Information reviewed: 18 October 2026 | Source: Immigration New Zealand
The New Zealand Straight to Residence Visa is a residence pathway for eligible people working in, or offered, a Tier 1 Green List occupation with an accredited New Zealand employer. Eligible applicants can apply from within or outside New Zealand without first completing two years of New Zealand employment.
The visa allows holders to live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely. A Permanent Resident Visa is a separate application that may become available after holding residence for two years and meeting the relevant requirements.
Age limit55 or younger
Visa costFrom NZD 6,450
INZ processing80% within 3 months
OccupationGreen List Tier 1
Government figures are indicative and can change. Always confirm current fees and processing times before applying.
What is the Straight to Residence Visa?
It is a New Zealand resident visa for applicants whose employment and qualifications meet the criteria for a Tier 1 Green List role. The job must be with an accredited employer and satisfy the applicable pay, hours and duration rules. Applicants must also meet health, character and English language requirements.
Live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely, subject to visa conditions.
Apply from overseas or from New Zealand, if otherwise eligible.
Include an eligible partner and dependent children aged 24 or younger.
Consider a Permanent Resident Visa after two years of residence, subject to its conditions.
Straight to Residence Visa eligibility
Immigration New Zealand requires applicants to meet all relevant criteria. Key requirements include:
Age: 55 years or younger when applying.
Eligible employment: A current job or job offer in a Green List Tier 1 role with an accredited employer.
Hours and duration: Full-time employment, generally at least 30 hours per week, that is permanent, fixed-term for at least 12 months, or meets the applicable continuous-contract rules.
Occupation-specific criteria: Required qualifications, professional registration, membership, experience and pay thresholds for the precise Green List role.
English: Meet INZ's skilled residence English requirements through acceptable evidence or test results.
Health and character: Satisfy medical and police certificate requirements.
A similar job title alone does not establish eligibility. The actual position, duties, occupation classification and Green List requirements must align.
Green List Tier 1 and Tier 2: what is the difference?
Pathway
Who it is for
Residence requirement
Tier 1 — Straight to Residence
Eligible workers with a qualifying Tier 1 role and accredited employer
May apply directly without first completing two years of NZ work
Tier 2 — Work to Residence
Eligible workers in Tier 2 roles
Generally requires 24 months of qualifying NZ work and other visa criteria
Green List occupations and their criteria change. Use INZ's live Green List occupation search to confirm the current tier and requirements for your occupation.
Job offer, salary and employer requirements
Your job or offer must be from an accredited employer and meet the rules for the specific Tier 1 occupation. INZ currently states that the pay must be at least the rate listed for that occupation, or NZD 35 per hour if no specific Green List pay rate is stated. Some occupations have higher rates, and contractor arrangements may have additional conditions.
Check employer accreditation and provide an employment agreement or offer showing the role, duties, pay, hours and employment duration. Do not assume a general median wage threshold overrides a higher occupation-specific requirement.
English language requirements
Principal applicants must meet the English language standard for skilled residence. INZ accepts specified evidence based on citizenship and education, or approved English tests. Test results generally must be no more than two years old when applying.
Partners and dependent children aged 16 or older must also meet the applicable English requirements or, where permitted, pay for English language lessons. Review the official visa requirements for current accepted tests and scores rather than relying on a single IELTS band rule.
Can family members be included?
Eligible partners and dependent children aged 24 or younger may be included in the residence application. Evidence of genuine relationships, dependency where applicable, identity, health, character and English ability may be required. Each family member's circumstances should be assessed individually.
How to apply: step-by-step
Confirm the occupation: Check that the role is on Tier 1 and identify its exact Green List requirements.
Verify the employer and offer: Confirm accreditation, pay, hours, job duties and duration.
Check qualifications: Obtain required professional registration or an International Qualification Assessment (IQA), if applicable.
Prepare evidence: Gather identity, employment, qualifications, English, medical, police and family documents as required.
Submit online: Apply through Immigration New Zealand and pay the fee shown for your circumstances.
Respond to INZ: Provide any further evidence requested and track your application.
Documents checklist
Valid passport and acceptable photograph.
Signed employment offer or agreement showing the role, salary, hours and duration.
Qualifications, transcripts, relevant registration or membership and IQA results if required.
Acceptable evidence of English language ability.
Medical examination and chest X-ray evidence where required.
Police certificates from relevant countries as required by INZ.
Relationship and dependency evidence for included family members.
English translations of documents not in English, where required.
Requirements vary with the applicant's circumstances. Follow the document instructions displayed in the official application process.
Government fees and processing time
Item
Current INZ indication
Application cost
From NZD 6,450
Processing time
80% within 3 months
Visa stay
Indefinitely
Age
55 or younger
These are INZ's published headline figures, not a guaranteed quote or decision timeframe. Medical examinations, police certificates, translations, IQAs and professional registrations may involve additional costs. Check the official page immediately before submission.
Common application issues
A job is not actually a Tier 1 Green List occupation.
Employer accreditation or employment duration cannot be established.
The offered pay does not meet the role-specific threshold.
Required occupational registration or qualification evidence is missing.
English, health, character or family evidence is incomplete.
If you are not eligible for Straight to Residence
Depending on your occupation and circumstances, other pathways may include the Work to Residence Visa for qualifying Tier 2 Green List roles, the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa, or an appropriate temporary work visa. Each pathway has separate requirements and should be assessed independently.
How Peerless Immigration Services can assist
Our team supports applicants with a structured review of their New Zealand residence pathway, including:
Initial eligibility screening: Review your age, occupation, qualifications, work experience and employment circumstances against the published Straight to Residence criteria.
Green List occupation review: Check whether your proposed role appears on Tier 1 and identify the relevant qualification, registration and pay requirements.
Employer and job-offer checks: Help you identify evidence needed to confirm employer accreditation, job duties, working hours, remuneration and offer duration.
Document readiness: Prepare a tailored checklist covering identity, employment, qualifications, English language, health, character and eligible family members.
Qualification and registration guidance: Identify whether an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) or New Zealand professional registration may be needed.
Licensed adviser coordination: Where regulated New Zealand immigration advice is required, coordinate the assessment and application process with our New Zealand licensed immigration adviser, subject to the agreed scope of services.
Application follow-up: Help organize supporting information and track document requests and next steps during the process.
Eligibility assessments and document preparation do not guarantee employment, visa approval or a particular processing timeframe.
Discuss your New Zealand residence pathway
Share your occupation, qualifications and job-offer details for an initial discussion.
