New Zealand announces changes in Work To Residence visa rules: Big relief for skilled foreign workers

The required wage rate is the minimum amount a foreign worker must be paid so that their work experience counts towards residence.

Work to Residence Visa

A Work to Residence Visa lets them stay in New Zealand indefinitely. After one has this visa for 2 years in a row, they can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa that lets them travel in and out of New Zealand indefinitely.

A foreign worker can apply for a Work to Residence Visa if they currently have a job or job offer with an accredited employer, and have worked in New Zealand for 24 months in a Green List Tier 2 in-demand job.

Who does this impact?

The changes touch three specific visa categories – Anyone currently holding, or planning to apply for, a Tier 2 Green List Work to Residence Visa, Transport Work to Residence Visa, or Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa, plus a wider pool of skilled migrants applying through the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Visa route.

For Indian workers in these categories, especially in caregiving, transport, and green-list occupations, this is a rule that directly affects how much they need to earn and when, on the path to becoming a New Zealand resident.

What the current rule says

Under the wage rate rules in place right now, applicants must meet the required wage rate at three separate points:

To begin counting their 24 months of work experience

If they change jobs or employers while counting that work experience

In their current job or job offer at the time they apply for residence

The wage rates are pegged either to set pay requirements or the median wage, which stood at NZD $35.00 per hour as of March 2026. This means if the median wage rises during your 24-month work experience period, you could currently be forced to meet a higher bar each time you switch jobs or when you finally apply, even if your pay hasn’t kept pace.

What changes from 24 August 2026

From 24 August 2026, New Zealand’s immigration authority is changing the way they calculate the required wage rate for residence applications. They will no longer need to meet the increased wage rate when they apply for residence.

From that date, the rules become more flexible in three specific ways:

Applicants will only need to meet the wage rate that was in place when they started counting their work experience, not a later, higher rate

Applicants will not need to meet a higher wage rate if they change employer during the work experience period

Applicants can use the wage rate from when their visa was granted, if they fall within a new grace period

Applicants will still need 24 months of eligible work experience within a 30-month window before applying for residence; that requirement is not changing.

The new grace period, explained

A fresh grace period rule kicks in from August 24, 2026. This addresses a specific gap: what happens if the required wage rate for your job goes up in the time between your work visa being granted and you actually starting work.

The grace period will apply if all three conditions are met:

You started working within 5 months of your visa being granted

You were paid the required wage rate for your job at the time your visa was granted

You continue your work experience into the 30-month timeframe for counting eligible work experience

If you qualify, you get to use the older, lower wage rate from your visa grant date, rather than whatever the rate has since risen to.

Disclaimer: This article is based on information published by Immigration New Zealand and is intended for general informational purposes only. Visa and immigration rules are subject to change, and individual eligibility depends on personal circumstances. Readers are strongly advised to consult the official Immigration New Zealand website or a licensed immigration adviser before making any visa-related decisions.