Information about New Zealand's Immigration Green List for health professional bodies and responsible authorities, employers and international health workers. The Green List enables eligible people in critical health roles to apply to work in New Zealand through the Straight to Residence Pathway.
Health workers are the backbone of New Zealand’s health system and are essential to improving the health and wellbeing of New Zealanders.
Manatū Hauora works closely with other health agencies and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to ensure appropriate immigration pathways are available for migrant health workers.
A total of 48 health roles are on the Immigration Green List, enabling eligible people to apply to work in New Zealand through the Straight to Residence pathway.
Eligible Green List health roles, and information about application requirements
All of these health roles are considered both critical and nationally important. The list includes roles that also work outside of the health system, including the education, social services, and justice sectors.
Information for professional bodies and responsible authorities
Migrants applying for residency through the Green List need to have registration or membership with a professional body or responsible authority.
If migrants do not meet the registration or membership requirements, they will not be able to apply for residency through the Green List pathway.
If professional bodies and responsible authorities make any changes to registration or membership requirements, they should communicate this to the Ministry of Health as soon as possible. If you identify any errors in the immigration registration or membership requirements, please inform the Ministry of Health as soon as possible.
This is because the specific registration and membership requirements are specified on Immigration New Zealand’s website and should align to those set by professional bodies and responsible authorities.
Responsible authorities and professional bodies may receive an increase in applications from migrant workers. If your organisation is experiencing significant delays in processing registration or membership applications, please inform the Ministry of Health and Te Whatu Ora. Applications of migrant workers who are currently working in New Zealand or who hold a job offer should be prioritised for processing where possible.
For any queries about registration or membership, email [email protected].
Information for employers
To hire international workers through the Green List, employers must be accredited with Immigration New Zealand.
How to become an accredited employer
Migrant requirements
Before an international health worker can apply for a Straight to Residence visa, they must meet the requirements as set out in the Green List.
Migrants need to have an offer of employment, paid at median wage or above, from an accredited employer or be working for one to qualify for a Straight to Residence Visa.
They must be registered under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 or Social Workers Registration Act, or they must be registered/a member of the relevant professional body.
Eligible Green List health roles, and information about application requirements
Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand leads the day-to-day running of New Zealand’s health system. It provides a centralised Health Immigration Service to support both health workers looking to emigrate to New Zealand and existing staff of Te Whatu Ora.
For more information, and to contact the Health Immigration Service directly, visit somewheredifferent.nz.