We invite people who have the skills to contribute to New Zealand’s economic growth to apply for this visa. Before we can invite you to apply, we’ll first need you to send us an Expression of Interest (EOI) telling us about your employment in New Zealand, work experience, and qualifications. If your Expression of Interest is successful we’ll offer you the opportunity to apply to live and work in New Zealand indefinitely.

This visa is for people who hold a Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa and have been employed in New Zealand for more than 2 years. If you have ongoing employment and your salary is NZ$45,000 or greater, you may be eligible for this resident visa.

This visa is for people who have been employed in New Zealand by an accredited employer for more than 2 years. If you have ongoing employment with an accredited employer and you earn at least the minimum salary that was in place when you applied for your Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa, you may be eligible for this resident visa.  

If you’re the partner of a New Zealand citizen or resident, you can apply to live in New Zealand permanently. If you’re granted residence, you can live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely.

If you have an adult child who is a New Zealand citizen or resident, you can apply to live in New Zealand permanently. You’ll need an annual income of NZ $60,000 plus NZ $1 million to invest for 4 years, and another NZ $500,000 to live on. Once you’ve completed the 4-year investment period, you’ll be eligible for permanent residence.

This visa is for people who have been employed in New Zealand by an accredited employer for more than 2 years. If you have ongoing employment with an accredited employer and you earn at least the minimum salary that was in place when you applied for your Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa, you may be eligible for this resident visa.  

If you’re a New Zealand citizen or resident living in New Zealand you can bring your dependent children to New Zealand to live with you. If your children are granted residence, they can live and study in New Zealand, and if they’re old enough, work too.

If you’re a Samoan citizen, we encourage you to register for a ballot to come to New Zealand. If your registration is drawn from the ballot, we may invite you to apply for residence. If you’re granted a resident visa, you’ll be able to work, live, and study in New Zealand indefinitely, while also enjoying our unique lifestyle.

SUSPENDED: Due to COVID-19, registrations are suspended until further notice. New dates will be advised within the next few months.

If you’re from Kiribati, Tuvalu, Tonga or Fiji, we encourage you to register for a ballot to come to New Zealand. If your registration is drawn from the ballot, we may invite you to apply for residence. If you’re granted a resident visa, you’ll be able to work, live, and study in New Zealand indefinitely, while also enjoying our unique lifestyle.

SUSPENDED: Due to COVID-19, registrations are suspended until further notice. New dates will be advised within the next few months.

You may be eligible for a Second or Subsequent Resident Visa if you held a New Zealand Resident Visa that has expired. Your eligibility will depend on how long it’s been since your Resident Visa expired and your commitment to New Zealand before that.

If you’ve been a resident visa holder for 2 years or more, and can show a commitment to living in New Zealand you can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa. Once granted, you can live and work in New Zealand permanently and come and go from New Zealand without travel conditions.

This visa is for holders of Talent (Arts, Culture, Sports) Work Visas who have been actively involved in New Zealand in their declared field of exceptional talent for more than 2 years. If you are still prominent in that field and your continued presence will enhance New Zealand’s accomplishments, you may be eligible for this resident visa. 

Australian citizens and permanent residents can visit, work and live in New Zealand. You do not need a visa before you travel to New Zealand.

This visa helps victims of family violence. You can apply for this visa if you were the partner of a New Zealand citizen or residence class visa holder and have experienced family violence.

You can apply for this visa if you’re a key employee of a business that’s relocating to New Zealand, and you’re not eligible to apply for any other kind of New Zealand resident visa. If we approve your application in principle, we’ll grant you a work visa to relocate the business. If you meet the conditions of your work visa, you may be able to live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely.

If you’re a New Zealand citizen or resident, you can bring a child you legally adopted from overseas to New Zealand to live with you. If your child is granted residence, they can stay in New Zealand indefinitely.

If you’re a Pitcairn Islander and you’ve been offered skilled employment in New Zealand, you can apply for a resident visa. You must be in good health, and of good character.

New Zealand residents who came to New Zealand as a refugee or protected person may be able to sponsor a family member (and their partner and dependent children) for New Zealand residence. Sponsors must register with us and if their registration is selected their family may apply for New Zealand residence.

This visa is for people who hold a South Island Contribution Work Visa. If you have remained employed in the same industry and region for 2 years since you were granted a South Island Contribution Work Visa, you may be eligible for this resident visa.

If you have an adult New Zealand citizen or resident child who earns enough and agrees to sponsor you, you may be able to live in New Zealand permanently. You need to send us an expression of interest explaining how you meet the requirements and be sponsored by your child, or your child and their partner, and we may invite you to apply for residence.

SUSPENDED: Due to COVID-19, selections for Expressions of Interest are suspended until further notice.

If you want to live in New Zealand permanently and you’re already in New Zealand on a valid Religious Worker Work Visa you may be able to apply for residence. You’ll need to have an offer of continuing work and sponsorship from the religious organisation that’s sponsoring you now, and 5 years’ religious work experience and/or training.

If you have had a Global Impact Work Visa for 30 months or more, you can apply for this residence visa to live in New Zealand permanently.