Skills in demand: The Green List
Your pathway to New Zealand residency
New Zealand is committed to welcoming skilled professionals looking for work-life balance in our beautiful, progressive country.
The Immigration New Zealand Green List seeks to fast-track residency pathways for certain occupations, and consists of two tiers as follows:
- Tier 1 occupations – granted immediate New Zealand residency via the ‘Straight to Residence’ pathway*
- Tier 2 occupations – granted New Zealand residency after working for two years via the ‘Work to Residence’ pathway*
*View below to see if your occupation is included on the Green List. If you have the qualifications and experience required, you could get New Zealand residency immediately or after just 2 years of working in New Zealand!
There’s never been a better time to move and we can help you navigate the process, whatever your situation.
Green List Tier 1 occupations
Immigration New Zealand has created a list of occupations to attract highly skilled individuals to New Zealand.
The Green List provides you with pathways to residency either under the “Straight to Residence” route for Tier 1 occupations, or a “Work to Residence” pathway for Tier 2 occupations.
Engineering
- Acoustic Engineer
- Mechatronics Engineer
- Product Design Engineer
- Chemical Engineer
- Materials Engineer
- Civil Engineer
- Geotechnical Engineer
- Structural Engineer
- Electrical Engineer
- Electronics Engineer
- Environmental Engineer
- Industrial Engineer
- Mechanical Engineer
- Production or Plant Engineer
- Engineering Professionals nec
- Civil Engineering Technician
- Electrical Engineering Technician
- Electronic Engineering Technician
- Telecommunications Engineer
- Telecommunications Network Engineer
Construction
Health and Social Services
- General Practitioner
- Resident Medical Officer
- Anaesthetist
- Specialist Physician (General Medicine)
- Cardiologist
- Clinical Haematologist
- Medical Oncologist
- Endocrinologist
- Gastroenterologist
- Intensive Care Specialist
- Neurologist
- Paediatrician
- Renal Medicine Specialist
- Rheumatologist
- Thoracic Medicine Specialist
- Specialist Physicians nec
- Psychiatrist
- Surgeon (General)
- Cardiothoracic Surgeon
- Neurosurgeon
- Orthopaedic Surgeon
- Otorhinolaryngologist
- Paediatric Surgeon
- Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon
- Urologist
- Vascular Surgeon
- Dermatologist
- Emergency Medicine Specialist
- Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
- Ophthalmologist
- Pathologist
- Diagnostic and Interventional Radiologist
- Radiation Oncologist
- Medical Practitioners nec
- Midwife
- Registered Nurse (Aged Care)
- Registered Nurse (Child and Family Health)
- Registered Nurse (Community Health)
- Registered Nurse (Critical Care and Emergency)
- Registered Nurse (Developmental Disability)
- Registered Nurse (Disability and Rehabilitation)
- Registered Nurse (Medical)
- Registered Nurse (Medical Practice)
- Registered Nurse (Mental Health)
- Registered Nurse (Perioperative)
- Registered Nurse (Surgical)
- Registered Nurse (Paediatrics)
- Registered Nurses nec
- Medical Laboratory Scientist
- Clinical Psychologist
- Educational Psychologist
- Organisational Psychologist
- Psychologists nec
- Psychotherapist
- Physicist (Medical)
- Orthoptist
- Veterinarian
- Anaesthetic Technician
- Medical Laboratory Technician
- Medical Diagnostic (Medical Imaging Technologist)
- Medical Radiation Therapist
- Sonographer
- Occupational Therapist
- Podiatrist
- Audiologist
- Addiction practitioner/alcohol & drug clinician
- Audiometrist
- Chiropractor
- Clinical dental technician
- Clinical physiologists (sleep, renal, exercise, respiratory, neurology, and cardiac)
- Counsellor
- Dental specialists
- Dental technician
- Dental therapist
- Dentist
- Dietician
- Dispensing optician
- Drug and alcohol counsellor
- Enrolled nurse
- Genetic counsellor
- Medical laboratory pre-analytical technician
- Medical resonance imaging technologist
- Nuclear medicine technologist
- Nurse practitioner
- Optometrist
- Oral health therapist
- Orthotic and prosthetic technician
- Orthotist/prosthetist
- Osteopath
- Paramedic/emergency medical technician
- Perfusionist (cardiac)
- Pharmacist
- Physiotherapist
- Play therapist (hospital)
- Social worker
- Speech language therapist
- Sterile processing technician
ICT, Electronics, Communications
Others
- Other Spatial Scientist
- Food Technologist
- Internal Auditor
- External Auditor
- Environmental Research Scientist
- Secondary School Teachers - all specialisations
- Aeronautical Engineer
- Naval Architect / Marine Designer
- Mechanical Engineering Technician
- Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Avionics)
- Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Structures)
- Sterilisation Technician
Green List Tier 2 occupations
Construction
Trades
Others
- Halal slaughterers
- Teacher of the Hearing Impaired
- Primary School Teacher
- Teacher of the Sight Impaired
- Special Education Teachers nec
- School Principal
- Middle School Teacher / Intermediate School Teacher
- Kaiako Kura Kaupapa Māori – Māori-medium Primary School Teacher
- Pouako Kura Kaupapa Māori – Māori-medium Primary School Senior Teacher
- Special Needs Teacher
- Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages - if working in a primary, intermediate or secondary school
- Dairy Cattle Farmer (Dairy Cattle Farm Manager) including Dairy Farm Manager, Assistant Dairy Farm Manager and Dairy Herd Manager
- Corrections Officer
Can’t see your role? Don’t worry!
There are many other in-demand skills in New Zealand
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