What Is New Zealand’s Green List? Understanding Its Role in Career Planning
Understand New Zealand’s Green List, the differences between Tier 1 and Tier 2, and the employment conditions to check when planning a career.
Owen & Co. Advisory Team · 6 min read
Published 02/11/2026 · Last checked 31/10/2026
Drafted with AI assistance and edited by the Owen & Co. team.
New Zealand's Green List can be useful when you are exploring a career and possible residence pathways. It is also easy to misunderstand. Seeing a related occupation on the list does not mean that any course in that subject will lead to residence.
The useful question is more specific: what qualification, professional registration and job would I need to meet the requirements for this occupation?
What the Green List covers
The Green List identifies occupations with specified requirements for qualifications, registration, experience or pay. It links to two residence pathways: Tier 1, Straight to Residence, and Tier 2, Work to Residence.
It is an occupation list, rather than a list of approved schools or guaranteed residence courses. Two programs with similar names can prepare graduates for different outcomes.
| Question | Tier 1 | Tier 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Pathway | Straight to Residence | Work to Residence |
| Qualifying work period | No Tier 2-style 24-month accumulation requirement | 24 months of qualifying New Zealand employment |
| Employment | A qualifying job or offer from an accredited employer | Qualifying employment and an eligible job or offer at application |
| Is approval automatic? | No | No |
An accredited employer is an employer recognised by INZ under the relevant scheme. Eligible Tier 1 applicants may apply from outside New Zealand, but must still meet the applicable job, qualification, health and other requirements.
Tier 2 generally requires 24 months of qualifying New Zealand work within the 30 months immediately before applying. Periods can be combined only where each meets the rules.
Connect the course to the actual occupation
Before enrolling, work through the whole sequence: complete an appropriate qualification, meet professional requirements, obtain qualifying work, then satisfy the residence criteria.
For example, nursing requires registration with the Nursing Council of New Zealand. A course in a related health subject does not automatically give you the right to work as a nurse.
Education roles also need individual checks. The linked official guidance describes primary and intermediate teachers moving to Straight to Residence from 26 March 2025. That change should not be applied to every job in education. Look up the exact occupation and tier.
Check the job itself, not just the title
A contract should be assessed against the actual duties, hours, duration and occupation requirements. A support role does not become a listed professional role simply because it is in the same sector.
The cited Straight to Residence requirements also include an age limit of 55 or younger at application, English, health and character. A suitable job is one part of that assessment.
Pay requirements need a separate check
There is no single wage threshold for all Green List occupations. Some roles have specific rates. For Tier 2, the rate applying when a period of work begins can affect whether it counts.
If you change employer, hours or pay, check the effect on your qualifying experience. The general minimum wage should not be used in place of an immigration wage threshold.
English can mean three separate requirements
Your university's English requirement, your profession's registration requirement and the residence visa's requirement may differ. The official guidance lists IELTS 6.5 overall as one way for a principal skilled residence applicant to demonstrate English, with other evidence available where the conditions are met. Check each stage rather than assuming admission completes them all.
Leave enough time between study and residence
A Post Study Work Visa has its own qualification and study requirements. Studying a subject related to the Green List does not automatically make you eligible for it.
For Tier 2, work must satisfy the relevant visa, occupation, pay and other conditions. Student-visa part-time work does not automatically count towards the 24 months.
Consider someone with a two-year work visa who spends six months finding qualifying employment. They may reach visa expiry before completing the required experience. Plan the next lawful visa option early, rather than discovering the gap near the deadline.
Residence and permanent residence are different steps
The Green List pathways lead to a Resident Visa. A Permanent Resident Visa is a later, separate application, generally requiring at least two years holding residence and evidence of commitment to New Zealand, alongside the applicable conditions. It does not arrive automatically after two years.
Use the list as one part of a career decision
Start with whether the work suits you. Then check the exact occupation, the recognised qualification, professional registration and local vacancies. Build in time and funds for job hunting, registration and visa applications.
For Tier 2, keep contracts, job descriptions, hours and income records so your history is easier to establish. Lists and conditions can change while you study. Owen & Co. Education can help you compare course outcomes and identify the professional and visa questions to investigate before committing.
Sources and further reading
- Immigration New Zealand - Green List
- INZ - Green List pathway
- INZ - Work to Residence
- INZ - Occupational registration
- INZ Announcement
- INZ - Straight to Residence
- INZ - Work to residence wage rates
- INZ - English requirements
- INZ - Post-Study Work Visa
- INZ - Tier 2 experience required
- INZ - Permanent Resident Visa
Frequently asked questions
Does a Green List-related course guarantee residence?
No. You still need to meet the exact occupation, qualification or registration, employment, pay and residence requirements.
Does Tier 1 require two years of New Zealand work?
It does not have Tier 2's 24-month accumulation requirement. You still need an eligible job or offer from an accredited employer and must meet the other Straight to Residence conditions.
Does student part-time work count towards Tier 2's 24 months?
Student-visa work rights alone do not establish qualifying experience. The work must meet the relevant visa, full-time employment, occupation and pay requirements.
Is residence impossible if my occupation is not on the Green List?
No. The Green List is one set of pathways. Other categories may be relevant, depending on your circumstances and the rules at the time.
Must I study in New Zealand to use a Green List pathway?
Not in every case. An overseas-qualified applicant may qualify if the qualification recognition, registration, employment and other criteria are met.
