A residence visa for highly skilled workers whose role is on Tier 1 of the Green List, allowing them to move straight to residence in New Zealand without first spending time on a work visa.
Live, work and study
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The Straight to Residence Visa is designed for migrants working in critical, highly skilled roles that New Zealand urgently needs. If your occupation appears on Tier 1 of the GreenList, you may be eligible to apply for residence immediately, without waiting to complete time in New Zealand.
Applicants must have a job or job offer from an accredited employer and meet all GreenList, employment, health, character, and English language requirements.
Age Limit: You must be 55 years or younger
Work Experience : Are working in, or have a job offer for, a Green List Tier 1 role
Employment: Have a full-time role with an accredited employer
Meet income requirements: Meet the pay, qualification, registration, or experience requirements for their GreenList occupation
Language Obligation: They must understand and speak English fluently or pay for lessons
Health and Character Requirements: They must meet health and character requirements
Other Requirements: They must meet the other requirements of their pathway visa.
Our licensed immigration professionals dedicated to provide the fastest, most cost-effective solutions for your New Zealand visa needs. We're thorough in our approach to ensure your visa application succeeds at minimal cost.
With a Straight to Residence Visa, you can:
Live, work, and study anywhere in New Zealand
Travel in and out of New Zealand while travel conditions are valid
Apply for a Permanent Resident Visa after 2 years
Progress toward New Zealand citizenship once residence requirements are met
Immigration New Zealand carefully assesses whether your role genuinely meets Green List Tier 1 criteria. This involves more than confirming your job title. Key Green List Tier 1 employment requirements include.
Employment with an accredited employer
A role listed on Tier 1 of the Green List
Full-time employment (at least 30 hours per week)
Ongoing employment:
Wages paid at:
You must also meet any role-specific Green List requirements, such as:
If your role is based on a contract for services, additional requirements may apply. Depending on the Green List role, this can include:
Evidence of significant relevant experience (often up to 10 years), and
Pay meeting a higher contract-for-services wage threshold
Each Green List role has its own requirements, and careful assessment is essential.
If your qualifications were obtained overseas, you may need an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) from NZQA.
Some international qualifications are exempt, such as those recognised under the Washington Accord or Sydney Accord.
You must show that you can speak and understand English, usually through:
An approved English language test, or
Evidence of eligible citizenship/study/work background
Partners and dependent children aged 16 or older must also meet English requirements or, where permitted, pre-purchase English language tuition.
You may include:
Your partner
Your dependent children aged 24 or younger
All included family members must meet health, character, and (where applicable) English language requirements.
Straight to Residence applications are assessed strictly against Green List criteria. We help ensure your role, pay, qualifications, registration, and supporting evidence align correctly with Immigration New Zealand requirements - reducing the risk of delays or refusal.
Disclaimer: Immigration requirements can change, and every case is different. This page offers a simplified summary only. Unite Immigration will assess your situation carefully and guide you with personalised advice.
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