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Residence Visa Guide
Contact us to see if you are eligible to apply for a residence visa. This includes a New Zealand residence visa under SMR or Work to Residence under the Green List. Zenith Immigration Solutions is pleased to offer you our expert assistance.
Knowledgeable and highly-trained, we are immigration advisers who provide professional support when it comes to applying for a residence visa NZ. Whatever type of New Zealand resident visa you intend to get, we are ready to act on your behalf and help you fulfil your dream.
Immigration Solutions: ● Residence categories● Skilled Migrant category visa● New points system● Skilled job offer● Skilled work requirements● What hasn't changed● Standard of English● Claiming points for skilled work experience in New Zealand● Points and qualifications● Non-degree qualifications● Types of Residence Visas
Residence Categories
Skilled Migrant category
You will need:
● Suitable qualifications/work experience
● A job offer within an occupation of demand (in New Zealand).
● 6 points for your Expression of Interest (EOI) to be selected from the pool.
● If selected from the pool, you will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA)
● The SMZ submissions are made after the receipt of the ITA.
Residence from Work category
You may apply if:
● You currently work for/have a job offer from an Accredited Employer
● You have worked in a Tier 2 Green List in-demand occupation for 24 months.
Care Workforce to Residence Visa
You may apply if:
● You currently work for/have a job offer from an Accredited Employer
● You have worked in a care workforce occupation for 24 months.
Family Stream or Partnership
● Family Stream may suit you if you have a partner, parent or adult child who lives in NZ. You must show the family connection and evidence of the relationship.
● Partnership Residence visa may suit you and your partner, though you will need to prove that you are currently living in a genuine and stable relationship.
Straight to Residence Visa
You may apply if:
● You currently work/have a job offer from an Accredited Employer
● Your role is on Tier 1 of the Green List in-demand occupations.
Transport Work to Residence Visa
You may apply if:
● You currently work for/have a job offer from an Accredited Employer
● You have worked in New Zealand for 24 months in a transport occupation.
What's the difference between a Residence Visa and a Permanent Residence Visa?
Residence Visa
This allows the visa holder to live indefinitely in NZ. While in the country, you can study and/or work without conditions in place. However, conditions on other aspects such as travel, for eg: resident visas let you leave and return to NZ up until your “expiry date travel” allocated on your visa. If you leave NZ (or are outside of NZ) after your “expiry date travel” then your resident visa will expire, not allowing you to return to NZ on that visa as it is no longer valid.
Permanent Residence Visa
This kind of visa comes without conditions. You are able to live permanently in NZ, as well as travel in and out of it indefinitely. You can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa after having a Resident Visa for at least 2 years.
Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
The Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa re-opened on 9 October 2023 with new criteria including:
A new points system.
Skilled job or job offer requirements.
The number of applications that will be accepted and processing times.
A Skilled Migrant Category Interim Visa.
New points system
You need 6 points to apply for the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa. You can claim 3 to 6 points from your:
New Zealand occupational registration
Qualification (Bachelor’s degree or higher), or
Income from your job or job offer (earning at least 1.5 times the median wage in New Zealand).
Please note: you can only claim points from 1 of the above skill categories. You cannot combine points from multiple skill categories. For example you cannot combine points from your qualification with points from your New Zealand occupational registration.
You can also claim 1 point for each year of skilled work in New Zealand, up to a maximum of 3 points.
The points you claim from skilled work in New Zealand can be combined with points from your New Zealand occupational registration, qualification or income.
Skilled job offer
You must have a skilled job or job offer with an Accredited Employer in New Zealand to apply. This requirement applies even if you are claiming the maximum amount of points available. To be considered, the job/job offer must be::
At least 30 hours a week.
Either in an ANZSCO Level 1 - 3 occupation and paid at or above the median wage, or in an ANZSCO Level 4 to 5 occupation and paid at or above 1.5 times the median wage.
On a permanent contract or fixed-term contract for at least 12 months.
Skilled work requirements
The skilled work experience must be:
In a full-time job (minimum of 30 hours a week), and
On a permanent contract, a fixed-term contract for at least 12 months or a contract for services for at least 6 months.
There is also a wage threshold depending on the ANZSCO level of your job:
If your job has an ANZSCO level of 1 to 3 you must earn the median wage or above.
If your job has an ANZSCO level of 4 to 5 you must earn 1.5 times the median wage or above.
What hasn't changed:
Note: You can include your partner and any dependent children up to the age of 24 in your application. They also must meet our English language, health and character requirements.
Your standard of English
You (the principal applicant), your partner, and dependent children aged 16 and over must all speak and understand English.
You do not need to provide test results if one of the following applies to you.
You are a citizen of Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom or the United States, and you have spent at least 5 years working or studying in those countries, or in Australia or New Zealand.
You have a qualification similar to a New Zealand level 7 bachelor's degree gained in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States, and you studied for at least 2 years in any of those countries to get that qualification.
You have a qualification gained in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom or the United States, which is comparable to a postgraduate New Zealand qualification. You must have studied for at least 1 year in any of those countries to get that qualification.
English language test results for principal applicants
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) — General or Academic ModuleOverall score of 6.5 or more.
Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-based Test (TOEFLiBT) Overall score of 79 or more.
Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) Overall score of 58 or more.
Cambridge English B2 First (FCE )Overall score of 176 or more.
B2 First for Schools (FCE for Schools) Overall score of 176 or more.
Occupational English Test (OET).
Paper or Computer Based Test (OET) Grade B or higher in all 4 skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking.
You need this score in all 4 skills because there is no overall grade for this test. or Computer Based Test (OET) Grade B or higher in all 4 skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking.
Claiming points for skilled work experience in New Zealand
If you are planning to use skilled work experience in New Zealand to claim further points, you must meet the wage threshold throughout the skilled work experience period. For example, if you are claiming 4 points for being paid 2 times the median wage, you must earn this wage during your 2 years of skilled work experience in New Zealand.
You must provide evidence that you met the wage threshold at both the beginning and end of your skilled work experience period.
Non-degree qualifications
If you have a non-degree qualification at NZQF Level 7 or below, you cannot claim points. However if you were invited to apply before 9 October 2023 under the previous visa criteria - you can still use non-degree qualifications at NZQF Level 7 or below to claim points.
Want to Find Out if You're Eligible to Apply under SMC?
Types of Residence Visas
Below are the variety of Residence Visas that you can apply for when immigrating to New Zealand.
If you feel you need further clarification or aid in picking which visa is right for you, please feel free to reach out to us at Zenith Immigration Solutions as we proficient in all details regarding Resident Visas and will be able to pinpoint exactly what is right for you and what you need to achieve that.
Straight to Residence Visa
Your employment qualifies with the following:
Job offer
You work for an Accredited Employer or you have a job offer from one.
Green List
Your role is on the Tier 1 of the Green List.
Other requirements
You meet the role's requirements such as median wage/salary threshold, registration, professional membership or qualifications.
Full-time
Your employment is genuine and qualifies as full-time.
Longterm assurance
The role is permanent, fixed term (for at least 12 months), or a contract/contracts for at least 6 months or more.
Threshold
From August 18 2025, your employment meets the median wage threshold of NZD $33.56.
Work to Residence Visa
This visa enables you to work, live and study in New Zealand indefinitely. Further, you are able to include your parter and dependent children (24 years and younger) in your visa application.
After 2 years of being on this visa, you are able to apply for a Permanent Residency Visa.
What is required to obtain this visa?
Employment status
You must be working full-time for (or have a full-time job offer from) an Accredited Employer.
Duration of employment
You must have (or be offered) a full-time/permanent/at least 12-month fixed-term job.
Green tier
You have worked within New Zealand for 24 months in a Green List Tier 2 in-demand job.
Age
You must be 55 years or younger.
English standard
You must be able to speak and understand English.
Overall character
You must be of upstanding moral character (police certification may be required as proof) and of decent health (a chest X-ray and medical examination may be required).
Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa
With this visa, you are able to work and live in New Zealand permanently. You are also able to include your partner and/or children in your visa application.
Further, after two years on this visa you will be able to apply for a Permanent Resident Visa.
Transport Work to Residence Visa
This visa enables you to live, work and study permanently within New Zealand. You are also to include your partner and dependent children in this application.
Further, after 2 years on this visa, you will be able to apply for a Permanent Resident Visa.
What is needed to obtain this visa?
Employment: You have a job or job offer from an Accredited Employer that is full-time, permanent or a 12-month fixed term contract for an occupation within the care workforce.
Visa: You must have had a work visa for at least 24 months before you apply.
Duration: You have worked in NZ for 24 months in an approved care workforce occupation.
Language: You must speak and understand English.
Overall profile: You must be of upstanding moral character (this may require certification from the police) and of decent health (this may require a chest X-ray and medical examination).
Age: You must be 55 years or younger.
Familial proof: If you are including your partner/children, you must provide proof of a genuine relationship with them.
What is needed to obtain this visa?
Employment: You have a job or job offer from an Accredited Employer that is full-time, permanent or a 12-month fixed term contract for an occupation within transport.
Visa: You must have had a work visa for at least 24 months before you apply.
Language: You must speak and understand English.
Overall profile: You must of upstanding moral character (this may require certification from the police) and of decent health (this may require a chest X-ray and medical examination).
Age: You must be 55 years or younger.
Familiar proof: If you are including your partner/children, you must provide proof of a genuine relationship with them.
Want to know if you're eligible for work to residence?
Partnership Residence Visa
If your partner is already in New Zealand, or you and your partner are applying for a visa to come to New Zealand together, you may be eligible for a New Zealand resident visa based on your partnership.
How is a relationship defined according to Immigration New Zealand (INZ)?
Living circumstance
The couple must be residing within the same household.
Age
The couple must be 18 or older (or have the consent of your parents/guardians if the couple are aged 16 or 17).
Status
The relationship can be a legal marriage, a civil union or a de facto relationship.
Familiarity
The couple must have met each other before applying for the visa.
Seriousness
The relationship must be stable and genuine.
Prohibition
The couple cannot be close relatives.
How is a relationship proven as stable and genuine?
Proving your relationship with your partner is legitimate and long-lasting can be tricky as a lot of proof is required. Such proof includes:
Relationship authenticity: This can include things like marriage certificates, your children's birth certificates, jointly owned things (such as bank accounts, assets, credit cards), photographic proof that you have been together, records of communication (such as chat logs) and letters of support that endorse you and your partner's relationship.
Living circumstances: This shows you and your partner have been living together for a decent amount of time. This can include things like proof of joint ownership (like a home loan), rental agreements/receipts, documentation showing a joint address, or joint utility accounts (like a power bill).
What if my partner and I haven't always lived together?
This can be the case for some, particularly those who are part of a long distance relationship. Under such circumstances you will likely be asked to provide:
What doesn't count as proof of a relationship?
INZ has standards that it must adhere to when it comes to defining a relationship. The following counts as a no-go when it comes to proof.
What character requirements are needed for a supporting partner?
The supporting partner must also meet a certain standard. Proof of character may be required.
The supporting partner must NOT have done the following:
Have supported a successful residence application for more than one previous partner.
Have supported a successful residence application for a previous partner in the last 5 years.
Have included a previous partner in a successful residence application in the last 5 years.
Have been included as a partner in a successful residence application in the last 5 years.
Be liable for deportation, or have their deportation liability suspended.