New Zealand Residence Visas

Pathways to Permanent Living

New Zealand Residence Visas

Turn New Zealand into your long-term home

A New Zealand residence visa could start your journey to a new life, whether you want to grow your career, join your family, or enjoy a better way of living. At Ezy Immigration, we help people and families navigate the tricky routes to obtain New Zealand residency—and citizenship.

 

A residence visa lets you live, work, and study in New Zealand for as long as you want. You also get to use public services like healthcare and education. Unlike short-term visas, residence visas help you set up a stable life.

 

Becoming a resident in New Zealand doesn’t follow a single path. You can take different routes depending on your abilities, connections, or how long you’ve lived in the country. Each option has its own set of rules—and we’re here to help you pick the best one for you.

Who Can Apply for a New Zealand Residence Visa?

You might qualify to live in New Zealand if you meet the requirements in one of these groups:

The Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa lets qualified professionals live and work in New Zealand permanently. Based on a points
The Green List Straight to Residence Visa offers a fast track to New Zealand residency for skilled workers in in-demand
The Green List Work to Residence Visa lets skilled workers in Tier 2 Green List jobs apply for New Zealand
Care for others, build your future in NZ. The Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa lets eligible carers apply for
Drive your future in NZ with the Transport Sector Work to Residence Visa. After 24 months in an eligible transport
Eddie Dhiman
Eddie Dhiman

Director & Licensed Immigration Adviser

Licensed Immigration
Adviser (NZ) # 201300919
LIAA Member
Registered MARA
Agent (AU) # 2117455

Why Pick Ezy Immigration?

Want help to find your best path to residency?

✔ Licensed immigration advisers

✔ Custom guidance for families, professionals, and students

✔ Assistance from application to approval

✔ Support to transition to permanent residency and citizenship

Frequently Asked Questions About New Zealand Residence Visas

A resident visa lets you live, work, and study in New Zealand for as long as you want, but it might limit your travel (normally for 2 years). A permanent resident visa doesn’t have any travel rules and allows you to come back to NZ whenever you like.

Your qualification depends on your circumstances—your job, skills, family connections, or the time you’ve spent in New Zealand. We can evaluate your situation and point you toward the best option.

Yes, you can apply for residence if you have an eligible work visa (such as Accredited Employer Work Visa or Work to Residence) and meet the requirements.

For the Skilled Migrant Category, a job offer boosts your points significantly. Other pathways (like partnership) don’t need it.

The time to process varies depending on the visa category and how strong your application is. It takes between 3–9 months.

Yes, you can include your partner and dependent children in most residence visa applications.

Some categories (like SMC) might need English test results such as IELTS. Others (like partnership) might not have this requirement.

Not always. Some categories allow you to apply from overseas, while others require you to be in New Zealand.

Want to Become a New Zealand Resident?

Relocating to New Zealand for good is a big life choice. If you’re applying as a skilled worker or joining your family, our team will make sure the process goes , follows all rules, and doesn’t cause you worry.