Applying for and getting New Zealand Residency
Gaining residence in New Zealand is the ultimate goal for many migrants.
Obtaining New Zealand residence
Moving to New Zealand is one of the best decision you will make in your life. What is there not to like in our beautiful country? We are one of the safest, least corrupted countries in the world, our economy is thriving, there are plenty of opportunities, and it is an ideal place to raise a family.
What can I do with a residence-class visa?
A residence-class visa gives you the right:
- to stay in New Zealand indefinitely (with valid travel conditions)
- to work in New Zealand
- to study in New Zealand as a domestic fee-paying student
- to receive free or subsidised health care at publicly funded health services
- to receive free education at state-run primary and secondary schools, and subsidised fees for domestic students at private schools and tertiary institutions
- to enrol and vote in elections
- to be a sponsor for a partner, parents or dependent children during their visa application
- and more…
How do I get residence in New Zealand?
There are several ways you can gain residence in New Zealand, many of which start with a temporary visa to allow you to work or do business here. The residence process can be quite long, from a few weeks to 18+ months, and this is why in many instances, you will enter New Zealand on a temporary visa. Depending on your background and circumstances, there may be different options available to you.
If you are offered a job from a New Zealand employer, there are a number of options for you to get residency via employment
New Zealand residence through partnership and family categories
If you are in a relationship with a New Zealand citizen or resident, and you have been living together in a genuine and stable relationship, then you may qualify to apply for residence based on your relationship. Likewise, if you were not included in your parents’ residence application initially, you may join them as a dependent child later on, if the conditions are met. You may also be able to join your children who are resident in New Zealand.
New Zealand residence through business
Doing business in New Zealand may allow you to gain residence once the conditions of your investment or business venture are met. See here for specific information about doing business in New Zealand.
Take our eligibility assessment
Find out if you are eligible for a New Zealand visa!
Job search in New Zealand
How easy is it to find skilled employment in New Zealand. See how New Zealand Shores can help
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Scarce list — Long Term Skill Shortage List
Occupations in the Long Term Skill Shortage List.
- Analyst programmer
- Automotive electrician
- Chef (chef de partie or higher)
- Chemical engineer
- Civil engineer
- Civil engineering technician
- Clinical psychologist
- Computer network and systems engineer
- Construction project manager
- Database administrator
- Developer programmer
- Diagnostic and interventional radiologist
- Diesel motor mechanic (including heavy vehicle inspector)
- Electric line mechanic
- Electrical engineer
- Electrical engineering technician
- Electrician (general)
- Electronic engineering technician
- Electronics engineer
- Engineering professional
- Environmental engineer
- Environmental research scientist
- Food technologist
- General practitioner
- Geotechnical engineer
- ICT business analyst
- ICT customer support officer
- ICT project manager
- ICT quality assurance engineer
- ICT security specialist
- ICT support and test engineer
- ICT support engineer
- ICT systems test engineer
- Industrial engineer
- Materials engineer
- Mechanical engineer
- Medical laboratory scientist
- Medical radiation therapist
- Multimedia specialist (film animator)
- Multimedia specialist
- Network administrator
- Obstetrician and gynaecologist
- Organisation and methods analyst
- Other spatial scientist
- Physicist (medical)
- Physiotherapist
- Procurement manager
- Production or plant engineer
- Project builder (including building project manager and site foreman)
- Psychiatrist
- Quantity surveyor
- Registered nurse (aged care)
- Software engineer
- Software tester
- Software and applications programmer
- Sonographer
- Specialist physician in palliative medicine
- Structural engineer
- Surgeon (general)
- Surveyor
- Systems administrator
- Systems analyst
- Telecommunications engineer
- Telecommunications engineer
- Telecommunications network engineer
- Telecommunications network engineer
- Veterinarian
- Web developer
Scarce list — Requiring occupational registration and in the health or education sector
Occupations requiring registration in the health or education sectors.
- Chiropractor
- Clinical dental technician
- Clinical dental therapist
- Dental hygienist
- Dental technician
- Dental therapist
- Dentist
- Dietitian
- Dispensing optician
- Medical laboratory scientist/technologist
- Medical laboratory technician
- Medical practitioner
- Medical radiation technologist
- Midwives
- Nurse
- Occupational therapist
- Optometrist
- Osteopath
- Paramedic
- Pharmacist
- Physiotherapist
- Podiatrist
- Psychologist
- Teacher (including Principals and registered Early Childhood Education teachers)
Visa waiver countries
- Andorra
- Argentina
- Austria
- Bahrain
- Belgium
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Chile
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Visa waiver does not apply to people travelling on alien’s (non-citizen’s) passports
- Residents of Hong Kong travelling on Hong Kong Special Administrative Region or British National (Overseas) passports
- Residents of Macau travelling on Macau Special Administrative Region passports
- Portuguese passport holders must also have the right to live permanently in Portugal
- Permanent residents of Taiwan travelling on Taiwan passports. A personal identity number printed within the visible section of the biographical page of the Taiwan passport demonstrates that the holder is a permanent resident of Taiwan
- including nationals of the USA
Get in touch!
Phone South Africa: +27 32 946 5927
Phone AU: +61 2 7251 5333
Visit our offices in Hamilton, Nelson, or Ballito
Email us at [email protected] or via the form below
Green list
Occupations on the Green list.
Tier 1 “Straight to residence”
- Acoustic Engineer (Engineering Professionals nec)
- Addiction practitioner/alcohol & drug clinician
- Aircraft Maintenance Engineer
- Anaesthetic Technician
- Anaesthetist
- Analyst Programmer
- Audiologist
- Audiometrist
- Auditor (internal & external)
- Aviation Engineer (Avionics, Aeronautical, Aerospace Engineer)
- Calibration Engineer (Engineering Professionals Nec)
- Cardiologist
- Chemical Engineer
- Chief Information Officer
- Chiropractor
- Civil Engineer
- Civil Engineering Technician
- Clinical dental technician
- Clinical Haematologist
- Clinical physiologists (sleep, renal, exercise, respiratory, neurology, and cardiac)
- Clinical Psychologists & Psychologists
- Construction Project Manager
- Corrosion engineer (Engineering Professionals Nec)
- Counsellor
- Dental specialists
- Dental technician
- Dental therapist
- Dentist
- Developer Programmer
- Dietician
- Dispensing optician
- Drug and alcohol counsellor
- Educational Psychologists
- Electrical Engineer
- Electrical Engineering Technician
- Electronic Engineering Technician
- Electronics Engineer
- Emergency Medicine Specialist
- Endocrinologist
- Engineering Professionals (Not Elsewhere Classified)
- Enrolled nurse
- Environmental Engineer
- Environmental Research Scientist
- Fire Safety Engineer (Engineering Professionals Nec)
- Food Technologist
- Gastroenterologist
- General Practitioner
- Genetic counsellor
- Geotechnical Engineer
- ICT Database and System Administrator
- ICT Managers not elsewhere classified (nec)
- ICT Project Manager
- ICT Security Specialist
- Industrial Engineer
- Intensive Care Specialist
- Materials Engineer
- Mechanical Engineer
- Mechatronics engineer (Engineering Professionals Nec)
- Mechanical Engineering Technician
- Medical imaging technologist
- Medical laboratory pre-analytical technician
- Medical Laboratory Scientist
- Medical laboratory technician
- Medical Oncologist
- Medical Practitioners nec
- Medical radiation therapist
- Medical resonance imaging technologist
- Midwife
- Multimedia Specialist
- Naval Architects (aka Marine Designer)
- Neurologist
- Nuclear medicine technologist
- Nurse practitioner
- Occupational therapist.
- Optometrist
- Oral health therapist
- Organisational Psychologist
- Orthoptist
- Orthotic and prosthetic technician
- Orthotist/prosthetist
- Osteopath
- Other Medical Practitioners (Including Dermatologist, Obstetrician And Gynaecologist, Ophthalmologist, Diagnostic And
- Interventional Radiologist, And Radiation Oncologist)
- Other Spatial Scientist
- Paediatric Surgeon- Surgeon
- Paediatrician
- Paramedic/emergency medical technician
- Pathologist- Other Medical Practitioners
- Perfusionist (cardiac)
- Pharmacist
- Physicist (Medical)
- Physiotherapist
- Plastic and Reconstructive surgeons – Surgeons
- Play therapist (hospital)
- Podiatrist
- Product Design engineers- Engineering Professionals Nec
- Production or Plant Engineer
- Project Builder
- Psychiatrist
- Psychologist Nec
- Psychotherapist
- Quantity Surveyor
- Registered Nurses (including but not limited to Aged Care, except Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Manager)
- Renal Medicine Specialist
- Resident Medical Officer
- Rheumatologist – specialist Physicians
- Safety Engineer- Engineering Professionals nec
- Secondary School Teachers – all specialisations
- Social worker
- Software and Applications Programmers not elsewhere classified (nec)
- Software Engineer
- Software Tester
- Sonographer
- Specialist Physician (General Medicine)
- Specialist Physicians Not Elsewhere Classified
- Speech language therapist
- Sterile processing technician
- Structural Engineer
- Surgeons (Including General Surgeons, Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Neurosurgeon, Orthopaedic Surgeon, Otorhinolaryngologist, Urologist And Vascular Surgeon)
- Surveyor
- Telecommunications Engineers
- Telecommunications Network Engineers
- Test and Activation Engineer (Naval Shipbuilding)- Engineering Professionals nec
- Thoracic Medicine Specialist
- Urologist
- Veterinarian
Tier 2: Work to Residence
- School Principal
- Kaiako Kura Kaupapa Māori – Māori-medium Primary School Teacher
- Pouako Kura Kaupapa Māori – Māori-medium Primary School Senior Teacher
- Primary School Teacher
- Middle School Teacher / Intermediate School Teacher
- Special Needs Teacher
- Teacher of the Hearing Impaired
- Teacher of the Sight Impaired
- Special Education Teachers nec
- Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages – if working in a primary, intermediate or secondary school
- Automotive Electrician
- Diesel Motor Mechanic (including Heavy Vehicle Inspector)
- Electrician (General) –registered
- Plumber – registered
- Dairy Farm Managers, including Dairy Farm Manager, Assistant Dairy Farm Manager and Dairy Herd Manager
- Building Associate
- Gasfitter
- Drainlayer
- Skilled Crane operator
- Earthmoving Plant Operator (General)
- Backhoe Operator
- Bulldozer Operator
- Excavator Operator
- Grader Operator
- Loader Operator
- Halal slaughterer
- Motor mechanic – General
- Motorcycle mechanic
- Telecommunications Technician
Contact Tate
Pick a location, confirm guests, secure your seat!
Sandton Saturday 21 October, Sunday 29 October
Durban Sunday 22 October
Port Elizabeth Tuesday 24 October
Cape Town Saturday 28 October
What you can expect from our seminars
- What are New Zealand and Australia’s main visa pathways and requirements;
- Information on the life in New Zealand and Australia, the economy, healthcare system and school system;
- Jobs from partner recruiters and employers
- Job market and prospects for 2023-2024, new opportunities across a wide range of industries;
- How New Zealand and Australian Shores can help make it happen for you;
- There will be the opportunity for questions.
PICK A TIME AT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS:
THE RECOMMENDED OPTION FOR PROSPECTIVE MIGRANTS
If you can’t see us in person, we can meet you online! Just pick a date/time below.
- Your questions answered
- A personal insight into your migration plans
- A full written report based on your CV
- A one-on-one discussion rather than a group conference
- The consultation fee is just US$45 (elsewhere up to US$200)
- Can’t meet us in person? Let’s SKYPE or ZOOM!
Scarce list — Personal carers and other critical health workers
Occupations in the health sector.
- Aged and disabled carers
- Nursing support and personal care workers
- Special care workers
- Technical and support staff working in various services including theatre, laboratories, radiology, pharmacy services, oncology, haematology, pathology, hyperbaric medicine and mortuaries
- Workers who install, operate or maintain medical equipment
- Workers delivering mental health and addictions services, aged care, respite, home care and support, child health, palliative and hospice care, forensic health, and disability support
Scarce list — Primary sector (non-seasonal) roles
Non-seasonal roles in the Primary sector.
- Agricultural and horticultural mobile plant operator
- Agricultural consultant
- Agricultural engineer
- Agricultural scientist
- Agricultural technician
- Anaesthetic technician
- Animal attendants and trainers nec
- Apiarist
- Aquaculture farmer
- Aquaculture worker
- Arborist
- Baker
- Baking factory worker
- Beef cattle farm worker
- Beef cattle farmer
- Boat builder and repairer
- Brewery worker
- Butcher or smallgoods maker
- Cabinetmakers
- Cardiac technician
- Chef
- Chemist
- Confectionery maker
- Conservation Officer
- Cook
- Cotton Grower
- Crop farm workers nec
- Crop Farmers nec
- Dairy cattle farm worker
- Dairy cattle farmer
- Dairy products maker
- Deck hand
- Deer farmer
- Dog handler or trainer
- Environmental consultant
- Environmental engineer
- Environmental manager
- Environmental research scientist
- Environmental scientists nec
- Fabric and textile factory worker
- Farm, forestry and garden workers
- Farrier
- Fencer
- Fisheries officer
- Fishing hand
- Florist
- Food and drink factory workers nec
- Food technologist
- Food trades assistants nec
Footwear production machine operator
- Forester (AUS) / Forest scientist (NZ)
- Forestry worker
- Fruit and vegetable factory worker
- Fruit and vegetable packer
- Fruit or nut farm worker
- Fruit or Nut Grower
- Fruit or nut picker
- Furniture finisher
- Gardener (general)
- Goat farmer
- Grain mill worker
- Grain, oilseed or pasture farm worker (AUS) / Field crop farm worker (NZ)
- Grain, Oilseed or Pasture Grower / Field Crop Grower
- Grape Grower
- Greenskeeper
- Hide and skin processing machines operators
- Hide and skin processing worker
- Horse breeder
- Horse groomer
- Horticultural nursery assistant
- Hunter-trapper
- Kennel hand
- Knitting machine operator
- Landscape gardener
- Livestock farm workers nec
- Livestock farmers
- Logging assistant
- Logging plant operator
- Marine biologist
- Marine transport professionals nec
- Master fisher
- Meat boner and slicer
- Meat inspector
- Meat packer
- Meat process worker
- Medical laboratory technician
- Medical technician nec
- Mixed crop and livestock farm worker
- Mixed crop and livestock farmer
- Mixed Crop Farmer
- Mixed livestock farm worker
- Mixed livestock farmer
- Mushroom picker
- Nurserypersons
- Operating theatre technician
- Other wood processing machine operator nec
- Paper and pulp mill operator
- Paper products machine operator
- Park ranger
- Pastrycook
- Pastrycook’s assistant
- Pathology collector / phlebotomist
- Pest controller
- Pet groomer
- Pharmacy technician
- Picture framer
- Pig farmer
- Poultry farm worker
- Poultry farmer
- Poultry process worker
- Primary products inspectors nec
- Production manager (forestry)
- Quarantine officer
- Saw maker and repairer
- Sawmill or timber yard worker
- Sawmilling operator
- Seafood packer
- Seafood process worker
- Shearer
- Sheep farm worker
- Sheep farmer
- Ship’s engineer
- Ship’s master
- Ship’s officer
- Ship’s surveyor
- Shipwright
- Slaughterer
- Stablehand
- Sugar Cane Grower
- Sugar mill worker
- Tanker driver
- Textile and footwear production machine operators nec
- Textile dyeing and finishing machine operator
- Tree faller
- Turf Grower
- Vegetable farm worker (AUS) / Market garden worker (NZ)
- Vegetable Grower (Aus) / Market Gardener (NZ)
- Vegetable picker
- Veterinarian
- Veterinary nurse
- Vineyard worker
- Weaving machine operator
- Wine maker
- Winery cellar hand
- Wood and wood products factory worker
- Wood machinist
- Wood machinist and other wood trades workers nec
- Wood turner
- Wool buyer
- Wool classer
- Wool handler
- Yard carding and spinning machine operator
- Zookeeper
