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Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa: How It Works

The Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa is for people aged 55 or younger who have worked 24 months in the 30 before applying in one of nine listed care jobs, paid at least the care workforce wage rate in place at the start, and who hold or are offered a care job with an accredited employer. INZ showed a fee of NZD 6,450 on 9 October 2026.

The Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa is a sector-specific residence route for people working in New Zealand's care sector. People searching "care workforce work to residence visa" are usually trying to find which jobs count, what the pay rule is and how the 24 months are counted.

This guide explains the rules as Immigration New Zealand (INZ) publishes them on its Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa page, its care workforce and transport sector pathway page, its work to residence wage rates page, its English language page and its fee finder, all read on 9 October 2026. It describes how the visa works. It does not say whether any reader's job is on the list, whether pay is high enough or whether they would qualify, because applying the rules to a person's own facts is immigration advice that only a licensed immigration adviser or a lawyer may give in New Zealand.

The visa has a close relative, the Transport Work to Residence Visa, which uses the same pathway page. This guide covers the care workforce visa only.

What the visa is

INZ's description: "Apply for this resident visa if you currently have a job or job offer from an accredited employer and have worked in New Zealand for 24 months in a selected care workforce job."

It is a resident visa that lets the holder "live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely", with travel conditions for 2 years, and the holder can include a partner and dependent children aged 24 or younger. INZ's page showed the cost as NZD 6,450. INZ's fee finder, queried on 9 October 2026 for an Indian passport holder applying from New Zealand, also showed NZD 6,450, and no processing time was shown for this visa.

INZ places the visa on a shared pathway: "This pathway to New Zealand residence is for people who work in the care workforce or transport sectors." The pathway leads to either the Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa or the Transport Work to Residence Visa. INZ says jobs in the two sectors are covered by a sector list, and that the applicant "must meet the job's requirements for qualification, registration and wage rate to gain work experience and to apply for residence."

The Care Workforce visa differs from the general Work to Residence Visa, which is tied to Green List Tier 2 jobs. Both need 24 months of work in New Zealand in the 30 months before applying and an accredited employer, but they use different job lists and different pay rules. The guide to the Work to Residence Visa covers the general rules.

The requirements, as INZ lists them

INZ says an applicant must:

  • be aged 55 or younger when applying;
  • work in, or have an offer for, an approved care sector job;
  • meet the work experience requirements, including having worked in New Zealand for at least 24 months within the 30 months immediately before applying;
  • have a job, or a job offer, in a care workforce job with an accredited employer, either when applying or when the visa is decided;
  • be in good health and of good character;
  • have a genuine relationship with any partner and dependent children being included; and
  • speak and understand English.

INZ adds a work visa condition. For at least 24 months before applying, the applicant must have had a work visa, or a Critical Purpose Visitor Visa that allowed work. INZ checks its records for the full 24 months and counts one or more work visas, a Critical Purpose Visitor Visa that allowed work, or an Interim Visa granted while applying for another work visa or Critical Purpose Visitor Visa. The Critical Purpose Visitor Visa is now closed.

The nine care workforce jobs

INZ lists the care workforce jobs. To count, work in New Zealand must have been in one of these:

  • Māori Health Assistant — Kaiawhina (Hauora)
  • Disabilities Services Officer
  • Residential Care Officer
  • Aged or Disabled Carer
  • Nursing Support Worker
  • Personal Care Assistant
  • Therapy Aide
  • Child or Youth Residential Care Assistant
  • Diversional Therapist.

Whether any particular job title, employer description or duties fit one of those names is a matter of the facts in the employment agreement and job description, and INZ asks for those documents. This guide does not say that any job fits.

If a job is later removed from the care workforce list, INZ says time worked in that job still counts toward the 24 months, provided the worker remains in that job and keeps being paid at least the care workforce sector wage rate that was in place when the work experience started.

The wage rate

INZ's rule: the applicant must have been paid at least the care workforce sector wage rate in place at the start of the period, and must continue to be paid it. INZ's work to residence wage rates page shows the care workforce sector agreement rates:

  • From 1 July 2022: NZD 28.25 an hour.
  • 29 September 2021 to 30 June 2022: NZD 27.00 an hour.

INZ says the rates in the table are hourly rates in New Zealand dollars. The current job or offer must be paid at least "the wage rate in place when you started counting your 24-month work experience (or the equivalent salary)". The rate that applies is therefore fixed by the date counting began, not by the date of the residence application.

INZ's text for the general Work to Residence Visa explains that a rate set at the start of counting is kept even if the rate later rises, and that the look-back is 30 months. The care workforce page applies the same logic in its own words: the applicant must have worked 24 months out of the last 30 and been paid at least the rate in place at the start.

Because these rates have a start date, the date a person began counting work is the key fact, and it is the fact INZ checks against pay slips, agreements and Inland Revenue earnings summaries.

For context, INZ's AEWV page records that some care workforce sector agreement jobs paid below NZD 29.66 an hour (the February 2023 median wage) may not need to provide additional evidence of the AEWV's minimum skill requirements. That concerns the work visa, not this residence visa.

How the 24 months are counted

INZ's rules for counting work experience:

  • The applicant must have worked in a care workforce job for at least 24 months in the 30 months before applying.
  • The months can be made up in several stretches. INZ's example for the pathway: two lots of 12 months with a gap of 6 months in between.
  • Annual, bereavement or other leave the worker is legally entitled to, such as parental leave, counts.
  • Some of the time can be in a job that is not in the care workforce, but only if that job is in Tier 2 of the Green List, is a transport sector job, or paid at least twice the median wage at the time.

The 30-month window means older work can drop out if an application is delayed. INZ's pathway page tells applicants to apply once they have gained 24 months of relevant work experience, are working in, or have an offer for, an approved job with an accredited employer, and meet the other requirements, including qualification, registration and wage rate.

The visa history also has to fit. The applicant must hold a work visa or have held one for the 24 months before applying, which is why the visa type matters. INZ says the 24 months can be worked on any work visa that lets the person work full-time in the job, including an Accredited Employer Work Visa and, for people who already had it, a Critical Purpose Work Visa.

The current job or offer

INZ says the applicant must have an offer of a job, or already work, in the care workforce, and the job must be:

  • full-time;
  • with an accredited employer, which can be accredited when the application is made or when the visa is decided;
  • permanent or fixed-term for at least 12 months; and
  • paid at least the wage rate in place when counting of the 24 months of work experience started, or the equivalent salary.

The employer's accreditation is under the Accredited Employer Work Visa policy. The guide to AEWV employer accreditation explains what that involves and INZ's accredited employer list shows who currently holds it.

Evidence. INZ lists for the current job or offer an employment agreement, a fixed-term contract, or a letter offering the job and describing the job, hours of work, length of employment and pay. Documents from employers should be on official letterhead and signed by an authorised person. For work experience INZ lists an employment agreement, pay slips, a job description and an Inland Revenue summary of earnings that also confirms the 24 months. The employment agreement must contain all the clauses New Zealand employment law requires.

If the same documents were provided with the most recent work visa application, INZ says they only need to be provided again if pay or conditions have changed.

English, health, character and family

English. INZ's skilled residence English page names the Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa. The principal applicant can show English through citizenship, work and study, or a test taken in person in the 2 years before applying. Minimum scores for the principal applicant are IELTS 6.5, TOEFL iBT 79, PTE Academic 58 or Cambridge B2 First 176. A partner or dependent child aged 16 or older has lower scores (IELTS 5, TOEFL iBT 35, PTE Academic 36, B2 First 154) or can pay for English lessons in New Zealand; the principal applicant cannot use the lessons option. There is no requirement for children under 16.

Health. Everyone included aged 15 or older needs a chest X-ray and medical examination. Children aged 10 or younger need an examination but no X-ray unless asked, and children aged 11 to 14 need both. Evidence must be less than 3 months old when INZ receives it.

Character. Anyone included who is 17 or older provides police certificates less than 6 months old, from the countries of citizenship and any country where 12 months or more were spent in the last 10 years. They must show any record at any time.

Family. A partner and dependent children aged 24 or younger can be included, with documents proving the relationship. If a partner or dependent child already has, or has applied for, a work, student or visitor visa based on the relationship, INZ says they must be included in the residence application.

Fee, application and what follows

INZ describes the application cost as the charge to process the application, says it does not refund the cost if the application is declined and says a non-refundable immigration levy is included. Payment is online by Visa, Mastercard or UnionPay. Fees vary by passport and place of application, so the fee finder is the reference.

INZ's steps: gather documents, submit the application and pay, wait for a decision and check the application status. A person in New Zealand must hold a valid visa while waiting, and INZ advises applying for a new temporary visa if the current one may expire. In that case an Interim Visa may be granted if the current visa expires before the decision.

After approval, INZ says the visa allows work in any job for any employer and study anywhere for any length of time. Travel conditions expire 2 years from first arrival as a resident, or from the grant date if already in New Zealand; after that a Permanent Resident Visa or an extension is needed, and a holder outside New Zealand when the conditions expire loses the visa. INZ says a Permanent Resident Visa can be applied for after holding this visa for 2 years in a row, and that for most people 5 years as a resident may allow a citizenship application, without a Permanent Resident Visa first.

Where the rules tend to bite

The care workforce visa's published rules put weight on four things.

The job list. Only nine named jobs count as care workforce jobs, and the other jobs INZ allows for part of the 24 months are limited to Tier 2 Green List jobs, transport sector jobs and jobs paid twice the median wage.

The start date and wage rate. The rate is fixed when counting began, and INZ checks it against pay records.

The 30-month window. Work older than 30 months before the application cannot be counted.

The employer. The employer must be accredited when the application is made or decided, and the job must be full-time and at least 12 months.

Whether a specific worker's jobs, dates, pay and employer meet those tests depends on their documents. That is a question for a licensed immigration adviser or a New Zealand lawyer. The Immigration Advisers Authority's public register shows who is licensed, and INZ says licensed advisers must follow a Code of Conduct set by the Authority.

Finding a licensed immigration adviser

Migratio lists licensed immigration advisers so you can compare them and contact one directly. Every listing shows the adviser's licence number, which you can check on the Immigration Advisers Authority's public register before you book. We don't assess cases and don't tell anyone which visa or pathway fits them; that is the adviser's job.

Questions people ask

What jobs count for the Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa?

INZ lists nine: Māori Health Assistant (Kaiawhina Hauora), Disabilities Services Officer, Residential Care Officer, Aged or Disabled Carer, Nursing Support Worker, Personal Care Assistant, Therapy Aide, Child or Youth Residential Care Assistant and Diversional Therapist.

What pay rate does the care workforce visa need?

INZ's wage page shows the care workforce sector rate as NZD 28.25 an hour from 1 July 2022 (NZD 27.00 for 29 September 2021 to 30 June 2022). The applicant must have been paid at least the rate in place when counting started.

How much does the Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa cost?

INZ showed NZD 6,450 on 9 October 2026, including a non-refundable immigration levy. The fee is not refunded if the application is declined. It varies by passport and place of application, so check INZ's fee finder.

How are the 24 months counted?

INZ says at least 24 months in a care workforce job within the 30 months before applying. The months can be in several stretches, and legally entitled leave counts. Some of the time can be in a Tier 2 Green List job, a transport sector job or a job paid at least twice the median wage.

Does the employer need to be accredited?

Yes. INZ says the applicant needs a care workforce job or offer with an employer accredited under the Accredited Employer Work Visa policy, either when applying or when the visa is decided. The job must be full-time and permanent or fixed-term for at least 12 months.

Is this the same as the Work to Residence Visa?

No. The general Work to Residence Visa uses Green List Tier 2 jobs. The care workforce visa uses a separate list of nine care jobs and the care workforce sector wage rate. Both need 24 months of work in the 30 months before applying and an accredited employer.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-09.

Related guides

  • Work to Residence Visa (Green List Tier 2): How It Works — The Work to Residence Visa is for people aged 55 or younger who have worked 24 months in a Green List Tier 2 job in New Zealand within the 30 months before applying, and who hold or are offered a job with an accredited employer. INZ showed a fee of NZD 6,450 on 9 October 2026. The wage rate that counts is the one in force when the work experience started.
  • Straight to Residence Visa (Green List Tier 1): How It Works — The Straight to Residence Visa is for people aged 55 or younger with a job or offer from an accredited employer in a Green List Tier 1 role, paid the role's specified rate or the median wage. INZ showed a fee of NZD 6,450 and 80% of applications completed within 3 months on 9 October 2026. The role list is searchable on INZ's site.
  • Green List and SMC Rules Side by Side — New Zealand has three main skilled residence routes: Straight to Residence (Green List Tier 1), Work to Residence (Tier 2) and the Skilled Migrant Category. All three need an applicant aged 55 or younger, an accredited employer and English, and all cost from NZD 6,450. They differ in how they start, how much New Zealand work is needed and how pay is measured.
  • Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV): The 2026 Rules — The Accredited Employer Work Visa is New Zealand's main employer-sponsored work visa. The job must be full-time (30+ hours), with an accredited employer holding an approved job check, and paid at least the required rate. INZ showed a fee of NZD 1,540 and 80% of applications within 5 weeks on 9 October 2026. The longest continuous stay is 5 years, or 3 years for skill level 4 or 5 jobs.
  • AEWV Employer Accreditation and Job Check: How They Work — To hire a migrant on an Accredited Employer Work Visa, a New Zealand employer first gets accredited (NZD 775 standard, 1,280 high-volume), usually advertises the job, then pays NZD 735 for each job check. INZ's wait times page showed accreditation averaging 2 days and job checks about 2 days, with most done within 1 to 1.5 weeks.
  • NZ Permanent Resident Visa: The 2-Year Rules and Five Commitment Tests — The Permanent Resident Visa is for people who have held a resident visa for at least 2 years in a row and can show commitment to New Zealand in one of five set ways, of which the 184-days-a-year test is only one. INZ showed NZD 315 and 80% within 2 weeks on 9 October 2026.