Work to Residence Visa NZ: Salary, Cost, and Requirements

Anyone who’s built a life in New Zealand on a temporary work visa knows the feeling: you’ve found your place, and the thought of leaving doesn’t sit right. For skilled workers in Green List occupations, the Work to Residence visa turns that uncertainty into a clear timeline, especially with the August 2025 expansion adding ten new trades to the pathway.

Visa fee (from): NZD $6,450 ·
Maximum age at application: 55 ·
Time before residency: 2 years ·
Occupation list: Green List (Tier 2)

The key specifications of the Work to Residence visa are summarized in the table below.

Can I move to New Zealand from Ireland?

Eligibility by country

• Ireland is not a special category — standard Work to Residence visa rules apply to all nationalities (Immigration New Zealand (official visa page)).
• Applicants from Ireland follow the same pathway as any other skilled worker: a job offer in a Green List Tier 2 occupation with an accredited employer (Immigration New Zealand (Green List overview)).
• No bilateral agreement or preferential queue exists for Irish citizens under this visa category.

The implication: moving from Ireland offers no shortcuts. The same criteria — age, occupation, employer accreditation, and English language — apply to everyone.

Age restrictions

• Applicants must be aged 55 or under when applying for residence (Immigration New Zealand (age requirement policy)).
• This applies to the residence application stage, not the initial work visa stage.
• No age waiver exists for the Work to Residence pathway.

The catch: if you turn 56 before lodging your residence application, you lose eligibility. Timing matters as much as the job offer.

The takeaway: Irish applicants should plan their timeline carefully, especially if they are approaching the age limit.

How hard is it to get a Residence Visa in New Zealand?

Assessment criteria

• Difficulty depends entirely on meeting specific criteria — there is no points-based competition for this visa (Immigration New Zealand (Work to Residence requirements)).
• Applicants need a job or job offer with an accredited employer, in a full-time permanent role or fixed-term for at least 12 months (Immigration New Zealand (employment conditions)).
• Qualification and registration requirements are tied to the specific Green List role (Immigration New Zealand (Green List pathway details)).

The pattern: this is a checkbox visa, not a competition. Meet every box, and the pathway is straightforward. Miss one, and the application stalls.

Green List advantages

• Green List occupations simplify the process because they are pre-approved as in-demand roles (Immigration New Zealand (Green List roles database)).
• Tier 2 roles require 24 months of work in New Zealand before residency eligibility (Immigration New Zealand (24-month requirement)).
• The 24 months must fall within the 30 months immediately before applying for residence (Immigration New Zealand (timeframe rule)).

What this means: the Green List removes the guesswork about whether your occupation qualifies. The trade-off is the 2-year wait before you can apply for residency.

What is the minimum salary requirement for a work to Residence Visa in New Zealand?

Salary thresholds for Tier 2 occupations

• Minimum salary requirement varies by occupation — each Green List role has its own wage threshold (Immigration New Zealand (wage requirements)).
• Applicants must be paid at least the wage rate that was in place when they started their eligible work experience (Immigration New Zealand (wage rate lock-in)).
• For roles where no specific rate is set, the 2025 median wage of NZD $35.00 per hour applies as a baseline (Immigration New Zealand (Straight to Residence wage reference)).

The pattern: the wage threshold is a moving target. What qualifies today may not qualify next year if thresholds rise.

How salary is determined

• Salary is measured per hour, not annual — so a 40-hour week at NZD $35.00/hour meets the median wage test.
• Overtime, bonuses, and allowances are not counted toward the base rate.
• Thresholds are updated periodically by Immigration New Zealand, typically in line with the median wage movement.

The trade-off: locking in a wage rate at the start of your eligible work gives certainty, but if you switch roles, the new rate applies.

The pattern: while the wage threshold provides a floor, applicants should factor in the cost of living in their chosen city.

How much does it cost to get a work to Residence Visa in New Zealand?

Application fees

• Base application fee from NZD $6,450 (Immigration New Zealand (fee information)).
• This covers the initial Work to Residence visa application.
• No separate charge for the residency stage after 2 years — the fee is paid upfront.

The implication: NZD $6,450 is a significant upfront cost. For a family of four, the total can exceed NZD $15,000 once partner and dependent fees are added.

Additional costs

• Partner and dependent applicants incur separate fees.
• Medical examinations and police certificates add NZD $300–$800 depending on the provider and country.
• English language testing (IELTS or equivalent) costs approximately NZD $400–$500 per test.
• Translation and document certification fees vary by country of origin.

What this means: the true cost of the Work to Residence visa can be 30–50% higher than the base fee once all supporting costs are included.

How long does it take to get a work to Residence Visa in New Zealand?

Processing times for initial visa

• Processing time for the Work to Residence visa varies by individual case — no fixed timeline is published (Immigration New Zealand (processing time note)).
• Factors include application completeness, verification checks, and current Immigration NZ workload.
• Check the official Immigration New Zealand website for current processing estimates before applying.

The pattern: the absence of a published timeline means applicants should budget 3–6 months for the initial visa decision.

Time to residency

• After 2 years of work in a Green List Tier 2 role, you can apply for residence (Immigration New Zealand (residency timing)).
• Residence application processing adds further time — typically 3–12 months depending on complexity.
• Total timeline from arrival to residence: approximately 2.5 to 3 years in most cases.

The trade-off: the 2-year work requirement is non-negotiable. For someone on a temporary visa, that’s 2 years of not knowing whether the residence application will be approved.

The following table provides a comprehensive overview of the full visa requirements.

Steps to apply for a Work to Residence Visa

1. Check your occupation on the Green List — confirm it is a Tier 2 role (Immigration New Zealand (Green List roles database)).
2. Find an accredited employer — use the Immigration New Zealand accredited employer list.
3. Secure a job offer that is full-time, permanent or fixed-term for at least 12 months (Immigration New Zealand (job conditions)).
4. Prepare documents — passport, qualifications, English test results, medical certificate, police certificate.
5. Submit the application online via the Immigration New Zealand portal with the NZD $6,450 fee.
6. Work in New Zealand for 24 months in the eligible role.
7. Apply for residence within 30 months of starting your eligible work, ensuring all criteria are still met.

The implication: following these steps in order ensures you don’t miss any critical requirements.

Timeline: Key dates for the Work to Residence pathway

• 13 June 2025 — Immigration New Zealand announced the expansion of ten trades to the Work to Residence pathway (Immigration New Zealand (announcement)).
• 18 August 2025 — Ten trades occupations officially added to the Work to Residence pathway (Immigration New Zealand (effective date)).
• The expansion includes roles in construction, manufacturing, and infrastructure maintenance.

The signal: the government is broadening access to residency for trades workers, responding to labour shortages in key sectors. For applicants in these new roles, the window just opened.

What the experts say

“Some Green List jobs allow residence immediately, while others allow residence after 2 years of working in New Zealand.”

— Immigration New Zealand (official Green List guidance)

“The new Green List trades changes would support workforce retention by requiring migrants to accumulate two years of work experience in New Zealand before residence eligibility.”

— Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE policy statement)

The consensus: the Work to Residence pathway is designed for retention, not quick entry. The 2-year requirement is intentional — it ensures migrants commit to New Zealand’s labour market before gaining permanent residency.

The Work to Residence visa is a deliberate trade-off: lower upfront eligibility barriers in exchange for a 2-year commitment before you can secure residency. For skilled workers in Green List Tier 2 occupations, especially those in the newly added trades from August 2025, the pathway is clearer than ever. But the cost, the age limit, and the uncertainty of processing times mean it’s not a risk-free bet. For the applicant who can meet every checkbox — the right occupation, an accredited employer, sufficient funds, and time on their side — the path is real. For anyone on the edge of the age limit or stretching their budget, the question is whether the 2-year wait is worth the outcome. For those who successfully obtain residency, the next step is often the New Zealand passport application, and after becoming a resident, you can register for public access to electoral roll NZ.

Frequently asked questions