New Zealand Green List: 17 occupations leave Work to Residence pathway from March 2027
From 8 March 2027, 17 occupations will leave the Green List's Work to Residence pathway for the new Skilled Migrant Category pathways, with transitional arrangements, while special education teachers move to Straight to Residence and Career Counsellor is removed from Tier 1.
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) announced on 3 November 2026 that the Government is making changes to the Green List following the introduction of new Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) pathways. From 8 March 2027, 17 occupations will move out of the Tier 2 Green List roles for the Work to Residence Visa because they are covered by the new SMC pathways. There are also changes for special education teachers, Sterilisation Technicians and Career Counsellors, and INZ said the Green List is expected to be reviewed in 2027.
Seventeen occupations leave the Work to Residence pathway
According to INZ, the new SMC pathways introduced in August 2026 mean that a number of occupations now have overlapping residence pathways. Removing them from the Work to Residence list simplifies the residence system by reducing duplication, INZ said. People in these occupations may instead qualify for residence through the SMC, subject to meeting the requirements of the relevant pathway, which has different qualification, work experience and wage requirements from the Work to Residence Visa. INZ said that for many experienced workers the SMC pathways will provide a more accessible route, including through lower wage thresholds, shorter New Zealand work requirements or no specified qualification requirement, depending on the pathway, but that they may not be more accessible for everyone.
| SMC pathway | Occupations moving from the Green List |
|---|---|
| Trades and Technician | Building Associate (Building Construction Supervisor), Automotive Electrician, Diesel Motor Mechanic (including Heavy Vehicle Inspector) |
| Trades and Technician | Motor Mechanic (General), Motorcycle Mechanic, Panel Beater, Vehicle Painter, Metal Fabricator, Welder |
| Trades and Technician | Fitter (General), Fitter and Turner, Fitter-Welder, Metal Machinist (First Class) |
| Skilled Work Experience | Crane, Hoist or Lift Operator, Telecommunications Technician, Paving Plant Operator, Pressure Welder |
Employers will still be able to recruit migrants in these occupations through the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV), provided they meet the relevant requirements. However, the Green List settings that currently apply to these roles, including applicable labour market test exemptions and priority processing for job check and AEWV applications, will no longer apply.
Transitional arrangements will be available for eligible people who are already progressing towards residence through the Work to Residence Visa pathway. People who have already started accumulating qualifying work experience before the changes take effect will be able to keep counting that work towards the existing 24-month requirement, but will still need to meet all other residence requirements.
Special education teachers move to Straight to Residence
Four special education teaching occupations will move from the Work to Residence Visa pathway to the Straight to Residence Visa pathway, meaning eligible people will be able to apply directly for residence without first completing 2 years of qualifying work in New Zealand. INZ said special education teachers are registered teachers who deliver the same curriculum as other teachers, and the move aligns their residence pathway with comparable teaching roles. The four occupations are:
- Special Needs Teacher
- Teacher of the Hearing Impaired
- Teacher of the Sight Impaired
- Special Education Teachers not elsewhere classified
Sterilisation Technicians and Career Counsellors
Green List eligibility for Sterilisation Technicians will be limited to graduate and registered members of the New Zealand Sterile Sciences Association, which INZ said better aligns eligibility with the occupation's professional standards and workforce requirements. Career Counsellor will be removed from the Tier 1 Green List roles for the Straight to Residence Visa. INZ said the occupation was included when allied healthcare occupations were added to the Green List but does not align with the original focus of those additions; Career Counsellors may still be eligible for residence through the SMC or another residence pathway if they meet the relevant requirements.
Several of the occupations now leaving the Work to Residence list, including Welder, Pressure Welder, Metal Fabricator, Panel Beater, Vehicle Painter and Paving Plant Operator, were among ten trades occupations added to that pathway on the Green List on 18 August 2025, INZ said in a June 2025 notice. That notice said skilled residence settings, including the Green List and Skilled Migrant Category, were being reviewed. For the March 2027 changes, INZ said relevant webpages will be updated closer to when the changes take effect.
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- From 8 March 2027, 17 occupations will be removed from the Tier 2 Green List roles for the Work to Residence Visa because they are covered by the new Skilled Migrant Category pathways.
- People in these occupations may instead qualify for residence through the SMC Trades and Technician pathway or the SMC Skilled Work Experience pathway, subject to meeting that pathway's requirements.
- Transitional arrangements let people who have already started accumulating qualifying work experience keep counting it towards the existing 24-month Work to Residence requirement.
- Four special education teaching occupations will move to the Straight to Residence Visa pathway, and Career Counsellor will be removed from the Tier 1 Straight to Residence roles.
- Green List eligibility for Sterilisation Technicians will be limited to graduate and registered members of the New Zealand Sterile Sciences Association.
Official sources
Kislap reports this story for general information only. Nothing here is immigration, legal, financial, tax, medical, employment, or other professional advice; check official sources and speak with a qualified professional before acting.