New Zealand’s Green List is the fastest route to permanent residence the country currently offers skilled migrants — but “fast” means very different things depending on which of its two tiers your occupation sits in. Confusing Tier 1 with Tier 2, or assuming a job title alone qualifies without checking the exact occupation code, is the single most common planning mistake we see. Here’s how the two pathways actually work in 2026.
What the Green List actually is
The Green List is Immigration New Zealand’s published list of occupations considered in persistent, high-priority shortage — roughly 200+ specific roles as of 2026, spanning healthcare, engineering, construction, ICT, and several trades. Being on the list doesn’t grant residence by itself; it determines which of two fast-track pathways your job offer can use instead of the general, points-tested Skilled Migrant Category.
Tier 1 — Straight to Residence
If your occupation sits in Tier 1, you can apply for a residence visa directly, without first holding a work visa or accumulating time in New Zealand. To qualify you generally need:
- A confirmed, genuine full-time job offer from an Accredited Employer, in the exact Tier 1 occupation code.
- Role-specific qualifications, typically a bachelor’s degree or higher (NZQF Level 7+), or the relevant professional registration where the occupation requires one (many health professions, for instance).
- To be 55 years old or younger, in good health, and of good character.
- English language ability sufficient to work safely and communicate in your profession.
Tier 1 roles are, deliberately, the highest-skilled end of the shortage list — specialist medical and engineering roles feature heavily — which is why the pathway skips the work-first requirement entirely.
Tier 2 — Work to Residence
Tier 2 occupations don’t get the direct-to-residence shortcut. Instead, you first need an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) in the Tier 2 role, then 24 months of full-time, relevant work in that specific occupation (or an equivalent role paid at least twice the median wage) before you become eligible to apply for residence under the Work to Residence pathway. This is a meaningfully longer commitment than Tier 1 — you’re building a genuine employment track record in New Zealand before residence is even an option, not just holding an offer.
Wage thresholds matter for both tiers
New Zealand’s median wage was NZD $35.00/hour as of March 2026, and it’s the reference point for several Green List mechanics: some Tier 1 roles have role-specific pay thresholds above the median, and Tier 2’s “twice the median wage” alternative route uses this figure directly. Because the median wage is reviewed periodically, always check the current published figure against your actual or offered salary rather than relying on a remembered number from a prior application round.
Fees
Residence visa applications under the Green List pathways (Straight to Residence and, later, Work to Residence) carry a combined application fee and Immigration Levy that Immigration New Zealand publishes in its official fee table — commonly cited around NZD $6,450 as a base band figure for the Skilled Residence category, though the exact amount depends on your specific fee band and whether dependants are included. Confirm the live figure on the official fee table before budgeting, since it’s reviewed separately from the visa conditions themselves.
Checking if your occupation actually qualifies
Because Tier 1 and Tier 2 are defined by exact ANZSCO occupation codes, not job titles, the single most useful thing you can do before accepting an offer is confirm the code your employer intends to use against the current published Green List — a “Software Engineer” title, for example, may map to a code that’s on the list at one tier, absent from it, or listed at a different tier than a similarly-titled role elsewhere. Don’t assume; check the code.
How this compares to other NZ skilled pathways
If your occupation isn’t on the Green List at all, you’re not shut out of skilled migration to New Zealand — you’d instead look at the general Accredited Employer Work Visa (see our AEWV guide) followed by the points-tested Skilled Migrant Category residence pathway (see our Skilled Migrant Category guide), which has no occupation-list restriction but takes longer and requires a points-test score. For a comparison against other countries’ points-based skilled routes, see H-1B vs Canada Express Entry.
FAQ
What’s the difference between Tier 1 and Tier 2 on the Green List? Tier 1 occupations qualify for the Straight to Residence visa — you can apply for permanent residence directly once you have a genuine job offer, without working in New Zealand first. Tier 2 occupations only qualify for Work to Residence — you first need an Accredited Employer Work Visa and 24 months of relevant full-time work in New Zealand in that role before you become eligible to apply for residence.
Do I need a job offer already on the Green List, or can any employer nominate my role? Your specific occupation, using the correct ANZSCO occupation code, must appear on the official Green List, and for Tier 1 you typically also need to meet role-specific requirements such as a qualification level or registration. A generically similar job title that isn’t the listed occupation code doesn’t qualify, so check the exact code your employer intends to use against the published list before treating an offer as Green-List-eligible.
Does time on an Accredited Employer Work Visa count toward the 24-month Work to Residence requirement even in a non-Green-List role? No — the 24 months must be full-time work in the specific Tier 2 Green List occupation (or an equivalent role paid at least twice the median wage), not just any AEWV employment. Time spent in a different role, even for the same employer, generally doesn’t count toward the Work to Residence threshold.
This is preparation guidance, not immigration advice — Green List occupation codes, wage thresholds, and fees are reviewed periodically by Immigration New Zealand, and your specific case should be confirmed with the official source or a licensed immigration adviser before you commit to a job offer.
VisaMet is building AI-assisted eligibility checks and document screening to help confirm whether your occupation qualifies for Tier 1 or Tier 2 before you rely on it. Join the waitlist to get early access.
Sources
Immigration New Zealand — Straight to Residence Visa, Immigration New Zealand — Skilled residence pathways, Immigration New Zealand — Green List occupations, Immigration New Zealand — Fees, processing times and refunds.