors, especially where comparable-health-system or specialist pathways apply.
• No state licensing complexity: New Zealand is a single jurisdiction, unlike the US state-by-state model. One registration covers the whole country.
• English: U.S. citizenship, education, or qualifications may help prove English, but Immigration New Zealand can still ask for more evidence.
• Salary comparability: New Zealand wages may differ from U.S. equivalents, so check both the role's Green List threshold and the actual offer.

Next Steps

1. Confirm your occupation is on the Tier 1 list at the Immigration NZ page.
2. Check the exact role requirements for pay, qualification, registration, professional membership, and experience.
3. Begin NZ registration early if your occupation requires registration.
4. Target accredited employers and make sure the offer documents show role, hours, duration, pay, and employer details.
5. Prepare English, health, and police evidence before filing.
6. Apply online once you have a qualifying job or job offer.

Sources

• Immigration NZ — Green List pathway to residence — official overview.
• Green List roles — Tier 1 and Tier 2 — the full occupation list with role-specific criteria.
• Immigration NZ — Straight to Residence Visa — official visa requirements.
• Medical Council of New Zealand — Comparable Health System — doctor-registration pathways.
• Nursing Council of New Zealand — Internationally Qualified Nurses — US RN registration routes.
• Accredited Employer register — official employer accreditation lookup.