Green List Tier 2 Work to Residence New Zealand: Trades, Requirements & Timeline

The Green List Tier 2 Work to Residence pathway leads to permanent residency in New Zealand, but unlike Tier 1, it requires you to prove yourself through on-the-job experience first. For tradespeople and vocational workers, it's the most direct route from a New Zealand qualification to a resident visa. Here's exactly how it works in 2026.

Tier 1 vs Tier 2: The Core Difference

Tier 1 is Straight to Residence — employment in an eligible role leads to immediate residency eligibility. Tier 2 requires 24 months of qualifying work in New Zealand before you can apply. Both tiers are part of the same Green List framework, but they serve different occupation categories.

Tier 2 focuses on skilled trades, technical specialists, and essential service roles. These are occupations where New Zealand has significant labor shortages but where the residency pathway includes a work experience gate to ensure applicants have genuinely contributed to the local economy.

Current Tier 2 Occupations (2026)

Tier 2 covers a broad range of trades and technical roles. Key examples:

Construction and engineering trades: Plumbers, Gasfitters, Drainlayers, Electricians, Building Associates (Construction Supervisors), Telecommunications Technicians.

Heavy machinery and automotive: Diesel Motor Mechanics, Mobile Plant Operators, Crane Operators, Excavator Operators.

Manufacturing and processing trades (added August 2025): Metal Fabricators, Pressure Welders, Fitters and Turners, General Mechanical Engineering Tradespeople.

Early childhood and care: Early Childhood Teachers (with appropriate NZ registration or equivalent assessment).

INZ added ten construction and manufacturing trades to Tier 2 in August 2025, significantly expanding the vocational pathways available. This is particularly relevant for applicants from the Philippines, South Asia, and Southeast Asia where trades training is common and the occupations map directly to New Zealand demand.

The 24-Month Work Requirement: What Counts

After completing your qualification and entering the workforce on a Post Study Work Visa (or a direct employment visa), you need 24 months of full-time, qualifying work in your Tier 2 occupation before applying for the Work to Residence Visa.

Not all work counts. The 24 months must be:

In the specific Tier 2 role — not a related role, not a supervisory role above it, not an administrative role within the same sector. The work must match the specific ANZSCO code for the Tier 2 occupation.

At or above the required wage threshold — this is the most commonly misunderstood aspect of Tier 2. If you're working in a qualifying role but earning below the median wage (or any specific Tier 2 wage threshold INZ has set for your occupation), those months do not count toward your 24-month accumulation. Some Tier 2 roles specify 1.15x the median wage rather than the base median.

Continuous, or nearly so — extended gaps can complicate the 24-month calculation. INZ applies proportionality rules for gaps in employment.

With an accredited employer — the employer must be accredited with INZ for the Work to Residence pathway to apply.

The Study Pathway to Tier 2 Residency

For students planning specifically for a Tier 2 outcome, the typical pathway looks like this:

1. Enroll in a Level 4 or Level 5 New Zealand Certificate in your trade field at a NZQA-approved institution
2. Complete the qualification and apply for a Post Study Work Visa (1-year restricted, must work in your field)
3. Secure employment with an accredited employer in your qualifying Tier 2 occupation at or above the median wage
4. Accumulate 24 months of qualifying work experience
5. Apply for Work to Residence Visa

The constraint in this pathway is the 1-year restricted PSWV for Level 4–6 qualifications. If your employment doesn't work out in the first year, you'll need to secure an Accredited Employer Work Visa to continue working toward your 24-month target.

This is why some tradespeople coming from overseas choose to study a Level 7 qualification where one exists (for example, a Bachelor of Construction or a Bachelor of Engineering) to access the 3-year open PSWV, giving them more time to secure the right employment and accumulate qualifying months without visa pressure.

The Wage Threshold Warning

This point warrants emphasis because it's the most common way people waste their Tier 2 pathway.

If you take a job in your qualifying trade but the employer is paying you below the required wage threshold — because you're a new graduate, because it's a regional role, because you accepted the first offer you received — those months don't count toward your 24 months. The residency clock doesn't start.

A student who spends 12 months in below-threshold employment before realizing this has wasted a year of their PSWV. They then need to find another employer at the right wage level, with fewer months left on their visa.

Before accepting any job offer in a Tier 2 role, verify the employer is accredited and confirm the salary meets the INZ threshold for your specific occupation.

Partner Work Rights Under Tier 2

If you're studying a Level 7 or 8 qualification where the program is explicitly listed as qualifying for a Green List occupation (including Tier 2 occupations), your partner is eligible for an open Partner of a Student Work Visa during your study period. This is the same benefit as Tier 1 for Level 7–8 programs.

For students in Level 4–6 programs, partner work rights are not available during study.

How This Compares to the SMC Pathway

For trades workers, the Tier 2 pathway is generally more straightforward than the SMC 6-point system because it doesn't require building up 6 points through education and income. The qualification requirement is typically a Level 4–5 certificate rather than a degree, and the 24-month experience window is explicit and predictable.

The SMC remains available as an alternative or backup route, particularly if your wage exceeds the multiplier thresholds (1.5x median wage = 3 SMC points, for instance). Some tradespeople use both pathways simultaneously, accumulating both Tier 2 qualifying months and SMC points, and applying through whichever route they reach first.

The New Zealand Student Visa + Post-Study Work Guide at /nz/student-post-study/ covers both the Tier 2 pathway and the SMC system in detail, including wage threshold tables, the specific qualifications required for the most common Tier 2 trades, and how to verify whether a particular employer is accredited before you accept a job offer.

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