From 24 August 2026, Tier 2 Green List, Transport, and Care Workforce Work to Residence visas move to a single wage threshold with no higher rate at residence. Here is what changes.
Written by Inder Singh, Principal Adviser & Founder and Licensed Immigration Adviser (IAA Licence 201301110).
From 24 August 2026, the three Work to Residence visas (Tier 2 Green List, Transport, and Care Workforce) move to a single wage threshold. You only need to be paid the required rate that was in place when you started counting your skilled work experience. There is no higher rate at residence, no higher rate on changing employer, and a 5-month grace period applies.
The wage-rate changes mirror the Skilled Migrant Category reforms and take effect on the same date. From 24 August 2026, Immigration New Zealand applies a single wage threshold to Work to Residence applications instead of an earlier work-experience rate plus a higher rate at the residence stage (immigration.govt.nz). The practical effect: the rate you needed when you began accruing qualifying work is the rate you keep, even if the median wage rises before you lodge.
The changes apply to the three Work to Residence pathways and align them with the SMC wage approach (immigration.govt.nz).
| Work to Residence visa | What it covers | New wage rule from 24 Aug 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 2 Green List | Roles on the Green List Tier 2 (guide) | Single threshold; rate fixed at the date you start counting work experience |
| Transport Work to Residence | Eligible transport-sector roles | Same single-threshold rule |
| Care Workforce Work to Residence | Eligible care-sector roles | Same single-threshold rule |
For the wider Skilled Migrant Category context that these rules align with, see our SMC changes overview.
No. Under the old approach, applicants could face one rate while building work experience and a higher rate when applying for residence. From 24 August 2026 that second, higher residence rate is removed for Work to Residence applicants (immigration.govt.nz). You need to meet the rate that applied when you started counting your skilled work experience, and that single rate carries through to your residence application.
There is no higher wage rate triggered by changing employer. Provided you continue working in a qualifying role, switching employers does not reset you onto a new, higher threshold (immigration.govt.nz). The threshold you locked in when you began accruing work experience is the one that matters. This removes a common worry for migrants who move between accredited employers while building toward residence.
The 5-month grace period sets which wage threshold applies based on the date your work visa was granted, as long as you start your skilled work experience within five months of that grant (immigration.govt.nz). If you begin within that window, the threshold on your visa-grant date applies, even if the median wage has since risen.
For reference, the SMC wage threshold (the 1.0x rate) is NZD $35.00 per hour from 9 March 2026 (immigration.govt.nz). Wage thresholds are updated annually, so always re-check the current INZ figure before relying on a rate.
| Step | Detail |
|---|---|
| Work visa granted | Threshold on the grant date is recorded as your reference rate |
| You start skilled work | Begun within 5 months of the grant date, so the grace period applies |
| Median wage rises | The increase does not push you onto the higher rate |
| You apply for residence | You are assessed against the rate that applied on your grant date |
If you start your skilled work more than five months after the grant date, the rate in place when you actually started counting work experience applies instead. Because timing changes which rate you keep, it is worth mapping your dates before you lodge.
No. The core experience requirement for Work to Residence is unchanged: you still need 24 months of New Zealand work experience within a 30-month window (immigration.govt.nz). The 2026 reform changes how wage thresholds are measured, not the length of NZ work experience you must build. If you are part-way through your 24 months, keep your employment records and payslips organised so the qualifying period is easy to evidence.
| Feature | Before 24 Aug 2026 | From 24 Aug 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Wage rate structure | Possible work-experience rate plus higher residence rate | Single threshold |
| Higher rate at residence | Could apply | Removed |
| Higher rate on changing employer | Could apply | Removed |
| Reference date for the rate | Less certain | When you started counting work experience (grace period: grant date) |
| 24 months NZ work in 30 months | Required | Required (unchanged) |
If you also hold or are moving from an Accredited Employer Work Visa, our AEWV 2025 changes guide explains how the work-visa stage feeds into these residence pathways.
The changes take effect on 24 August 2026, the same date as the wider Skilled Migrant Category reforms. They apply to the Tier 2 Green List, Transport, and Care Workforce Work to Residence visas.
You need to meet the required rate that was in place when you started counting your skilled work experience. That single rate carries through to your residence application, with no separate higher rate at the residence stage.
No. Changing employer does not move you onto a higher threshold, provided you keep working in a qualifying role. The rate you locked in when you began accruing work experience is the one that applies.
If you start your skilled work experience within five months of your work visa being granted, the threshold on your visa-grant date applies, even if the median wage rises afterwards. Start later than five months and the rate in place when you actually started counting applies.
No. You still need 24 months of New Zealand work experience within a 30-month window. The 2026 reform changes the wage-threshold rules, not the length of NZ work experience required.
Current as at 29 June 2026, based on Immigration New Zealand policy. For advice on your own situation, talk to a ProVisas Licensed Immigration Adviser (IAA Licence 201301110).
The wage rate you keep depends on when you started counting your work experience, so the dates matter. We assess your work history against current INZ policy and prepare your application to meet INZ requirements. Book a consultation or check your eligibility to map your pathway.
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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