Stage 01 · Before you come
Visas, explained.
The paths most students, graduates and skilled families actually take, laid side by side. What each one is for, what it lets you do, and where the current rules live. We explain. We don't advise.
How to read this page
Everything here is information. It tells you what a visa category is broadly for and where to read the official rules. It cannot tell you which visa you should apply for, whether you would qualify, or what to write on a form. That is immigration advice, and in New Zealand only two kinds of people may give it: advisers licensed by the Immigration Advisers Authority (IAA), and people the law exempts, such as New Zealand lawyers.
Rules change, sometimes several times a year. Where we say "check the current rules", we mean it. The only place that is always current is immigration.govt.nz. Everything below is written to stay true in general terms, and it links there for the specifics.
Side by side
The paths most people take
Kept deliberately general. The "leads to" column is what commonly happens next, not a promise. The current criteria for every row are on immigration.govt.nz.
| Path | Who it is for | Work rights | Commonly leads to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student | People enrolled full-time with an approved education provider. | Limited part-time hours while studying, with more during scheduled breaks. Conditions vary by course. | Post-study work, if the qualification qualifies. |
| Post-study work | Recent graduates of eligible NZ qualifications. | Open work rights, for a set period tied to what and where you studied. | An employer-supported work visa, or a residence pathway. |
| Accredited Employer Work Visa | People with a job offer from an employer accredited with Immigration NZ. | Work for that employer, in that role, under the conditions of the visa. | Residence, for some roles and wage levels. |
| Skilled Migrant (points) | Skilled workers who meet a points threshold based on things like qualifications, registration and pay. | Residence: full work rights. | Permanent residence and, later, citizenship. |
| Green List | People in specific in-demand occupations on the published list, with a qualifying job offer. | Depends on the tier: some go straight to residence, others work first then apply. | Residence. |
| Partner & family | Partners and dependent children of NZ citizens, residents, and some visa holders. | Usually tied to the partner's status. Some partner visas carry open work rights, some do not. | Residence, once the relationship and status criteria are met. |
Two typical journeys
What the path often looks like
Two common shapes. Yours will differ. The point is to see the sequence, so nothing arrives as a surprise.
A graduate
Student visa
Enrol, arrive, study. Start the network in week one, not the last term.
How the job market works →Post-study work
Open work rights for a set period. The window that decides most outcomes.
The graduate playbook →Employer-supported work
An accredited employer and a role that meets the rules. Often the bridge to residence.
Accreditation, explained →Residence
Points, a Green List role, or a partner route. Each has its own bar.
Residence pathways →A skilled migrant family
Job offer
Usually from an accredited employer, often secured from overseas.
What accreditation means →Work visa + partner and children
The main applicant's visa, plus partner and child visas. Schools and health cover matter here.
The landing checklist →Settle and prove it
Rent, IRD, bank, GP, school. Keep every payslip and letter as evidence.
What it costs →Residence application
Skilled Migrant points or a Green List route. Then permanent residence.
Residence pathways →Residence is the goal for most people who arrive on a temporary visa. Here is the general shape, without the specifics that change.
The main routes, in general terms
- Skilled Migrant Category. A points-based route. Points come from things like your qualification, professional registration, and how your pay compares with the median wage (a national pay figure Immigration NZ publishes and updates). You need a qualifying job or job offer. The threshold and how points are counted are set by Immigration NZ and have changed before.
- Green List. A published list of occupations New Zealand wants. Some roles have a direct route to residence with a qualifying offer. Others require a period of work first. Which tier your role sits in matters a great deal, so check the current list, not a screenshot from a forum.
- Work to Residence for specific sectors. Some sectors have their own residence arrangements. These come and go with policy. If someone tells you about one, find it on immigration.govt.nz before you plan around it.
- Partner of a New Zealander. Based on a genuine and stable relationship with a citizen or resident. Evidence of living together over time is central.
- Dependent children. Usually included in a parent's application, with age and dependency rules.
What almost every route has in common
- Health and character checks, including police certificates from countries you have lived in.
- An English language requirement for the main applicant, met in a few possible ways.
- Evidence. Payslips, employment agreements, tenancy agreements, tax records. Start a folder now.
- Fees, and time. Processing times are published and move around.
What it costs
Fees, roughly
Government application fee plus the immigration levy, for one applicant. These are Band A fees, for people already in New Zealand when they apply. Applying from outside New Zealand usually costs more, and the band depends on your citizenship. Check the fee finder for yours. Sourced
| Visa | Fee + levy | Total, NZ$ |
|---|---|---|
| Student | $485 + $265 | $750 |
| Post-study work | $320 + $1,350 | $1,670 |
| Accredited Employer Work Visa | $480 + $1,060 | $1,540 |
| Skilled Migrant residence, main applicant | $2,880 + $3,570 | $6,450 |
| Dependent child, residence | $1,830 + $1,400 | $3,230 |
| Partner & family, temporary to residence | varies by visa | $1,630 – $5,360 |
| Extras around the fee Estimate | Medicals, police certificates, English tests, translations, courier. A licensed adviser, if you use one, on top: ask for a written quote. | $500 – $3,000+ |
- Students: insurance, which is compulsory, and any medical or police certificates cost extra. Some nationalities also pay a $100 International Visitor Levy.
- Accredited Employer Work Visa: the employer pays for accreditation and the job check. You pay the visa fee. Ask who is covering what before you sign anything.
- Residence: partners and each dependent child pay their own fee and levy on top of the main applicant's, plus medicals and police certificates for everyone.
register
Red flags with advisers
Four signs to stop and check.
Most advisers are careful professionals. A few are not, and the people they hurt are usually new here and short on time. None of these signs proves wrongdoing. Any one of them is a reason to pause and check.
If you think you have been given immigration advice by someone unlicensed, the IAA takes complaints. Keep the messages.
Search the IAA registerNo licence number, or a number that is not on the register
Ask for it in writing. Search it yourself. "I work with a licensed adviser" is not the same as being one.
Guarantees
Nobody can guarantee a visa. Immigration NZ decides. "100% success" and "we know people inside" are sales lines, not services.
Cash only, no receipt
Licensed advisers must handle client money properly. Refusing a receipt or bank transfer is a warning in itself.
No written agreement
Licensed advisers are required to give you a written agreement setting out the services and fees before work starts. If there is none, stop.