Changes to INZ Green List, Straight to Residence, and Work to Residence Pathway from 29 May 2023

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has announced recently a number of significant additions and changes to its ‘Green List’ in respect of two of its skilled residence visa categories - namely, the ‘Straight to Residence’ and ‘Work to Residence’ categories.

For the uninitiated, the INZ ‘Green List’ is a list of occupations that qualify either for a straight to residence or a work to residence pathway.

The ‘Straight to Residence’ is a residence visa category for people with acceptable employment with an accredited New Zealand employer in a Green List occupation that is listed under ‘Tier 1’ of the Green List.

The ‘Green List Work to Residence’ is a work-to-residence visa category for applicants with acceptable employment with an accredited NZ employer, in an occupation that appears in ‘Tier 2’ of the Green List” and who have worked in that role for at least 24 months (and met INZ’s specified requirements).

In terms of the upcoming changes, INZ has announced recently that from 29 May 2023: 

1. Auditors will be added to the ‘Straight to Residence Green List’ pathway (i.e. Tier 1 of the Green List);

2. The following professions will be added to the ‘Work to Residence Green List’ pathway (i.e. Tier 2 of the Green List):

   • Civil construction supervisors

   • Gasfitters

   • Drainlayers

   • Skilled crane operators

   • Skilled civil machine operators

   • Halal slaughterers

   • Skilled motor mechanics

   • Skilled telecommunications technicians

   • All secondary school teachers (in addition to the specialisations already on the Green List)

   • Primary school teachers

3. Thirty-two new health roles will be added to the Green List and all health roles on the Green List will be moved to the Straight to Residence pathway (i.e. Tier 1 on the Green List). The list of health sector roles being added to the Green List are:

   • Addiction practitioner/alcohol & drug clinician

   • Audiometrist

   • Chiropractor

   • Clinical dental technician

   • Clinical physiologists (sleep, renal, exercise, respiratory, neurology, and cardiac)

   • Counsellor

   • Dental specialists

   • Dental technician

   • Dental therapist

   • Dentist

   • Dietician

   • Dispensing optician

   • Drug and alcohol counsellor

   • Enrolled nurse

   • Genetic counsellor

   • Medical laboratory pre-analytical technician

   • Medical resonance imaging technologist

   • Nuclear medicine technologist

   • Nurse practitioner

   • Optometrist

   • Oral health therapist

   • Orthotic and prosthetic technician

   • Orthotist/prosthetist

   • Osteopath

   • Paramedic/emergency medical technician

   • Perfusionist (cardiac)

   • Pharmacist

   • Physiotherapist

   • Play therapist (hospital)

   • Social worker

   • Speech language therapist

   • Sterile processing technician

4. Existing roles on the Green List Work to Residence pathway (i.e. Tier 2) that are moving to the Straight to Residence pathway (i.e. Tier 1) are:

   • Anaesthetic Technician

   • Audiologist

   • Medical imaging technologist

   • Medical laboratory technician

   • Medical radiation therapist

   • Occupational therapist.

   • Podiatrist

   • Sonographer

If you would like to book a consultation to discuss your potential eligibility for any of the above visas and in any of the above roles, contact me here.