Green List

At a glance

The Green List is a schedule of occupations maintained by Immigration New Zealand that identifies roles eligible for fast-tracked residence. It splits into two tiers:

• Tier 1 – qualifying applicants can apply directly for the Straight to Residence visa without working a set period in New Zealand.
• Tier 2 – applicants must work in the role for 24 months in New Zealand before they can apply for residence under the Work to Residence pathway. [A-appendix-13-green-list]

The list covers engineering, health and social services, construction, ICT, trades, primary industries, and other specialist professions. Each occupation carries specific qualification, registration, or remuneration requirements that must be met at the time of application (or, for Tier 2, by the end of the qualifying period).

Definition

The Green List (Appendix 13 of the Immigration Operational Manual) sets out the occupations that the New Zealand Government considers to be in high demand. It is incorporated into the residence instructions for Work Visa holders and Skilled Migrants: [A-appendix-13-green-list]

• Straight to Residence (Tier 1)
• Work to Residence (Tier 2)

The list is structured by occupational group and ANZSCO code. For each occupation, one or more acceptable qualification pathways, registration requirements, or a minimum hourly rate are specified. [A-appendix-13-green-list]

Tier 1 structure

Tier 1 covers:

• Business Professionals – External Auditor, Internal Auditor (minimum pay $45.50/hr)
• Construction – Construction Project Manager, Project Builder, Quantity Surveyor, Surveyor
• Engineering – over 20 roles from Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, etc., to Civil/Electrical/Electronic/Mechanical Engineering Technicians, Aircraft Maintenance Engineers, Telecommunications Engineers
• Health and Social Services – a comprehensive list of medical practitioners, dental professionals, midwives, nurses, allied health therapists, psychologists, social workers, and many more, each with registration and degree requirements
• Primary Industries and Science – Environmental Research Scientist, Food Technologist, Other Spatial Scientist
• ICT, Electronics and Telecommunications – Chief Information Officer, ICT Project Manager, ICT Manager nec, Analyst/Developer Programmer, Software Engineer, Software Tester, ICT Security Specialist, Software and Applications Programmers nec, Database Administrator, Systems Administrator, Multimedia Specialist – many with high remuneration thresholds [A-appendix-13-green-list]

Within Tier 1, some ICT roles have different salary floors for Straight to Residence versus contractors on a contract for services, and may require 10 years’ relevant experience if working under a contract for services. [A-appendix-13-green-list]

Tier 2 structure

Tier 2 includes:

• Construction – Building Associate (site supervisor/site manager), Crane Operator, Slaughterer (Halal)
• Health and Social Services – School Principal, Special Needs Teacher, Teacher of the Hearing/Sight Impaired, Special Education Teacher nec, Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher (registered)
• ICT, Electronics and Telecommunications – Telecommunications Technician
• Civil Machinery Operators – Earthmoving Plant Operator, Backhoe/Bulldozer/Excavator/Grader/Loader Operator, Paving Plant Operator
• Protective Service Workers – Corrections Officer
• Trades – Automotive Electrician, Diesel Motor Mechanic, Motor Mechanic (General), Motorcycle Mechanic, Electrician (General), Plumber (General), Drainlayer, Gasfitter, Panel Beater, Vehicle Painter, Metal Fabricator, Pressure Welder, Welder, Fitter (General), Fitter and Turner, Fitter-Welder, Metal Machinist (First Class)
• Agriculture – Dairy Cattle Farmer (Farm Manager, Assistant Farm Manager, Herd Manager) – minimum three years’ commercial farm experience [A-appendix-13-green-list]

For Tier 2 roles, the applicant must hold an acceptable qualification or registration at the time they apply for residence and have earned at least a specified multiple of the median wage over the 24-month qualifying period (from 1.15× to 1.5× depending on the occupation). Some roles also require a New Zealand Certificate (e.g., Crane Operator needs Level 3 Certificate in Cranes with a Level 4 specialisation; Corrections Officer needs Level 3 Certificate in Prisoner/Offender Management; Automotive Electrician needs Level 4 Certificate in Automotive Electrical Engineering). [A-appendix-13-green-list]

Qualifications and registration notes

• Note 1 – All qualifications listed are assumed to be awarded on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF). Overseas qualifications must be comparable; unless they appear on the INZ List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment (Appendix 17), an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) from NZQA is required. [A-appendix-13-green-list]
• Note 2 – Where a Washington Accord (or Sydney Accord) accredited engineering degree is required, the degree must have been awarded from or after the date the awarding country became a signatory, and must appear on the list of accredited programmes of that signatory. [A-appendix-13-green-list]
• Note 3 – A letter, certificate, or registration from the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ), the predecessor of Engineering New Zealand, may still be used to meet requirements for a letter from Engineering New Zealand or IT Professionals New Zealand. [A-appendix-13-green-list]
• Note 4 – Only Level 7 and 8 bachelor degrees not already listed as Green List requirements are listed as qualifications required for registration for Green List occupations. [A-appendix-13-green-list]

Application in decisions

Immigration officers refer to the Green List when assessing eligibility under:

• Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) instructions (WA)
• Study to Work instructions (WD)
• Family stream work instructions (WF)
• Skilled Migrant Residence instructions (SR) [A-appendix-13-green-list]

For a Straight to Residence application, the officer must be satisfied that the applicant’s employment (or offer) matches a Tier 1 occupation listed in the Green List, and that the applicant meets the qualification, registration, and any remuneration threshold as specified. For Work to Residence (24-month pathway), the officer checks that the employment falls within a Tier 2 occupation and that the applicant has completed 24 months of acceptable work in that role while meeting the minimum pay, qualification, and registration requirements. [A-appendix-13-green-list]

Additionally, the Green List is used to determine which qualifications are eligible for a Post-Study Work Visa. A separate table lists Graduate Diplomas, Diplomas, and Certificates at various NZQCF levels that, with the correct focus area, can support an application under WD3. Those non-degree pathways link directly to specific occupations (e.g., a Graduate Diploma in construction management feeds into Construction Project Manager or Project Builder; a New Zealand Diploma in Engineering (Civil) leads to Civil Engineering Technician). [A-appendix-13-green-list]

Interpretation & edge cases

• Overseas qualification recognition: Even if an occupation is on the Green List, the applicant must hold a qualification that is either on the exempt list or has an IQA confirming comparability. An expired or inappropriate IQA will not meet the requirement. [A-appendix-13-green-list]
• Washington/Sydney Accord timing: An engineering degree awarded before the awarding country joined the Accord does not qualify unless the degree can be shown to be substantially equivalent through an alternative pathway (such as a letter from Engineering New Zealand). [A-appendix-13-green-list]
• Remuneration-only Tier 1 roles: For External Auditor, Internal Auditor, and most ICT roles, the primary green-list requirement is a minimum hourly rate. There is no prescribed qualification – provided the employer is willing to pay at or above the threshold and the employment is genuine, a qualification check is not required under the Green List (though it may be relevant to the visa conditions). [A-appendix-13-green-list]
• Contract-for-services roles in ICT: For certain ICT roles (Chief Information Officer, ICT Project Manager, ICT Manager nec, Database Administrator, Systems Administrator, Multimedia Specialist), a higher hourly rate applies if the employment is based on a contract for services, and the applicant must also have a minimum of 10 years’ relevant work. [A-appendix-13-green-list]
• Registration and provisional licences: For plumbers, gasfitters, and drainlayers in Tier 2, the 24-month qualifying period can begin while the applicant holds a provisional licence, provided the full registration is obtained before the residence application is lodged. [A-appendix-13-green-list]
• Teaching registration: Teachers (including secondary, primary, Māori-medium, and early childhood) must hold registration with the Teaching Council and a current practising certificate, and must meet the qualification listed – a Bachelor of Education, Teaching, or equivalent. Special education roles and English-language teachers in schools are also covered. [A-appendix-13-green-list]
• Halal Slaughterer: The role must be Halal slaughter only, and the employer and site must appear on the Ministry for Primary Industries’ approved animal products halal premises list. [A-appendix-13-green-list]
• Dairy Cattle Farmer experience: No specific qualification is required, but the applicant must demonstrate a minimum of three years’ experience on a commercial farm in a relevant role. [A-appendix-13-green-list]
• Post-Study Work Visa qualifications: The Green List appendix also details the non-degree qualifications (Graduate Diplomas, Diplomas, Certificates) that make a graduate eligible for a Post-Study Work Visa under WD3, tied to specific occupations. Advisers should check both the occupation and the qualification focus area/certificate strand. [A-appendix-13-green-list]

Citations

• A-appendix-13-green-list – Green List