Moving to New Zealand

An orderly, employer-led system in a country that pays less than the one next door.

New Zealand runs one of the more legible immigration systems in the developed world. Nearly everything begins with an employer: the employer must be accredited by Immigration New Zealand, the specific job must pass a check, and the pay must generally sit at or above the published median wage. Once those three conditions are met the paperwork is comparatively fast and largely online.

The residence side was rebuilt in 2023 around two ideas. The Skilled Migrant Category was reduced to a simple six-point scale in which points come from a single qualifying claim — a qualification, occupational registration, or income measured against the median wage — plus skilled work in the country. Alongside it sits the Green List, a published set of occupations that either lead straight to residence or to residence after a period of work, which removes the guesswork for people in shortage professions.

The honest counterweight is economic. Salaries are modest relative to Australia, housing is expensive relative to incomes, and the country is a long way from almost everywhere. New Zealanders themselves leave for Australia in large numbers when the gap widens, and migrants who arrive expecting Australian pay in a smaller labour market are the ones most likely to move on.

Why people move to New Zealand

• The rules are published in unusual detail, so most applicants can read the criteria that will be applied to them.
• The Skilled Migrant Category was simplified in 2023 into a six-point scale that is easier to interpret than a ranked pool.
• The Green List names the occupations that lead to residence, either straight away or after a period of work.
• Residence, once granted, has no expiry date on the right to stay; only the right to travel is time-limited.
• Dual citizenship is permitted, so most people keep their original nationality.
• ACC covers accidental injury for everyone in the country, residents and visitors alike, regardless of fault.

What to know before you commit

• Almost every temporary work route depends on an accredited employer, so losing the job can put status at risk.
• The median wage threshold moves, and a salary that qualified in one year may not qualify after an update.
• Housing costs are high relative to incomes, particularly in Auckland, and deposits for renting are payable up front.
• Salaries are commonly well below Australian equivalents in the same occupation, which drives steady emigration across the Tasman.
• Distance is a real and recurring cost: flights to Europe or North America are long and expensive, and family visits are rare.
• The parent resident visa runs partly on a ballot, so bringing parents is a matter of chance as well as eligibility.

The eight guides

Official sources

• Immigration New Zealand
• New Zealand Government services portal
• Stats NZ

Checked against these pages in September 2026. Fees and processing times change without notice — confirm before you act.