Match the New Zealand route to your current position
| Route | Typical starting point | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| AEWV | Qualifying offer from an accredited employer | Employer, job, hours, pay, skill and qualification conditions |
| Skilled Migrant Category | Skilled New Zealand job or offer plus the required points | Registration, qualification or income points and any New Zealand work needed |
| Straight to Residence | Eligible Tier 1 Green List role and qualifying offer | Exact occupation, qualification, registration and pay criteria |
| Work to Residence | Eligible pathway role followed by required work | Time, employer, role, pay and residence conditions |
| Study to work | Education has standalone value and leads to an eligible post-study route | Provider, qualification, funds, work rights and current post-study policy |
Check occupational registration before the job search
Health, teaching, electrical, legal, and other regulated work may require New Zealand registration. Immigration approval does not grant professional registration. Ask the regulator whether your qualification is recognised, what exams or supervised practice apply, and whether provisional status is possible.
Verify employer accreditation and job details
An AEWV normally depends on an eligible offer from an accredited employer. Check the employer through official channels and verify the written role, location, minimum hours, pay, duties, duration, and qualification or experience requirements. Never pay for a job offer.
Understand the six-point residence model
The Skilled Migrant Category requires a skilled New Zealand job or job offer and six points. Points may come from occupational registration, qualifications, or income, with New Zealand skilled work used in some combinations. Calculate from official definitions and current thresholds.
Compare Green List and other skilled residence routes
Some exact occupations may support Straight to Residence or Work to Residence when every listed qualification, registration, pay, and job condition is met. Similar job titles are not automatically interchangeable, so match duties and the official occupation entry.
Build evidence around the actual role
Prepare identity, qualifications, registration, employment references, pay evidence, job offer, employment agreement, police and medical evidence as required. Employment letters should describe genuine duties and dates and agree with the visa role.
Plan family, settlement and fallback outcomes
Compare partner and child eligibility, location, housing, licensing time, transport, health cover, and the outcome if the job ends. A temporary work visa is not a promise of residence, so the plan should remain viable without a later policy outcome.
Step by step
- 1
Identify the exact occupation and regulator
Confirm whether registration is legally required and start recognition early.
- 2
Compare residence and temporary routes
Check SMC, Green List pathways, AEWV and relevant sector routes against the same job.
- 3
Target accredited employers
Use a role-specific CV and verify employer status, while refusing any request to buy an offer.
- 4
Validate the employment agreement
Check duties, location, hours, pay, duration, and conditions against the chosen visa.
- 5
Prepare visa evidence
Use Immigration New Zealand's current checklist and keep employment and registration evidence consistent.
- 6
Track residence readiness
Record points, qualifying work periods, registration, pay and expiry dates without assuming future eligibility.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a job offer for New Zealand skilled residence?
The current Skilled Migrant Category requires a skilled New Zealand job or job offer. Green List and work routes also have role and employer conditions; verify the specific visa.
What does six points mean for Skilled Migrant Category?
Applicants need six points from permitted skill indicators and, in some combinations, New Zealand skilled work. A qualifying skilled job or offer and all other requirements are also necessary.
Does an AEWV lead automatically to residence?
No. It is a temporary work visa. Residence depends on meeting a separate route's criteria, which may include an exact occupation, registration, pay, employer, and qualifying work period.
Can an overseas pharmacist work immediately in New Zealand?
Pharmacist is regulated. Overseas-qualified applicants must use the Pharmacy Council's applicable registration route and separately obtain immigration permission to work.
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