New Zealand Work Visas, Accredited Employer and the Green List

If you are looking to move to New Zealand in 2026, you need to forget the old stories about “just showing up and finding work.” The borders are open, but the gatekeepers have changed.

As of early 2026, New Zealand’s immigration system is almost entirely employer-led. You generally cannot get a work visa without a job offer, and not just any job offer—it must be from a specific type of company.

The system is designed to filter for skills, not just bodies. If you are a nurse, an engineer, or a tech specialist, the red carpet is effectively rolled out. If you are in a general service role, the path is steeper, but still climbable if you know the numbers.

Here is the reality of working in New Zealand right now.

The “Accredited Employer” is Everything

The core of the system is the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV). This is the standard temporary work visa that replaced half a dozen older categories.

Here is the catch: You cannot just apply for this visa because you found a job. The employer must hold “accreditation” with Immigration New Zealand (INZ). If a company wants to hire you, they have to prove they couldn’t find a Kiwi for the job (unless the role is on a shortage list).

The Workflow:

1. The Employer applies for accreditation. (Most serious NZ companies have this now).
2. The Job Check. The employer applies to INZ to verify the specific job. They get a “Job Check token.”
3. You Apply. The employer gives you a link and the token. You use that to submit your visa application.

Strategic Advice: When job hunting on Seek.co.nz or LinkedIn, your first question to a recruiter shouldn’t be “what’s the salary?” It should be: “Is this company an Accredited Employer?” If the answer is no, they literally cannot hire you on an AEWV.

The Magic Number: $33.56

Money matters more than ever. To prevent wage suppression, INZ ties visa eligibility to the median wage.

As of the last major update (August 2025), the standard median wage threshold sits at NZD $33.56 per hour.

• If you earn below $33.56/hr: You can still get a visa, but it is much harder. The employer has to work harder to prove no locals are available, and your visa might be capped at a shorter duration or require you to leave NZ after a few years.
• If you earn above $33.56/hr: The process is smoother.
• If you earn $50.34/hr (1.5x median): You enter the “highly paid” bracket, which often bypasses some checks and puts you on a faster track to residence.

The Golden Ticket: The Green List

If your occupation is on the Green List, you can bypass much of the uncertainty. This list is divided into two tiers.

Tier 1: Straight to Residence This is the best visa in the country. If you have a job offer in a Tier 1 role, you can apply for residency immediately upon arrival (or even before you arrive). You don’t need to work for two years first.

• Key Roles: Doctors, Nurses, Engineers (Civil, Electrical, Structural), IT Professionals (Software, Security), and Construction Project Managers.
• Note: As of mid-2025, Primary School Teachers were moved to this fast track.

Tier 2: Work to Residence This requires patience. You come on a work visa, work in that specific role for 24 months, and then apply for residence.

• Key Roles: Electricians, Plumbers, Diesel Mechanics, Dairy Farmers, and Teachers (ECE).

You can check the official Green List requirements here.

Permanent Move: The 6-Point System

If your job isn’t on the Green List, don’t panic. You can still get residence through the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC).

This system was simplified recently. You need 6 points to apply for residence.

How to get 6 points: You can mix and match, but usually, you get the bulk of your points from ONE of these three buckets:

1. Income: Earning 3x the median wage (6 points instantly) or 1.5x the median wage (3 points).
2. Qualification: PhD (6 points), Masters (5 points), or Bachelor’s (3 points).
3. Registration: Being a registered professional (e.g., a Lawyer or Architect) requires a certain number of years of training.

The “Top Up” with Experience: If your degree only gives you 3 points, you need 3 more. You get these by working in a skilled job in New Zealand.

• 1 year of NZ skilled work = 1 point.
• Example: You have a Bachelor’s degree (3 points). You come to NZ on an AEWV and work for 3 years (3 points). Total = 6 points. Welcome to residency.

The “Pause” on New Pathways

In late 2025, the government announced new pathways for tradespeople and skilled experience that are set to launch in August 2026.

These will likely allow people with no degree but 5+ years of experience to get residence easier. However, these are not open yet. If you are applying in early 2026, you must use the current 6-point or Green List systems. Do not build your strategy on a policy that hasn’t launched.

Practical Reality: Housing and Costs

Getting the visa is step one. Surviving the first year is step two.

• Rent: In Auckland, a decent 2-bedroom unit will cost you between $550 and $700 per week. You usually pay rent weekly here.
• Deposit (Bond): You will need to pay 4 weeks of rent upfront as a bond, plus 1-2 weeks of rent in advance. Have at least $5,000 NZD cash accessible when you land just for housing setup.
• Healthcare: If your work visa is for 2 years or longer, public healthcare is free/subsidized (you pay for GP visits, but hospitals are free). If your visa is for less than 2 years, you need private insurance.

Final Summary: Your 2026 Checklist

1. Check your role: Is it on the Green List? If yes, look for the specific qualification requirements (e.g., specific engineering degrees).
2. Check your rate: Will your job offer pay at least $33.56/hr? If not, ask the employer how they plan to support your visa, as the bar is higher.
3. Verify the employer: Ensure they are an “Accredited Employer.”
4. Get your documents: You need police certificates from every country you’ve lived in for more than 12 months in the last 10 years. These take months to get—start now.

New Zealand is still hiring, but the “OE” (Overseas Experience) casual work vibe has shifted to a serious recruitment drive for specific skills. If you fit the mold, the process is faster than the US or UK; if you don’t, you need a very committed employer to get you across the line.