Skilled and talent migration to New Zealand: pathways, thresholds, timing

Since 2023, New Zealand has consolidated nearly all work-to-residence migration into a single employer-led framework, the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) system, which now governs the pathway from temporary employment to residence for the vast majority of skilled migrants. The Green List, introduced in May 2022 and expanded in April 2025, replaced the former Talent (Accredited Employer) visa and the Long Term Skill Shortage List, creating a direct residence pathway for roles in health, engineering, construction, information technology, and primary industries. For mid-career professionals and senior executives, the critical distinction is no longer between visa categories but between a role that offers immediate residence (Green List Tier 1) and one that requires two years of employment before a residence application (Green List Tier 2 or the new Care Workforce and Transport Sector agreements). The 2025-2026 immigration instructions, published by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) in April 2025, raised the median wage threshold for the AEWV to NZD 31.61 per hour (approximately USD 19.00), reflecting a 4.2% increase from the 2024 rate, and introduced a new Sector Agreement for the construction industry that sets a lower wage floor of NZD 28.00 per hour for specific roles. This article maps the current pathways, the wage and qualification thresholds that trigger residence eligibility, the processing timelines that matter for employer planning, and the conversion mechanics from temporary work rights to permanent residence. ## The accredited employer work visa as the foundation The AEWV, operational since July 2022 and revised in April 2024 and again in April 2025, is now the single entry gate for any skilled migrant who does not hold a specific purpose visa (such as the Active Investor Plus visa or a critical purpose visa). The employer must hold accreditation from INZ, a status that requires demonstration of good employment practices, a commitment to paying at least the median wage, and, for standard accreditation, a minimum of five New Zealand citizens or residents on the payroll. As of the April 2025 instructions, INZ reported 28,400 accredited employers, a net increase of 3,100 from April 2024, indicating continued demand despite tighter wage requirements. ### Job check and wage thresholds Before a migrant can apply for an AEWV, the employer must complete a job check, which requires INZ to confirm that no suitable New Zealand citizen or resident is available for the role. The median wage threshold for the job check as of 1 April 2025 is NZD 31.61 per hour, up from NZD 29.66 in 2024. For roles on the Green List, the wage threshold is higher: NZD 35.00 per hour for Tier 1 roles (direct residence) and NZD 31.61 for Tier 2 roles (work-to-residence after two years). The construction sector agreement, introduced in July 2024 and expanded in April 2025, allows employers to pay NZD 28.00 per hour for roles such as carpenter, electrician, and plumber, but the migrant must still meet the Green List wage threshold of NZD 35.00 to qualify for direct residence. INZ processing times for job checks averaged 22 working days in the first quarter of 2026, down from 35 working days in 2024, reflecting a 37% improvement in operational efficiency. ### Duration and conditions The AEWV is granted for up to three years for roles paying at least the median wage, or up to five years for roles paying at least 1.5 times the median wage (NZD 47.42 per hour). The visa is tied to the specific employer and role; a change of employer requires a new job check and a new visa application. This employer-tied structure is the single most important constraint for senior executives, who may face mobility restrictions that do not exist in comparable programs in Australia (subclass 482) or the United Kingdom (Skilled Worker visa). Since April 2024, migrants on an AEWV can apply for a variation of conditions to work for a second employer for up to 30 hours per week, provided the second role also pays at least the median wage, but the primary employer remains the visa sponsor. ## Green List residence pathways The Green List, codified in the Immigration (Green List) Instructions 2025, contains two tiers. Tier 1 roles, which include registered nurses, midwives, secondary school teachers, civil engineers, ICT managers, and software engineers, allow the migrant to apply for residence from the outset of their employment, without any prior work experience in New Zealand. Tier 2 roles, which include electricians, plumbers, motor mechanics, and early childhood teachers, require the migrant to work in the role for 24 months before becoming eligible to apply for residence under the Work to Residence (WTR) pathway. ### Tier 1 direct residence A migrant offered a role on the Tier 1 list can apply for a Straight to Residence visa, provided they hold a recognised qualification (typically a bachelor’s degree or higher, or a relevant trade qualification for roles such as registered nurse or civil engineer) and are paid at least the Tier 1 wage threshold of NZD 35.00 per hour. The applicant must be aged 55 or younger and meet the standard health and character requirements. INZ data for the 2025-2026 financial year (July to June) shows that 4,200 Straight to Residence visas were approved in the first nine months, a 22% increase over the same period in 2024-2025, driven largely by health sector recruitment. The median processing time for a Straight to Residence application in 2026 is 57 working days, down from 72 working days in 2024. ### Tier 2 work to residence For Tier 2 roles, the migrant must first hold an AEWV (or a specific purpose work visa for the role) and complete 24 months of employment in New Zealand. The employment must be continuous, with no more than 30 days of unpaid leave per 12-month period, and the migrant must be paid at least the median wage (NZD 31.61 per hour) or the Green List wage threshold, whichever is higher. After 24 months, the migrant can apply for a Work to Residence visa, which, once approved, grants residence. In the first quarter of 2026, INZ approved 1,800 Work to Residence applications, with a median processing time of 68 working days. The 24-month clock resets if the migrant changes employer to a role that is not on the Green List, a risk that advisors must flag for clients considering lateral moves within a company. ## Sector agreements and alternative pathways New Zealand has introduced sector-specific agreements for industries that face persistent labour shortages but cannot meet the median wage threshold for all roles. The Care Workforce Sector Agreement, effective from July 2024, covers aged care, disability support, and home care workers. It sets a wage floor of NZD 28.25 per hour (rising to NZD 29.66 in April 2026) and allows workers to apply for residence after 24 months, provided they are paid at least the median wage at the time of the residence application. The Transport Sector Agreement, effective from April 2025, covers truck drivers (Class 4 and 5) and bus drivers, with a wage floor of NZD 30.00 per hour and a residence pathway after 24 months. ### Construction sector agreement The construction sector agreement, introduced in July 2024 and expanded in April 2025, covers 18 roles, including carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and site supervisors. Employers must pay at least NZD 28.00 per hour, but the migrant can only access the residence pathway if they are paid at least the Green List wage threshold of NZD 35.00 per hour for their specific role. This creates a two-tier system within the same agreement: workers paid between NZD 28.00 and NZD 34.99 per hour can obtain an AEWV but cannot progress to residence unless their wage increases or they switch to a Green List role. As of May 2026, INZ reported 2,100 active AEWV holders in construction sector agreement roles, of whom only 340 (16%) were paid at or above the NZD 35.00 threshold. ### Global impact visa (executive pathway) For senior executives and high-value professionals who do not fit the Green List framework, the Global Impact Visa (GIV), administered by Immigration New Zealand in partnership with the Edmund Hillary Fellowship (EHF), offers a pathway for entrepreneurs, investors, and senior executives of growth-stage companies. The GIV is not a standard skilled migration visa but a specific purpose visa for individuals who can demonstrate a track record of innovation and the potential to contribute to New Zealand’s technology ecosystem. The visa is valid for three years, with a pathway to residence after 30 months, provided the holder has created at least 10 full-time jobs for New Zealanders or raised NZD 5 million in capital. As of May 2026, 280 GIVs had been issued since the program’s launch in 2019, with a 92% residence conversion rate. ## Language, qualification, and age requirements New Zealand’s skilled migration pathways impose English language requirements that are less stringent than Australia’s but still require objective evidence. For the Straight to Residence visa, the applicant must provide an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of at least 6.5 overall (with no band below 6.0), or an equivalent score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT) (79 or higher), or a Pearson Test of English (PTE) score of 58 or higher. For the Work to Residence pathway, the same standard applies at the time of the residence application, but not at the time of the initial AEWV application, where the employer can attest to the migrant’s English ability. ### Qualification recognition Qualifications must be assessed by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) if they were obtained outside New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, or the United States. The NZQA assessment is required for any role on the Green List that specifies a qualification requirement, such as a bachelor’s degree for software engineers or a trade certificate for electricians. The assessment costs NZD 445 for a full evaluation and takes an average of 22 working days. For regulated professions such as nursing, teaching, and engineering, the relevant professional body (e.g., the Nursing Council of New Zealand, the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand, or Engineering New Zealand) must also register the migrant before the visa application can proceed. ### Age cap and exceptions The age cap for all skilled residence pathways is 55 years at the time of application. There is no age exemption for the Green List or Work to Residence pathways, unlike Australia’s subclass 482 visa, which has no age limit for the temporary stage. For senior executives aged 56 or older, the only residence pathway is through the Active Investor Plus visa (requiring a minimum investment of NZD 5 million in direct investments or NZD 10 million in managed funds), or the Global Impact Visa, which has no formal age cap but is limited to 220 places per year. ## Conversion to permanent residence New Zealand’s residence visa system distinguishes between resident visa (RV) and permanent resident visa (PRV). An RV holder who obtains residence through the Straight to Residence or Work to Residence pathway must meet a commitment to stay to convert to a PRV. The standard requirement is that the RV holder has been present in New Zealand for at least 184 days in each of the two 12-month periods immediately preceding the PRV application. Alternatively, the RV holder can demonstrate tax residence status (having been assessed as a tax resident by Inland Revenue for at least two years) or can hold an RV under the Investor or Global Impact categories, which have different presence requirements. ### Timing and tax implications The earliest a migrant can apply for a PRV is two years after the date their RV was granted, assuming they meet the presence test. For migrants who spend significant time overseas for business purposes, the 184-day-per-year requirement can be difficult to satisfy. In such cases, the alternative pathway of tax residence is often preferred, but it requires the migrant to have a permanent place of abode in New Zealand, which is a facts-based test administered by Inland Revenue. Once a PRV is granted, the holder has indefinite travel rights and is no longer subject to any conditions, including the employer-tied conditions of the AEWV. As of May 2026, INZ reported that 72% of RV holders who obtained residence through a skilled pathway applied for a PRV within three years of their RV grant date. ## Actionable considerations for advisors and applicants - The AEWV job check processing time has improved to 22 working days, but the employer must hold accreditation before the job check can be lodged, so accreditation renewal should be initiated at least 60 days before the planned hire date. - For Green List Tier 1 roles, the wage threshold of NZD 35.00 per hour is non-negotiable; any offer below this figure disqualifies the migrant from the Straight to Residence pathway, regardless of the role’s inclusion on the list. - The 24-month work requirement for Tier 2 roles begins on the first day of employment, not on the visa grant date, so a migrant who starts work on an interim visa can begin counting time immediately. - Senior executives aged 55 or older have no skilled residence pathway and must consider the Active Investor Plus visa or the Global Impact Visa, both of which require capital commitments of at least NZD 5 million. - English language testing should be completed before the visa application is lodged, as the IELTS or equivalent score must be no more than two years old at the time of the residence application. - The tax residence alternative to the physical presence test for PRV conversion requires two years of Inland Revenue tax residence status, which may be established even if the migrant is physically present for fewer than 184 days per year. ## Sources - Immigration New Zealand, Accredited Employer Work Visa instructions, April 2025: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/options/work/work-for-an-accredited-employer - Immigration New Zealand, Green List instructions 2025: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/options/work/straight-to-residence-visa - Immigration New Zealand, Work to Residence visa instructions, April 2025: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/options/work/work-to-residence-visa - New Zealand Qualifications Authority, International qualification assessment fees and timeframes: https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/qualifications/assessment-of-qualifications/ - Inland Revenue, Tax residence rules: https://www.ird.govt.nz/income-tax/income-tax-for-individuals/tax-residence - Edmund Hillary Fellowship, Global Impact Visa criteria: https://www.ehf.org/global-impact-visa