If your job is on the NZ Green List Tier 2, you can build toward a New Zealand Resident Visa by working in New Zealand for 24 months. Here is exactly who qualifies, what the 24-month rule means in practice, and how to apply when you are ready.
Quick answer: The Work to Residence Visa is a New Zealand Resident Visa for people in Green List Tier 2 occupations. You must first work in New Zealand for 24 months full-time in your Tier 2 role (on a qualifying visa), meeting the wage rate INZ has set for your role throughout that period (or NZD $35.00/hour, the 2025 median wage, where no specific rate is declared). Then you apply for the Resident Visa. You must be 55 or younger, have a current job offer from an accredited employer, and meet health, character, and English requirements. Once granted, the visa allows you to live, work, and study in New Zealand indefinitely.
Source: Immigration New Zealand. Wage rates and rules change. Check your role at immigration.govt.nz wage rates and immigration.govt.nz Work to Residence Visa before applying.
The Work to Residence Visa is one of two Resident Visas that come out of New Zealand's Green List pathway. The other is the Straight to Residence Visa. The distinction is straightforward: Tier 1 jobs qualify for an immediate Resident Visa; Tier 2 jobs require you to earn your residence by working in New Zealand first.
The pathway works like this: you enter New Zealand on a temporary work visa (most commonly an Accredited Employer Work Visa, or AEWV), work for 24 months full-time in your Tier 2 occupation at the qualifying pay rate, and then apply for the Work to Residence Visa. Once granted, the Resident Visa gives you the same outcome as Tier 1: the right to live, work, and study in New Zealand indefinitely.
The 24-month period is not a probationary test of your character or performance. It is simply New Zealand's mechanism for ensuring that migrants in Tier 2 roles have a genuine, established connection to the NZ labour market before granting residence.
See our full Green List pathway guide for an overview of how Tier 1 and Tier 2 compare and how to find out which tier your occupation sits in.
To apply for the Work to Residence Visa, your occupation must be on the Green List under Tier 2. Tier 2 covers a wide range of skilled trades, technical, and specialist roles that New Zealand needs but in which shortages are less acute than Tier 1. Ten additional trades occupations were added to the Tier 2 list on 18 August 2025.
Common confusion to avoid: Early Childhood Teachers are on Tier 2 (Work to Residence), not Tier 1. Many people assume all teachers are on Tier 1 because primary, intermediate, and secondary school teachers are. Early Childhood Teachers must complete 24 months of qualifying NZ work before applying for the Resident Visa.
This table is illustrative only. The official and complete Tier 2 list is maintained at immigration.govt.nz. Each occupation has specific qualification, registration, and wage requirements. Verify before applying.
Important note on wage thresholds: The general floor where INZ has not declared a specific wage is NZD $35.00/hour (the 2025 median wage, in effect from 9 March 2026). However, several Tier 2 occupations have their own specific rates, and the rate for the Resident Visa application is often higher than the rate for the AEWV (work visa).
For metal trades roles (Welder, Fitter, Metal Fabricator, Metal Machinist), the AEWV minimum is NZD $43.63/hour but the Resident Visa application requires NZD $45.50/hour (130% of the 2025 median wage). For Panel Beaters, Vehicle Painters, and Paving Plant Operators, the AEWV minimum is NZD $38.59/hour but the Resident Visa application requires NZD $40.25/hour (115% of the 2025 median wage). Always check both your AEWV wage rate and your Resident Visa wage rate at immigration.govt.nz wage rates before signing an offer.
The 24-month work requirement is the central element of this pathway. Here is what INZ's rules actually say:
Source: Immigration New Zealand. Verify current work experience rules at immigration.govt.nz.
Practical tip: Keep payslips and employment records from day one of your NZ work. When you apply for the Work to Residence Visa, you need to demonstrate 24 months of work experience and salary payments with documentation. Missing payslips or gaps in records are a common cause of delays. Your employment agreement, payslips, and any leave records are the core of your evidence file.
You must meet all of the following to be granted the Work to Residence Visa:
Source: Immigration New Zealand. Requirements change. Verify at immigration.govt.nz before applying.
The Work to Residence pathway involves two stages: entering New Zealand on a temporary work visa, and then applying for the Resident Visa once you have clocked up your 24 months.
Steps and requirements change. Verify at immigration.govt.nz before applying.
Fees and processing times are set by INZ and change periodically. Verify at immigration.govt.nz and INZ resident visa wait times.
Note: The total cost of this pathway is higher than Tier 1 because it involves two separate visa applications over 2 to 3 years (the AEWV and then the Work to Residence Visa). Budget for the full sequence when planning your timeline and finances.
Once granted, the Work to Residence Visa gives you the same outcome as the Straight to Residence Visa:
After holding the Work to Residence Visa for 2 continuous years, you become eligible for a Permanent Resident Visa, which removes the travel conditions entirely and lets you re-enter New Zealand at any time. New Zealand citizenship eligibility typically follows after 5 years of residence.
Verify Permanent Resident Visa eligibility rules at immigration.govt.nz.
The Green List is updated periodically as New Zealand's labour market needs shift. Here are the most recent changes relevant to Tier 2 applicants:
If you began planning this pathway more than a year ago, recheck the current list before proceeding. Occupation additions, removals, and tier changes can materially affect your timeline.
Source: Immigration New Zealand news centre and wage rates page (immigration.govt.nz). Always verify the current list and salary thresholds before applying.
No. The 24 months must be work performed in New Zealand on a qualifying visa. Overseas experience in the same occupation, even if directly relevant, does not count. You need to be physically working in New Zealand for 24 months to meet this requirement.
No. INZ only counts qualifying work experience from 29 September 2021 onwards. Work in Tier 2 occupations done before this date cannot be counted, regardless of how long or relevant it was.
Tier 2. This is a frequent source of confusion. Primary, intermediate, and secondary school teachers are on Tier 1 (Straight to Residence) since 26 March 2025. Early Childhood Teachers, however, remain on Tier 2 and need to complete 24 months of qualifying NZ work experience before applying for the Resident Visa.
You can change employers during your 24 months, as long as your new role is still a Tier 2 Green List occupation with an accredited employer at the required pay rate. The time spent in each qualifying role accumulates. If you take a role that does not qualify (wrong occupation, non-accredited employer, or below the pay threshold), that period stops counting. The wage rate applicable at the time of the job change applies to the new role.
INZ's rules state that leave taken while employed in a qualifying role counts as part of your work experience. This includes annual leave, sick leave, and other leave types. However, any extended period away from work where your employment relationship has ended (such as resigning to take parental leave and then returning to a new employer) would not count during that gap. If in doubt, confirm with a licensed immigration adviser before taking extended leave.
Apply to renew your AEWV well before it expires. If your current AEWV is due to expire while your Work to Residence Visa application is being processed, INZ will automatically grant you an Interim Visa (when eligible) so you can continue living and working in New Zealand while INZ assesses your residence application. You do not apply for the Interim Visa separately. Work done after your visa expires does not count toward the 24 months.
Per INZ's published Resident Visa wait times, the average processing time for the Work to Residence Visa is around 8 weeks, with most applications completed within 4 months. Complex or incomplete applications take longer. Verify the current published wait time at INZ resident visa wait times.
Both. You must meet the AEWV wage rate for your occupation throughout your qualifying work experience. When you submit your Work to Residence Visa application, you must also meet the Resident Visa wage rate, which for some occupations (metal trades, panel beating, vehicle painting, paving plant operators) is higher than the AEWV rate. If your pay dropped below the threshold at any point during your 24 months, that period stops counting. Keeping complete payslip records is essential.
Realistically, plan for 2.5 to 3 years from your first arrival to holding the Work to Residence Visa. This includes AEWV processing time (typically 1 to 3 months), the 24-month qualifying work period, and the residence application processing time (around 8 weeks average, most within 4 months per INZ wait times). Add time for professional registration if required. Compared to the Tier 1 Straight to Residence pathway, where you can apply from offshore and receive residence in around 5 to 6 months from application, the difference is significant. However, for the many occupations that sit only in Tier 2, this is still an achievable and well-defined pathway to a Resident Visa.
Getting the 24-month requirement right from day one saves you from discovering a gap or disqualification when you are ready to apply. Kiwifern's licensed immigration advisers help you confirm your occupation tier, check your employer's accreditation, structure your record-keeping, and build a complete Resident Visa application when the time comes.