New Zealand
New Zealand / Aotearoa · Capital: Wellington
New Zealand offers one of the world's best work-life balances alongside a straightforward, points-based Skilled Migrant Category and a Green List that fast-tracks in-demand roles to residence. The Accredited Employer Work Visa is the main employer-sponsored route, and English is the working language.
Migration statistics
Who is arriving
Top source countries and the make-up of recent arrivals into New Zealand.
Policy overview
8 visa routes into New Zealand
Eligibility, fees, processing times and whether each route leads to permanent residence.
Skilled Migrant Category
SkilledSMC
Skilled residence with three pathways since 24 August 2026: points-based (6 points), Skilled Work Experience and Trades and Technicians.
Eligibility
- Meet one pathway: 6 points, 5 years skilled experience, or a Level 4+ trade with 4 years experience
- Skilled job or offer with an accredited employer at the SMC wage threshold (NZD 35.00 an hour)
- English proficiency
- Health and character checks
Document checklist (10 items)
Core
Professional
Background
Green List
Fast-track residence for occupations on Tier 1 of the Green List, with a job offer in the role.
Eligibility
- Job offer in a Tier-1 Green List role
- Relevant registration/qualification
- Meet salary/occupation criteria
Document checklist (11 items)
Core
Professional
Background
AEWV
The main temporary work visa, requiring a job with an accredited employer that has passed a labour-market check.
Eligibility
- Job offer from an accredited employer
- Paid at least the market rate (the median-wage rule was removed on 10 March 2025)
- 2 years relevant experience or a qualification
Document checklist (10 items)
Core
Professional
Background
Active Investor Plus Visa
InvestorActive Investor Plus
Residence for investors placing capital into New Zealand growth assets, weighted toward direct and managed investments.
Eligibility
- Growth: NZD 5M held for 3 years, or Balanced: NZD 10M held for 5 years
- Invest in full within 6 months of approval in principle
- Health and character checks
Document checklist (10 items)
Core
Professional
Financial
Background
Student Visa
StudentStudent
Study at an approved institution, with post-study work rights for higher qualifications.
Eligibility
- Offer from an approved provider
- Proof of funds
- Health and character checks
Document checklist (9 items)
Core
Professional
Financial
Background
Business Investor Work Visa
EntrepreneurBusiness Investor
Opened 24 November 2025 in place of the Entrepreneur Work Visa. Buy or invest in an established New Zealand business on a work-to-residence path.
Eligibility
- Invest NZD 1M (residence after 3 years) or NZD 2M (residence after 12 months)
- Business meets the financial threshold and has at least 5 full-time staff
- NZD 500,000 in reserve funds for living costs
Document checklist (11 items)
Core
Professional
Financial
Background
Parent Boost
Opened 2 October 2025. Multiple-entry visitor visa letting parents of New Zealand citizens and residents stay up to 5 years, renewable once. It does not lead to residence.
Eligibility
- Sponsored by an adult child who is a citizen or resident
- Sponsor income, own income or funds (from NZD 170,000) meet the threshold
- Comprehensive health insurance for the whole stay
Document checklist (9 items)
Core
Professional
Financial
Background
NZ-PART
Join a spouse, partner or close family member who is a citizen or resident.
Eligibility
- Genuine relationship to a citizen/resident
- Sponsor meets income/housing rules
- Relationship evidence
Document checklist (9 items)
Core
Professional
Financial
Background
Economic context
The numbers behind the move
Pay reflects the local market in New Zealand, what you'd typically earn there, not your current salary.
Skill shortages
Sectors actively recruiting from abroad
Where New Zealand needs foreign talent most, and what those roles pay.
Healthcare
Health roles dominate the Green List for fast-track residence.
Construction & trades
Infrastructure rebuild keeps construction and engineering in shortage.
Technology
ICT professionals feature on the Green List.
Primary industries
Dairy and agritech sustain rural skilled demand.
Recent changes
What's changed lately
Recent policy changes that affect migrants, newest first.
- EasierAug 24, 2026 · 2 months ago
Two new Skilled Migrant Category pathways open
The Skilled Migrant Category now has three pathways: points-based, Skilled Work Experience (5 years experience, 2 in New Zealand at 1.1 times the median wage) and Trades and Technicians (Level 4 qualification and 4 years experience). The New Zealand experience needed on existing pathways fell from up to 3 years to up to 2 years.
Points-based pathway onlyThree pathways
Quality of life
What living there feels like
Auckland
Biggest job marketThe most jobs and diversity, balanced against the country's costliest housing.
- Cost index
- 80
- 1-bed rent
- $1,700
- Quality
- 81
Wellington
Compact creative capitalWalkable, high-liveability capital home to government, film and a growing tech scene.
- Cost index
- 76
- 1-bed rent
- $1,500
- Quality
- 84
Christchurch
Affordable & rebuiltThe most affordable major city and the gateway to the South Island's outdoors.
- Cost index
- 70
- 1-bed rent
- $1,300
- Quality
- 83
Tauranga
Bay of Plenty coastA sunny, fast-growing coastal city favoured by retirees and lifestyle movers.
- Cost index
- 72
- 1-bed rent
- $1,350
- Quality
- 82
Queenstown
Adventure capitalA world-famous adventure and resort town, pricey but stunning for remote workers.
- Cost index
- 82
- 1-bed rent
- $1,700
- Quality
- 85
Living essentials
The practical day-to-day of settling in New Zealand.
Publicly funded healthcare for residents; private cover speeds elective care.
Free, high-quality public schools and well-regarded universities.
High, with steep Auckland housing; smaller cities are cheaper.
Excellent nationwide fibre.
Mild, temperate and oceanic; lots of rain and stunning nature.
Safety & climate
The reception you can expect
How welcoming the public and political mood is, how safe it is, and how geopolitically stable the country is right now.
Anti-migrant sentiment
trendOne of the most welcoming and politically stable destinations.
Higher = more hostile public/political climate.
Geopolitical stability
A composite of governance, security and regional-risk signals. Higher means a more predictable environment for settling long term.
Higher = more stable.
Safety
Very safe; occasional property crime in cities.
Higher = safer (crime index 30/100).
Where to live
Which New Zealand city fits you?
Cities matched to who you are, career, family, retirement, study or remote work. We flag the ones to consider and the ones to approach with care.
Wellington
Government + startups
Walkable, high-liveability capital home to government, film and a growing tech scene.
Christchurch
Spacious garden city
The most affordable major city and the gateway to the South Island's outdoors.
Tauranga
Sunny coastal hub
A sunny, fast-growing coastal city favoured by retirees and lifestyle movers.
Queenstown
Alpine resort town
A world-famous adventure and resort town, pricey but stunning for remote workers.
Auckland
City of sails
The most jobs and diversity, balanced against the country's costliest housing.
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