NZ Green List Occupations 2026: All 215 Tier 1 and Tier 2 Roles

The Green List is Immigration New Zealand’s list of occupations the country is short of. It currently holds 215 roles: 174 Tier 1 roles that can apply for residence immediately, and 41 Tier 2 roles that can apply after 24 months of qualifying work in New Zealand (immigration.govt.nz). Every role on this page is reproduced from INZ’s published list, checked on 28 August 2026.

How many occupations are on the Green List?

215 roles, across 184 ANZSCO codes. The count is higher than the code count because 13 codes cover more than one named role: ANZSCO 121313, for example, covers Dairy Farm Manager, Dairy Cattle Farmer, Dairy Cattle Farm Manager, Dairy Herd Manager and Assistant Dairy Farm Manager as five separate entries.

If you have seen a smaller number quoted, it is probably out of date. INZ has reissued the Green List appendix roughly nineteen times since it launched in June 2022, and the roles have changed with each revision. Check the count and your own occupation against INZ’s live list rather than a secondary source, including this one.

The distribution is heavily weighted towards one sector:

123 of the 174 Tier 1 roles are health and social services. If you are outside health, engineering or ICT, the Green List is a narrow door: those three groups account for 163 of the 174 Tier 1 roles between them.

What is the difference between Tier 1 and Tier 2?

Tier 1 is the Straight to Residence Visa. With a job offer from an accredited employer in a Tier 1 role, you can lodge the residence application without first working here.

Tier 2 is Work to Residence. You must hold the role with an accredited employer and complete 24 months of qualifying employment in New Zealand before the residence application can be lodged.

The tier is set by your ANZSCO code, not your job title. Employers name roles inconsistently, and INZ assesses the code. This is the single most common point of confusion, and it cuts both ways: a title that sounds unlisted may map to a listed code, and an impressive-sounding title may map to a code that is not on the list at all.

Being on the list is necessary, not sufficient. Most roles carry their own qualification, occupational registration or pay requirements on top of the general rules, and those are published per role on INZ’s entry for your occupation.

Which occupations are on Green List Tier 1?

All 174 Tier 1 roles, grouped by INZ’s own industry classification and sorted alphabetically within each group. These roles are eligible for the Straight to Residence Visa.

Health and social services (123 roles)

Engineering (28 roles)

ICT, electronics and telecommunications (12 roles)

Construction (6 roles)

Primary industries and science (3 roles)

Business professionals (2 roles)

Which occupations are on Green List Tier 2?

All 41 Tier 2 roles. These are eligible for Work to Residence after 24 months of qualifying employment in the role.

What else do you need besides being on the list?

• A job offer with an accredited employer. Tier 1 does not bypass the accredited-employer requirement; it accelerates the residence step that follows the AEWV.
• The pay rate for your role. The general floor is NZD $35.00 per hour, the median wage effective 9 March 2026, or the job-specific rate published for your occupation, whichever is higher.
• Qualifications or registration where the role requires them. Health roles in particular usually require registration with the relevant New Zealand body before the visa is granted, such as Nursing Council registration for nurses or NZREX for many overseas doctors.
• For Tier 2, the 24 months of qualifying employment. The work must be in the Green List role itself, so a change of duties partway through can reset the calculation.

How long does the residence application take?

INZ publishes an average wait of 7 weeks for the Straight to Residence Visa, with most applications completed within 3 months. The Work to Residence Visa averages 8 weeks, also most within 3 months (immigration.govt.nz). Those figures cover the residence decision only, and for Tier 2 they start after the 24 months of employment. INZ updates its published wait times weekly.

Related pages

• Green List Visa: Straight to Residence and Work to Residence sets out the visa requirements, fees and process.
• SMC red list occupations and SMC amber list occupations cover the separate Skilled Migrant Category lists, which are not the same thing as the Green List.
• ANZSCO 1.3 skill levels explains how to find and read your occupation code.

Frequently asked questions

How many occupations are on the New Zealand Green List?

The Green List currently has 215 roles: 174 Tier 1 roles eligible for the Straight to Residence Visa and 41 Tier 2 roles eligible for Work to Residence. Those 215 roles sit under 184 ANZSCO codes, because some codes cover several named roles. INZ revises the list regularly, so confirm the current entry for your occupation before you apply.

What is the difference between Green List Tier 1 and Tier 2?

Tier 1 roles can apply for residence straight away through the Straight to Residence Visa, with a job offer from an accredited employer. Tier 2 roles apply through Work to Residence, which requires 24 months of qualifying employment in that role in New Zealand first. The tier is set by your ANZSCO code, not your job title.

Is a registered nurse on the New Zealand Green List?

Yes. Registered nurses are Tier 1, under health and social services, which opens the Straight to Residence pathway. Health and social services is by far the largest group on the list, with 123 of the 174 Tier 1 roles. You still need Nursing Council registration and a job offer with an accredited employer.

Does the Green List skip the AEWV requirement?

No. Tier 1 does not bypass the accredited employer requirement; you still need a job offer with an accredited employer. It accelerates the residence step that follows. The job-offer plus accredited-employer combination is essential.

What is the minimum salary for a Green List visa?

The general Green List wage floor is NZD $35.00 per hour, the median wage effective 9 March 2026, or the job-specific rate published for your occupation, whichever is higher. Several occupations carry their own pay, qualification or registration rules, so check your occupation’s entry on INZ’s list.

How long does Green List residence take to process?

INZ publishes an average wait of 7 weeks for the Straight to Residence Visa, with most applications completed within 3 months. The Work to Residence Visa averages 8 weeks, also most within 3 months, but Tier 2 applicants must first complete 24 months of qualifying New Zealand employment before lodging. INZ updates these weekly.

How do I check if my occupation is on the Green List?

Search by your ANZSCO code, not your job title, because titles vary between employers and INZ uses the code to set the tier. If your title is not listed but your code is, you are on the list. Note that 13 ANZSCO codes cover more than one named role, so read the full entry rather than matching on the code alone.

Current as at 28 August 2026, based on Immigration New Zealand policy. For advice on your own situation, talk to a ProVisas Licensed Immigration Adviser (IAA Licence 201301110).