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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.

People searching "skilled migrant category or Green List" are usually trying to see how the main skilled residence routes differ. This guide lays the published rules next to each other, using Immigration New Zealand (INZ) pages for the Straight to Residence Visa, the Work to Residence Visa, the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Resident Visa, the work to residence wage rates, the English language requirements and INZ's fee finder, all read on 9 October 2026.

It compares rules. It does not say which route is better, easier or faster for anyone, and it does not say whether a reader's job, qualifications or pay fit any route. Choosing a route for a particular person is immigration advice, which only a licensed immigration adviser or a lawyer may give in New Zealand. If a rule below looks like a fit or a miss for your own situation, that is the point to talk to one.

Three notes on reading the comparison. First, INZ sets some figures by date, so the date of each figure is given. Second, each route has detail this guide cannot reproduce; the INZ page is the authority. Third, the order of the routes below is the order INZ's own pages use, not a ranking.

The three routes in one paragraph each

Straight to Residence Visa (Green List Tier 1). INZ: "Apply for this visa if you have a job or job offer with an accredited employer, and your job is on Tier 1 of the Green List of in-demand jobs." Residence is granted directly, with no minimum period of New Zealand work. INZ's page showed NZD 6,450 and 80% of applications within 3 months.

Work to Residence Visa (Green List Tier 2). INZ: for people with a job or offer with an accredited employer who "have worked in New Zealand for 24 months in a Green List Tier 2 job that meets our requirements". INZ's page showed NZD 6,450 and no processing time.

Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa. INZ: an expression of interest (EOI) first, then, if accepted, an invitation to apply. The applicant must have a job or offer from an accredited employer and meet one of three pathways: Points-based, Skilled Work Experience, or Trades and Technician. INZ's page showed NZD 6,450 for the application, with no fee for the EOI.

All three are resident visas that let the holder live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely and include a partner and dependent children aged 24 or younger.

How each one starts

The routes begin differently, and the difference is procedural.

Straight to Residence and Work to Residence are applied for directly in INZ's online system. There is no expression of interest stage and no invitation. The Work to Residence Visa also needs a record of work already done: INZ requires 24 months in a Tier 2 job within the previous 30 months, and a work visa held for at least 24 months before applying.

The SMC starts with an expression of interest. INZ says there is no fee to submit one, and "after you submit your EOI, we will tell you immediately whether you meet the requirements". If the requirements are met, INZ emails an invitation to apply (ITA). The visa application must be submitted within 4 months of receiving the ITA, under the pathway the invitation was issued for, or a new EOI is needed. If an International Qualification Assessment is needed, INZ says to apply for it before submitting the EOI because the reference number goes into the EOI.

INZ's SMC page also carries a "check your points" tool. When a Green List role is selected in it, the tool flags the role as Green List and says a Straight to Residence or Work to Residence visa may be available. INZ's own tool is the place for a point check; this guide does not run one.

Age, employer and job

Age. All three: 55 or younger when applying. INZ checks the identity document to confirm age.

Employer. All three need an accredited employer. For Straight to Residence the job must be with an accredited employer; for Work to Residence the employer can be accredited when the application is made or when it is decided; SMC requires an offer of, or work in, a skilled job with an accredited employer. The accredited employer list is published by INZ.

Job. The kind of job INZ wants differs.

  • Straight to Residence: a Tier 1 job on the Green List, full-time, permanent or fixed-term for at least 12 months (from the application date), or a contract or continuous contracts for at least 6 months.
  • Work to Residence: a Tier 2 Green List job, full-time, permanent or fixed-term for at least 12 months from the application date.
  • SMC: a skilled job that is with an accredited employer, full-time (at least 30 hours a week), permanent or fixed-term for at least 12 months or a contract or continuous contracts for at least 6 months, and which meets the pay requirement for the pathway. INZ states that the job title and description should mostly match ANZSCO.

Green List requirements apply on top for the two Green List visas. INZ says they "can include needing to be paid a certain amount or have a specific registration, professional membership, or qualification" and appear against each role on the Green List page.

INZ also states that Tier 1 teaching in Straight to Residence is "designed for experienced teachers" paid at the median wage and is not intended for newly graduated teachers.

Pay rules

The three routes measure pay in three ways, which is often where the confusion starts.

Straight to Residence. At least the rate specified for the Tier 1 job, or NZD 35.00 an hour (INZ calls it the 2025 median wage) if none is specified. INZ's wage page shows higher specified rates from 9 March 2026 for some roles, for example 208% of the median (NZD 72.80) for ICT, electronics and telecommunications, and 130% (NZD 45.50) for external and internal auditors.

Work to Residence. The rate in place for the Tier 2 job when counting of work experience started, or the median wage then if none is specified. Rates are percentages of the median for named jobs (115%, 130% or 150%), and the rate fixed at the start date can differ from today's. From 9 March 2026 the median is NZD 35.00.

SMC. Pay is tied to the SMC wage threshold, which INZ shows as NZD 35.00 an hour from 9 March 2026 (3 times is NZD 105.00). The Points-based pathway gives points for income of 1.5 times (3 points), 2 times (4 points) or 3 times (6 points) the threshold. The Skilled Work Experience pathway needs pay of at least 1.1 times the threshold; the Trades and Technician pathway needs at least the threshold. INZ says that the threshold in force when skilled work experience started counting applies to that experience.

The point to take from this: a figure like "NZD 35.00" appears in all three, but it is a different measure in each, and the date it was set matters.

Qualifications and work experience

Straight to Residence. No minimum New Zealand work period. The role's Green List entry may require a qualification, registration or pay level.

Work to Residence. 24 months of eligible full-time work in New Zealand within 30 months, plus any qualification or registration the Green List job needs.

SMC Points-based. 6 skilled resident points from one category: qualification, New Zealand occupational registration or income. Up to 3 more points can come from skilled work experience in New Zealand (1 year gives 1 point, 1.5 years gives 2, 2 years gives 3). INZ's tables give, for example, 6 points for a New Zealand doctoral degree and 5 for a New Zealand bachelor's degree, and 4 for an international bachelor's degree with an International Qualification Assessment. INZ states that non-degree qualifications at level 7 or below earn no points.

SMC Skilled Work Experience pathway. INZ's page lists: a skill level 1 to 3 job paid at least 1.1 times the threshold; at least 3 years of relevant work experience in a skill level 1 to 3 occupation; and a further 2 years of skilled work experience in New Zealand at 1.1 times the threshold. Amber List jobs carry extra requirements, and Red List and skill level 4 or 5 jobs are not eligible. Relevant experience must fall within 10 years of applying; skilled experience within twice the period required.

SMC Trades and Technician pathway. A job in an eligible trades and technician occupation paid at least the threshold; a relevant qualification at level 4 or equivalent or higher; at least 2.5 years of relevant post-qualification work experience; and 1.5 years of post-qualification skilled work experience in New Zealand at the threshold. A New Zealand qualification needs at least 120 credits; an international one needs an International Qualification Assessment.

English, health, character and family

INZ applies the same English standard to all three. Its skilled residence English page names the Straight to Residence, Work to Residence and SMC visas (and the Care Workforce and Transport Work to Residence Visas) and says "a higher standard of English is required for a skilled residence visa than for other residence visas."

The principal applicant can show English through citizenship, work and study, or a test taken in person within 2 years of applying. Minimum scores for the principal applicant are IELTS 6.5, TOEFL iBT 79, PTE Academic 58 and 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 lessons in New Zealand. The principal applicant cannot use the lessons option.

Health and character rules are the same across the three pages: good health, chest X-ray and medical examination for those aged 15 or older, police certificates for those 17 or older that are less than 6 months old, and a genuine relationship with any partner or dependent children included.

Family. All three allow a partner and dependent children aged 24 or younger to be included. If a partner or child already holds or has applied for a work, student or visitor visa based on the relationship, INZ's Work to Residence and Care Workforce Work to Residence pages say they must be included in the residence application.

Fees and timing

INZ's fee finder, queried on 9 October 2026, showed:

  • Straight to Residence Visa: NZD 6,450; 80% within 3 months.
  • Work to Residence Visa: NZD 6,450; no processing time shown.
  • SMC: no fee for the expression of interest; NZD 6,450 to apply for residence; 80% within 3.5 months for applications under the current criteria. INZ shows a separate figure of 41 months for applications made under the previous criteria.

Each fee is a charge to process the application, includes a non-refundable immigration levy and is not refunded if the application is declined. Fees vary by passport and place of application, so the finder is the reference.

After approval the three visas are similar in INZ's descriptions: work in any job for any employer, study anywhere, travel conditions for 2 years from arrival, a Permanent Resident Visa after 2 years in a row, and for most people a citizenship application possible after 5 years as a resident.

What this comparison cannot tell you

A side-by-side table of rules cannot say which route a particular person meets. The rules turn on facts that are not visible from outside: the tier a specific job is listed under, the pay rate in force on a particular start date, the points a given qualification earns once assessed, how an employer's accreditation stands, and whether past work counts under the date-based rules.

INZ itself draws that line. Its page on getting immigration advice defines advice as information "tailored to your individual needs and situation, such as what type of visa you should apply for". INZ also says an applicant is not required to use an adviser, and that anyone who does should use a licensed immigration adviser, a certified New Zealand lawyer or someone else legally able to provide the advice.

Where two routes both appear to describe the same job, the choice of route, the order of steps and the timing of an application are all matters of advice. A licensed adviser can review the documents, say which rules apply on the relevant dates and explain the risks. INZ's tools, the Green List search and the SMC points check, are the place to start reading rules.

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 is the difference between Green List and SMC in NZ?

Per INZ, Green List Tier 1 jobs lead to the Straight to Residence Visa and Tier 2 jobs lead to the Work to Residence Visa. The Skilled Migrant Category starts with an expression of interest and has three pathways. All three need an accredited employer and cost from NZD 6,450 to apply.

Do the Green List and SMC have the same age limit?

Yes. INZ's pages for all three skilled residence visas say the applicant must be 55 or younger when applying.

Is there an expression of interest for the Green List visas?

No. INZ's Straight to Residence and Work to Residence pages describe applying directly online. Only the SMC uses an expression of interest, which has no fee, and then an invitation to apply.

Does Work to Residence need New Zealand work experience when Straight to Residence does not?

INZ's pages say the Work to Residence Visa needs 24 months of work in a Tier 2 job in the 30 months before applying. The Straight to Residence Visa page lists no minimum period of New Zealand work.

Do the three visas use the same English standard?

Yes. INZ's skilled residence English page covers them together: the principal applicant needs, for example, IELTS 6.5 overall or an equivalent, or can show English through citizenship, work and study.

Can this guide tell me which route to use?

No. Choosing a route for a particular person is immigration advice, which in New Zealand only a licensed immigration adviser or lawyer may give. The guide explains the published rules.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-09.

Related guides

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • SMC Points in NZ: How the 6-Point System Works — The Skilled Migrant Category points-based pathway needs 6 skilled resident points. INZ lets points come from one category only (qualification, occupational registration or income), topped up by up to 3 points of New Zealand skilled work experience. This guide sets out INZ's published tables as read on 9 October 2026.
  • SMC Wage Threshold 2026: NZD 35 an Hour and the Rate History — From 9 March 2026 the Skilled Migrant Category wage threshold is NZD 35.00 an hour. INZ fixes the rate that applies to a person when their skilled work experience starts counting, and says that once set, it does not change. This guide sets out INZ's published rate history, multiples and worked examples as read on 9 October 2026.
  • SMC EOI and Invitation to Apply: Step by Step — A Skilled Migrant Category application starts with an expression of interest (EOI). INZ charges no fee for it, tells the applicant immediately whether the requirements are met, and, if so, emails an invitation to apply that must be used within 4 months. This guide follows INZ's published steps as read on 9 October 2026.
  • SMC Skilled Work Experience Pathway Explained — INZ's Skilled Work Experience pathway to residence is built on work history, not a degree: a skill level 1 to 3 job paid at 1.1 times the SMC wage threshold, 3 years of relevant experience and a further 2 years of skilled experience in New Zealand. Amber List jobs face higher requirements; Red List jobs are excluded. All rules here are INZ's, read on 9 October 2026.