New Zealand Immigration

Work to Residence Visa

Work to Residence Visa

The Work to Residence category allows you to get a temporary work visa and/or permit as a step towards gaining permanent residence. Applicants may be qualified in occupations that are in demand in New Zealand, or may have exceptional talent in sports or the arts.

You can apply for a work visa or permit when you are either living outside of New Zealand and want to travel there, or are already in New Zealand but are not working.

To obtain the Work to Residence Visa you must first meet the standard requirements as listed on our main Visa page.

Your partner or dependent children cannot be included in your application. They will need to apply for their own visitor, student or work visa or permit to come to New Zealand. Once you hold a work visa or permit, your partner may be able to apply for a work visa and work permit under the Family category.

The Work to Residence Visa and Permit allows you to live and work in New Zealand for up to two and a half years. After working for the full two years, you can apply for permanent residence in New Zealand.

If you had applied for permanent residence (PR) and were granted the Work To Residence instead, you can still reapply for permanent residence once you have been working in New Zealand. Check with the New Zealand Immigration Services for details.