At a glance

The Scarce Occupations list identifies occupations where there is a shortage of New Zealand workers. It is used by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) in assessing visa applications. The list is divided into four parts: Long Term Skill Shortage List occupations, occupations requiring registration in health or education, personal carers and other critical health workers, and primary sector roles. [A-appendix-11-list-of-scarce-occupations]

Definition

The Scarce Occupations list, set out in Appendix 11 of the Operational Manual, is a composite of four occupation lists [A-appendix-11-list-of-scarce-occupations]:

1. Long Term Skill Shortage List (LTSSL) – occupations where enduring shortages exist. These include a wide range of engineering, IT, health, science, and trades roles.
2. Occupations requiring occupational registration in health or education – roles such as doctors, nurses, teachers, and allied health professionals that require statutory registration.
3. Personal Carers and other critical health workers – roles delivering essential health, disability, and aged care services.
4. Primary Sector roles – a broad set of agricultural, horticultural, forestry, fishing, food processing, and animal care occupations.

The LTSSL component includes specific job titles with ANZSCO coding (not reproduced here), while the primary sector list is extensive and includes many job titles under ANZSCO major groups.

Application in decisions

The Scarce Occupations list is referenced in various immigration instructions, such as those for employer-assisted work visas and the Skilled Migrant Category. For details on how the list affects an application, consult the relevant visa pages.

Interpretation & edge cases

• The list is effective from 1 December 2021; INZ may update it periodically. [A-appendix-11-list-of-scarce-occupations]
• Inclusion on the list does not automatically entitle an applicant to a visa. Other eligibility criteria (such as qualifications, work experience, and registration) must still be met.
• Advisers should verify the exact job title and ANZSCO classification against the applicable immigration instructions.

Citations

• A-appendix-11-list-of-scarce-occupations — Appendix 11 - List of Scarce Occupations