Work to Residence Visa applications are now open

From 29 September 2023, anybody who meets the criteria for the Work to Residence Visa, Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa, or Transport Work to Residence Visas can submit their residence visa application.

Requirements for the Work to Residence Visa

This means migrants who want to apply for residence under the Work to Residence Visa, Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa, or Transport Work to Residence Visa can apply if they:

• Have 2 years of eligible work experience in a Green List or sector agreement role (care workforce role or transport role) in New Zealand, and met the relevant skill and wage thresholds, and
• Meet the other standard visa application requirements such as health, character, English language, and age.

The 24 months of work experience in a relevant role must have been gained:

• While holding any type of work visa, or a Critical Purpose Visitor Visa with work rights, and
• From September 29, 2021, and within 30 months of the date their residence visa application is made.

Wage requirements for the Green List Work to Residence Visa

People applying for the Work to Residence Visa will need to meet a Green List role requirement of median wage, or role-specific wage threshold in place:

• At the start of their 24 months of work experience, and
• At the time they apply for residence.

If the median wage increases during their 24 months of work experience, they need to meet the new threshold when either they apply for the visa or if they change jobs.

There is an exemption If someone applied for their work visa or Critical Purpose Visitor Visa (with work rights) before 29 September 2023. In this case, they only need to be paid the median wage at the time they apply for their residence visa. The exemption does not apply to people on the Accredited Employer Work Visa.

Contact us

The above criteria appear to be simple but can be daunting when you get into the details. So, if you have already been working in New Zealand in any of the Green List occupations or sector agreement roles for 2 years (or are close to meeting this requirement), then please do contact our VisaAide team of Licensed Immigration Advisers at People Inc Group, who will make a full assessment of your eligibility and assist you in your journey towards becoming a New Zealander. We can also assist your employer in getting accreditation, in case they haven’t gotten around to do that until now.