New Zealand immigration and settlement routes

As of 7 August 2026, the current six-point system applies. Applicants must be 55 or younger and have a skilled New Zealand job or offer from an accredited employer, earning 3 to 6 points from registration, qualification or income. Up to three years of qualifying New Zealand skilled work can top up the points. Current minimum pay is NZD 35 per hour for skill levels 1–3 and NZD 52.50 for levels 4–5 or unlisted occupations. The 24 August 2026 reform is not yet effective.

For applicants aged 55 or younger who meet the listed occupation's qualification, registration and pay requirements. Tier 1 allows direct residence application with a qualifying job or offer from an accredited employer; Tier 2 normally requires 24 months of qualifying New Zealand work in the 30 months before applying. Where no occupation-specific pay is stated, the current median wage is NZD 35 per hour from 9 March 2026.

The applicant and an eligible New Zealand citizen or resident partner must normally have lived together in a genuine and stable relationship for at least 12 months at application. The sponsor is subject to limits based on recent sponsorship history and successful sponsorship count, and must meet character and immigration-status requirements. A partner of a New Zealand citizen who has lived overseas for at least five years may qualify for a Permanent Resident Visa in some cases.

Requires a full-time offer of at least 30 hours per week from an accredited employer, with an approved Job Check and market pay, plus the required skills, experience or qualification, registration, health and character. Most skill-level 1–3 jobs allow up to five years of continuous stay and levels 4–5 normally three years; after the maximum stay, a 12-month departure period usually applies. AEWV is not residence itself but may lead to SMC, Green List or sector residence routes.

Applies to occupations listed by the official care workforce or transport pathways. Applicants normally must be 55 or younger, work full-time for an accredited employer and complete 24 months of qualifying New Zealand work in the 30 months before applying. The transport route covers only the current official list; not every driver job is a residence pathway.

First obtain admission to a recognised provider, pay tuition and show funds, insurance and a genuine study purpose. After a qualifying New Zealand qualification, a single Post Study Work Visa may be available. Degree level 7 or levels 8–10 normally require at least 30 weeks of full-time study in New Zealand; non-degree levels 4–7 must be on the official list and lead to related work. PSWV is a work status for a later AEWV or residence route, not automatic PR.

A partner who lives in a genuine relationship with an eligible New Zealand work-visa holder or a student-visa holder studying a qualifying level 7, 8, 9 or 10 qualification may receive a work visa normally matching the principal applicant's visa duration. AEWV support and work conditions depend on the principal job, pay and residence pathway; a student partner must generally show NZD 4,200. This temporary status is not residence.

Parents, grandparents or legal guardians are sponsored by an eligible adult New Zealand citizen or resident child. The sponsoring child usually must have held status for at least three years, live in New Zealand and have spent at least 184 days there in each of the previous three years, while meeting the income threshold for the family size. Applicants first enter an EOI ballot, held every three months; the annual cap is 2,500 and dependent children are not allowed.

A New Zealand citizen or resident parent living in New Zealand may sponsor a dependent child aged 24 or younger who is single and meets the age-based dependency rules. Older applicants face stricter evidence requirements for being unmarried, childless and financially dependent; custody and the other parent's consent may also be required.

A direct resident visa with Growth and Balanced categories. Growth requires at least NZD 5 million invested and maintained for 36 months; Balanced requires at least NZD 10 million maintained for 60 months. After approval in principle, investment is normally transferred and completed within six months. Funds must be lawfully obtained and the applicant must be fit and proper; a partner and dependent children under 24 may be included.

An active business route for buying and personally operating a qualifying existing New Zealand business, rather than starting from zero. The standard route requires at least NZD 1 million and three years of operation; the fast route requires NZD 2 million and may allow residence after 12 months, while the business must still be operated for three years overall. Other conditions include NZD 500,000 reserve funds, age 55 or younger, three years of business experience, IELTS 5 English, fit and proper status and at least one new full-time local job.