NZ’s Green List Jobs: What You Need to Know
In July 2022, the Government unveiled a new list of key roles that covers globally hard to fill roles and major skills shortages in New Zealand. This list was extended to add more roles in December 2022, including nurses and teachers. It provides associated residence visas, aimed at incentivising highly skilled migrants to make New Zealand their new home. These roles can be found in the Green List.
Migrants who qualify will have an easy-to-follow pathway toward obtaining residency. In this blog post, we outline the Green List jobs, provide additional information on the initiative, and show how NZ Visa Connections can help bring you to New Zealand.
What is the Purpose of the Green List?
The Green List connects highly skilled migrants to specific job roles in New Zealand. Overall, the goal is to make the process easier for both migrants and employers. The Green List has a narrow focus, with a short list of positions that are in demand worldwide, including here in New Zealand.
Each role on the Green List has specific requirements which can include work experience, qualifications, and possibly registration. It provides 2 key pathways to residence, which opened in September 2022. As with the Skilled Migrant Category, these residence pathways are limited to migrants 55 years or younger. Both of these residence visas require the applicant to have a job or job offer from an Accredited Employer. For more information on this, see our earlier blog on Employer Accreditation.
The two new residence visas are
- Straight to Residence
- Work to Residence
A third new residence visa, also requiring a job or job offer with an Accredited Employer, has also been launched. The Highly Paid residence visa requires applicants to be paid at least twice the median wage (at time of publishing this would be $55,52/hr).
For all three of these options you must be under 55, meet Health and Character requirements and also meet the required English Language standard.
Straight to Residence
If you are working in one of the Tier 1 roles on the Green List AND you meet the specific requirements of that role on the list, you can apply for this residence visa from 5th September 2022 onwards.
What Roles are Included?
Roles across various industries are on Tier 1. They cover positions in industries such as Construction, Engineering, Health & Social Services, ICT and Primary Industry and Science.
Roles in construction include Project Management, Project Builder, Quantity Surveyor, and Surveyor. Most engineering roles appear such as Civil, Chemical & Electrical Engineers and Electronic Engineering technicians. From Environmental Engineering to Telecommunications Engineering, there are many roles in New Zealand to fill.
There are opportunities for experienced medical workers to fill high-demand positions in New Zealand, including General and Specialised Practitioners and Surgeons. A range of technical work is also in demand, including ICT Management and Security, Software Engineers, and Multimedia Specialists.
Work-to-Residence Pathway
The work-to-residence pathway covers roles on Tier 2 of the Green List. This visa allows migrant workers to apply for residence after two years of working in their eligible job.
What Roles are Included?
The industries covered in Tier 2 are Trades, Agriculture and more Heath and Social Services roles, such as Midwifery, Medical Technicians. Plumbers, Diesel Motor Mechanics and Dairy Farm Managers.
Highly Paid
This category is for those who are paid at least twice the median wage ($55.52/hour as at August 2022). Applicants must either be working in or have a job offer in a role for an Accredited Employer and have been working for at least 24 months at this high remuneration.
See How NZ Visa Connections Can Help You Reach New Zealand
Immigration doesn’t need to be a daunting journey. At NZ Visa Connections, we have been migrants ourselves, coming to New Zealand from the UK. We offer immigration advice and can help you easily navigate immigration and Government policies. Get in touch with NZ Visa Connections and start working toward your New Zealand residency today.
