Green List eligibility checklist for New Zealand PR

If your job is on the Green List, you may have a faster and more direct pathway to residence. But knowing where you stand is key.

The good news is, the requirements are clear once you break them down.

This guide walks you through a simple checklist. You’ll see what Immigration New Zealand looks for, what you likely already meet, and what to prepare next.

By the end, you’ll have a clearer picture of your eligibility and your next step forward.

To qualify for the New Zealand Green List PR pathways, you must meet the core eligibility rules set by Immigration New Zealand. At a basic level, your job must appear on the Green List, you must meet the qualification, registration, and wage requirements listed for that specific role, and your employer must be accredited. 

• If you are applying under Tier 1, you can apply for residence immediately once these rules are met.

• If you fall under Tier 2, you must complete 24 months of full‑time work in New Zealand before applying.
  

New Zealand’s Green List has two eligibility tiers. Your tier decides when you can apply for PR and what requirements you must meet before applying. Understanding this difference is the first step in checking if you qualify.

Tier 1 - Straight to Residence eligibility

Tier 1 roles are high‑priority, high‑skill occupations. If your job is listed under Tier 1, you can apply for residence immediately once you:

• Have a full‑time job offer from an accredited employer.

• Meet the job’s qualification, registration, and wage rules.

Tier 2 - Work to Residence eligibility

Tier 2 roles require you to work in New Zealand for 24 months before applying for PR.

To qualify under Tier 2, you must:

• Have a full‑time job offer in a Tier 2 occupation.

• Meet the qualification, registration, and wage rules.

• Work two years full‑time in New Zealand for an accredited employer.
  

To be eligible for the Green List PR pathways, the first and most important requirement is that your job must fully match the role listed on New Zealand’s official Green List. Immigration New Zealand checks this carefully before allowing an applicant to proceed.

Here’s what you must confirm:

1. Your job must be on the Green List.

You need a job offer in an occupation that appears under Tier 1 or Tier 2 of the Green List. If your job is not listed, you cannot use the Green List PR pathways.

2. Your role must match the official description.

It’s not enough for your job title to “sound similar.” Your actual duties must match how Immigration NZ defines that job in the Green List. This includes the expected skill level and responsibilities.

3. Your job offer must be full‑time.

Green List PR requires a full‑time role, meaning at least 30 hours per week. Full‑time work is necessary for both Tier 1 and Tier 2 pathways.

4. Your employer must be accredited.

The job offer must come from a New Zealand accredited employer, as required under the Green List skilled residence pathways.

To be eligible under the Green List pathways, you must meet the exact qualification requirements listed for your occupation. Immigration New Zealand specifies what level or type of qualification is needed for each Green List role, and they assess your eligibility based on these official criteria.

1. Your qualification must match the green list requirement.

Every Green List occupation has a specific qualification rule.
Examples include:

• A recognised Bachelor’s degree or higher

• A specific major or field of study

• A qualification that meets a listed standard or framework level
  You must hold the qualification exactly as described for your role.

2. Your qualification must be comparable to NZ standards.

If your qualification was earned overseas, Immigration NZ may require it to be equivalent to the NZ qualification level specified for the role.
This requirement ensures your skills match New Zealand’s standard for your occupation.

3. Some roles require both qualification and registration.

Certain Green List roles (e.g., healthcare, engineering, teaching) require both a specific qualification and New Zealand registration to meet eligibility.

Some Green List occupations require New Zealand professional registration before you can qualify for PR. This is most common in healthcare, engineering, teaching, and several licensed trades. Immigration New Zealand checks registration to make sure you meet the local standards for your role.

1. Your role must meet NZ’s registration rule.

If your job appears in a regulated profession on the Green List, you must hold valid New Zealand registration with the correct authority. For many roles, registration is a mandatory eligibility requirement.

2. You must apply through the correct registration body.

Each occupation has its own governing body. Examples include:

• Doctors -> Medical Council of New Zealand

• Nurses -> Nursing Council of New Zealand

• Physiotherapists -> Physiotherapy Board

• Engineers -> Engineering New Zealand

• Teachers -> Teaching Council of New Zealand

• Trades (e.g, Electricians, Plumbers, Gasfitters) -> Respective NZ trade registration boards

3. Registration must match your job offer.

Your registration must cover the exact role you are being hired for.
For example, holding general nursing registration is not enough if your job requires a speciality registration listed in the Green List description.

Your salary must meet the minimum wage rate set for your specific occupation.

Immigration New Zealand uses wage rules to confirm that your role matches the genuine skill level listed on the Green List.

This is a key eligibility checkpoint for both Tier 1 (Straight to Residence) and Tier 2 (Work to Residence) applicants.

1. Your salary must meet the required wage threshold.

Some Green List occupations require you to earn at least a specific pay rate. This can be an hourly or annual wage requirement, depending on the role. Your job offer must meet or exceed this threshold to be considered eligible.

2. Wage conditions apply to both tier 1 and tier 2.

Regardless of tier, Immigration NZ checks if your pay aligns with the wage level required for your job. For Tier 2 applicants, the wage requirement must be met consistently throughout the 24‑month work period for the experience to count.

3. Wage must match the occupation’s skill level.

Even if your job title matches the Green List, your pay must also reflect the skill level of that occupation. If your wage falls below the requirement, Immigration NZ may not accept the role as meeting Green List standards.

If your job is listed under Tier 2 of the Green List, you must meet a specific work experience rule before you can apply for PR. 

This requirement ensures you have gained enough New Zealand work experience in your occupation before moving to residence.

1. You must complete 24 months of full‑time work in New Zealand.

Tier 2 applicants must work full‑time (at least 30 hours per week) for 24 months in New Zealand in the same Green List occupation before applying for the Work to Residence Visa.  

2. Your Visa must allow full‑time work during this period.

Your work experience must be completed on an acceptable visa, such as:

• Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)

• Other valid work visas that permit full‑time work.

Immigration NZ counts only the time spent working legally under a visa that allows you to work.

3. You must meet wage requirements throughout the 24 months.

Your wage must meet or exceed the minimum pay rate required for your occupation during the entire 24‑month period. Any period where the wage drops below the threshold may not be counted.

For Green List PR eligibility, your employer must be accredited, and your job offer must be genuine and aligned with Immigration New Zealand’s rules. 

These employer‑side requirements support your eligibility but do not replace your own qualification, wage, or job criteria.  

1. Your employer must be accredited.

Your job offer must come from a New Zealand accredited employer. Accreditation proves the employer has met Immigration NZ’s standards for hiring migrants and is approved to support Green List roles.

2. Your job offer must be genuine and full‑time.

Your employer must offer you a real, ongoing, full‑time job (at least 30 hours per week). Immigration NZ reviews the job offer and may check job authenticity as part of their verification step.

3. Your role must match the occupation on the green list.

The employer must hire you for the exact role listed on the Green List, with duties that align with the occupation description. Immigration NZ will confirm this when reviewing your application.

To be eligible for a Green List PR pathway, you must also meet New Zealand’s health and character standards.

These checks apply to all applicants, including both Tier 1 (Straight to Residence) and Tier 2 (Work to Residence) pathways.

Immigration New Zealand uses these requirements to ensure all residence applicants are fit to live in the country and pose no health or security risks.

1. You must meet health requirements.

Immigration New Zealand may ask you to complete a medical examination with an approved panel physician. This helps them confirm that you do not have any serious health conditions that could pose a risk or create significant healthcare costs for New Zealand.

2. You must meet character requirements.

You must provide police certificates from any country where you have lived for a required period. These certificates are used to verify that you meet New Zealand’s character standards and have no serious criminal history.

3. Immigration NZ will verify all documents.

During the PR assessment, Immigration NZ reviews:

• Your police certificates

• Your medical results

• Any additional information requested

This verification happens after your application is submitted and is part of the standard residence process.

To qualify for a Green List PR pathway, the principal applicant, partner, and any dependent children aged 16+ must meet the English requirement for Skilled Residence visas. 

You can meet this by providing an approved test score or acceptable alternative evidence (citizenship/work/study in approved English‑speaking countries). 

• For tests, a common benchmark for Skilled Residence is IELTS overall 6.5 (or equivalent). 

• Test results are typically valid for 2 years

Understanding Green List eligibility becomes much easier when you look at real situations. Here are simple, clear examples showing who qualifies and why based fully on Immigration New Zealand’s Green List residency rules.

Example 1 - Tier 1 (Straight to Residence) eligible

Role: Registered Nurse
Job Offer: Full‑time from an accredited hospital
Requirements Met:

• Listed on Green List Tier 1

• Holds a required nursing qualification

• Has Nursing Council of NZ registration

• Meets the wage rule

Outcome:
She is eligible to apply for PR immediately under Straight to Residence, because Tier 1 occupations allow direct application once all requirements are met.

Example 2 - Tier 2 (Work to Residence) eligible

Role: Software Engineer
Job Offer: Full‑time from an accredited employer
Requirements Met:

• Listed on Green List Tier 2

• Holds the required degree

• Earns above the wage threshold

• Completes 24 months of full‑time work in NZ while meeting wage rules

Outcome:
He is eligible to apply for PR after completing 24 months, as required for all Tier 2 Green List occupations.

Example 3 - Not eligible

Role: Electrician
Job Offer: Full‑time from an accredited employer
Missing Requirements:

• Does not hold the required NZ trade registration

• Wage is slightly below the listed threshold for the role

Outcome:
He is not eligible until he obtains the correct NZ registration and meets the wage requirement. Failing either requirement means the job does not match the official Green List occupation description.

Use this simple checklist to quickly confirm whether you meet the core eligibility rules for the New Zealand Green List PR pathways.

If you can answer “Yes” to most or all of these, you likely meet the basic requirements for either Tier 1 or Tier 2 eligibility  depending on your occupation. All items below reflect Immigration New Zealand’s official Green List criteria.

How to use this table

• Mostly YES = You are likely eligible

Your next step is to check details and prepare your documents.

• One or more NO = You must fix that area first

Common blockers include: missing registration, wage below threshold, or job not matching the Green List description.

1. How do I know if my job is eligible for Green List PR?

Your job must appear on the official New Zealand Green List under Tier 1 or Tier 2. The role must also match the occupation description listed by Immigration New Zealand.

2. What is the difference between Tier 1 and Tier 2 jobs?

• Tier 1: Eligible for Straight to Residence. If you meet all job, wage, and qualification rules, you can apply for PR immediately.

• Tier 2: Eligible for Work to Residence. You must complete 24 months of full‑time work in NZ before applying.

3. Do I need specific qualifications to be eligible?

Yes. Each Green List role has its own required qualification level. You must have the qualification exactly as listed for your occupation to meet eligibility.

4. Do I need New Zealand registration for my job?

Only if your occupation is in a regulated profession (e.g, nurses, doctors, teachers, engineers, electricians). Immigration NZ requires valid NZ registration for these roles.

5. Is there a minimum salary required for eligibility?

Yes. Many Green List jobs require you to earn at least the minimum wage threshold listed for your occupation. Your wage must meet or exceed this level for the job to qualify.

6. Do I need New Zealand work experience to qualify?

Only for Tier 2 roles. You must complete 24 months of full‑time work in New Zealand in the same eligible occupation, while meeting the wage rules. Tier 1 roles do not require NZ work experience.

7. Does my employer need to be accredited?

Yes. Your job offer must be from an accredited employer for both Tier 1 and Tier 2 Green List residency pathways. Immigration NZ verifies accreditation during your application.

8. Is there an English language requirement for eligibility?

Yes. The principal applicant, partner, and dependent children aged 16+ must meet English requirements. Accepted test benchmarks for Skilled Residence include IELTS 6.5.

9. Do I need medical and police certificates for eligibility?

Yes. All applicants must meet health and character requirements. Immigration NZ requires medical exams and police certificates during the PR process.

10. Can my residence be declined even if my job is on the Green List?

Yes. You can still be declined if you fail to meet qualification rules, wage thresholds, registration requirements, English standards, or health/character checks.