An exciting announcement made over the weekend reflects the New Zealand government’s ongoing efforts to make it easy for skilled professionals to live and work in our beautiful country.
As you may know, Immigration New Zealand created the Green List last year to fast-track residency pathways for skilled professionals. It consists of two occupation tiers as follows:
- Tier 1 occupations who qualify, are granted immediate New Zealand residency via the ‘Straight to Residence’ pathway.
- Tier 2 occupations who qualify, can gain residency after working for two years – this is what’s known as the ‘Work to Residence’ pathway.
17 More Occupations Added to the Green List!
It was announced that a further 17 roles will be added to the Green List on either the ‘Straight to Residence’ or ‘Work to Residence’ pathway in March 2024. Whether each role falls under the ‘Straight to Residence’ or ‘Work to Residence’ pathway will be released closer to date.
Occupations to be added March 2024:
- Aviation Engineer (Avionics, Aeronautical, Aerospace Engineer)
- Naval Architects (aka Marine Designer)
- Mechanical Engineering Technician
- ICT Database and System Administrator
- Aircraft Maintenance Engineer
- Road Roller Operator
- Paving Plant Operator
- Corrections Officer
- Metal Fabricator
- Pressure Welder
- Welder
- Fitter (General)
- Fitter and Turner
- Fitter-Welder
- Metal Machinist (First Class)
- Panel Beater
- Vehicle Painter
We’ll update you on the pathway each role falls under as soon as it is released by Immigration New Zealand.
To view the current full list of occupations on the Green List, Click here to view the full list
Work to Residence Visa applications opening this week
You can apply for this visa if you work for an accredited employer and have worked in a Tier 2 Green List role for 24 months. Applications for this visa will be open from 29 September 2023.
