The Green List is a curated set of high-demand occupations. Tier 1 qualifies for fast-track residence; Tier 2 after 24 months of qualifying employment.
Written by the ProVisas Editorial Team. ProVisas is a licensed New Zealand immigration advisory firm (IAA Licence 201301110).
The Green List is a curated set of occupations experiencing sustained demand throughout New Zealand. For roles on this list, employers can complete Job Checks without advertising proof, and workers get expedited pathways to residence.
Confirm specific occupation codes on INZ’s published Green List before lodging, as the list is reviewed periodically.
Tier 1 roles provide immediate eligibility for residence. The sectors covered include:
Tier 2 roles provide residence after 24 months of qualifying employment in the role. Coverage includes additional health, trades, and agriculture occupations.
New Zealand offers high quality of life, strong employment protections, competitive salaries, and a welcoming environment for skilled migrants. The Green List is the policy mechanism that signals which occupations the country is actively short on, and therefore where the residence pathway is most direct. Some migrants reach Green List roles after studying in New Zealand, where a Pathway Student Visa can cover a planned sequence of courses before the post-study work and residence stages.
To confirm your specific occupation qualifies for Tier 1 or Tier 2, check the current INZ Green List published at immigration.govt.nz. The job-offer + accredited-employer combination is essential; Tier 1 doesn’t bypass the AEWV requirement, it accelerates the residence step that follows it.
The Green List is a curated set of in-demand occupations. For these roles, employers can complete Job Checks without proving they advertised, and workers get expedited pathways to residence.
Tier 1 roles offer immediate eligibility for residence. Tier 2 roles offer work-to-residence after 24 months of qualifying employment in the role.
Tier 1 spans construction, engineering, health and social services, primary industries and science, and ICT. Tier 2 adds further health, trades, and agriculture roles. Always confirm your specific occupation code against INZ’s current published list.
No. Tier 1 does not bypass the AEWV 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.
Yes. Registered nurses are a Tier 1 occupation on the Green List, under health and social services, which opens the Straight to Residence pathway. You still need Nursing Council registration and a job offer with an accredited employer. Confirm your specific role and ANZSCO code on INZ’s current list.
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. Some occupations have their own wage rules, so check your occupation’s entry on INZ’s list.
For Tier 1 (Straight to Residence), INZ aims to process 80% of applications within 5 months of lodgement. Tier 2 (Work to Residence) first requires 24 months of qualifying New Zealand employment before the residence application can be lodged. Confirm current processing times on immigration.govt.nz.
Search INZ’s published Green List by your ANZSCO code, not your job title, because job titles vary between employers and INZ uses the ANZSCO code to set the tier. If your title is not listed but your ANZSCO code is, you are on the list. The list is reviewed periodically, so check the latest version.
Last reviewed . Information may have changed since this article was reviewed. For your specific case, talk to a licensed immigration adviser.
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