The National Occupation List Replaced ANZSCO for the AEWV
From 3 November 2025 the National Occupation List became the occupation classification used for the Accredited Employer Work Visa. It is New Zealand's own list, built to replace the shared Australian and New Zealand system. ANZSCO still runs skilled residence and the Green List, so both classifications are live at once.
Quick Facts
| What it is | The National Occupation List (NOL) — New Zealand's own occupation classification |
| Released | 20 November 2024 |
| In use for work visas from | 3 November 2025 — in force |
| Replaces | ANZSCO, the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations |
| Still uses ANZSCO | Skilled residence pathways and the Green List, which is indexed by ANZSCO code |
| What skill level controls | English evidence, maximum continuous stay, and which residence pathways a role can lead to |
| English by skill level | Levels 1 and 2: no English evidence. Levels 3 to 5: English evidence required |
| Last content change | 9 March 2026 — 47 occupations recognised at levels 1 to 3; three moved down to level 4 |
| Practical effect | Your occupation may sit at a different skill level under each system. Check the right one for the visa you want |
Why New Zealand built its own list
ANZSCO is a shared classification, maintained jointly for Australian and New Zealand statistical use. It was designed to count people in occupations, not to decide who gets a visa — and it was never fast to update. Occupations that New Zealand employs at scale were classified against a structure built for a different labour market and revised on someone else's timetable.
The National Occupation List is New Zealand's own answer to that. It was released on 20 November 2024 and became the classification used for the Accredited Employer Work Visa on 3 November 2025.
What actually changed on 3 November 2025
Only the classification used for that one visa. The rules that reference skill level did not change — what changed is which document tells you your skill level.
That still matters a lot, because skill level controls three things:
- Whether English evidence is required. Skill levels 1 and 2 need none. Skill levels 3, 4 and 5 do — level 3 was added on 1 June 2026, and that change alone covers about half of all applications for this visa. See the English requirement extended to skill level 3.
- Maximum continuous stay. Up to 5 years for skill levels 1 to 3; 3 years for skill levels 4 and 5.
- Which residence pathways the role can feed. Skilled residence pathways set different wage thresholds by skill level, and from 24 August 2026 skill level 4 and 5 occupations are excluded from the two new Skilled Migrant Category pathways altogether.
Both systems are live, and that is the confusing part
New Zealand has not switched off ANZSCO. As at 20 August 2026:
| National Occupation List | ANZSCO | |
|---|---|---|
| Accredited Employer Work Visa | In use | Also referenced |
| Skilled Migrant Category | — | In use |
| Green List (Tier 1 and Tier 2) | — | In use — Appendix 13 is indexed by ANZSCO code |
| Work to Residence pathways | — | In use |
Immigration New Zealand's own page for the work visa refers to "skill level 1 or 2 on ANZSCO or the NOL", which confirms both are referenced for work visa purposes.
The practical consequence is one sentence long: an occupation can sit at one skill level for a work visa and a different one for residence. Anyone planning a work-to-residence route needs to check both, not one. See ANZSCO vs NOL skill levels and the Green List vs the National Occupation List.
What changed on the list itself
The National Occupation List is not static. On 9 March 2026, alongside the median wage increase:
- 47 additional occupations were recognised at skill levels 1 to 3
- Three roles moved down from skill level 3 to skill level 4: pet groomer, nanny and kennel hand
Moving up into levels 1 to 3 removes the English evidence requirement and lengthens the maximum stay. Moving down to level 4 does the opposite, and raises the skilled-residence wage threshold that applies to the role. Detail is at the median wage rise and NOL expansion.
There is no published schedule for further changes. Treat the list as something to check, not something to remember.
What a skill level actually is
A skill level is a number from 1 to 5 attached to an occupation, describing the level of qualification or experience the classification treats that occupation as needing. Level 1 is the most highly qualified end; level 5 the least.
Three things about it surprise people:
- It belongs to the occupation, not to you. Your degree, your years of experience and your salary do not move your role's skill level. A highly experienced person in a level 4 occupation is in a level 4 occupation.
- It is not a judgement about how hard the job is. It is a classification decision about the qualification pathway typically associated with that occupation.
- It can change. Fifty occupations changed band on 9 March 2026 alone.
The practical consequence is that "what is my skill level" is a lookup, not an argument. Employers cannot assign it and neither can you.
When your occupation is not listed
Occupations that do not appear on the relevant list are treated as unlisted, and unlisted occupations are handled less favourably than listed ones. In the skilled residence thresholds, for example, unlisted occupations sit with skill levels 4 and 5 at the higher wage multiple of 1.5 times the median wage.
If you cannot find your job title, the usual reason is that the classification uses a different name for the same work. Classifications are built on standardised occupation titles, not on the job title printed on an employment agreement — "customer success lead" is not an occupation, but the work behind it probably maps to one.
Where the mapping is genuinely unclear, that is a question with real consequences for a visa application, and it is one to put to a licensed immigration adviser rather than to settle by guesswork. See occupations with no Green List pathway for the related residence problem.
What has not changed
- The Green List is still ANZSCO-indexed. Tier 1 and Tier 2 are published in Appendix 13 of the Operational Manual by ANZSCO code. Nothing about the National Occupation List altered Green List eligibility. See the Green List, explained.
- Skilled residence still uses ANZSCO. The Skilled Migrant Category and the Work to Residence pathways were not moved across.
- Skill-level rules themselves are unchanged. The thresholds attached to each level are the same; only the classification that assigns the level changed for work visas.
- Fees are unchanged. NZ$1,540 for the work visa — an NZ$480 application fee plus an NZ$1,060 immigration levy. There has been no general fee or levy increase in 2025 or 2026.
- The pay test is unchanged. For this work visa it is the market rate for the occupation, not a national wage figure — see the median wage removed from work visas.
What to do differently now
- Look up your occupation under the classification that matches the visa, not the one you used last time. Work visa: National Occupation List. Skilled residence and Green List: ANZSCO.
- Re-check a skill level you looked up before March 2026. Fifty occupations changed band in a single day.
- Do not assume the two systems agree. They are separate documents with separate maintenance.
- Employers: the Job Check names the occupation, so the classification used at that stage sets the terms the migrant's application is assessed against. See work visa skill levels, explained.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the National Occupation List?
New Zealand's own occupation classification, released on 20 November 2024. From 3 November 2025 it is the classification used for the Accredited Employer Work Visa. It replaces ANZSCO for that purpose. See what the National Occupation List is.
Has ANZSCO been replaced in New Zealand?
Not entirely. It was replaced for the Accredited Employer Work Visa from 3 November 2025, but it remains in use for skilled residence pathways and for the Green List, which is indexed by ANZSCO code. Both classifications are live. See what ANZSCO is.
How do I find my job's skill level?
Look the occupation up under the classification that governs the visa you are applying for, using Immigration New Zealand's own tools. Skill level is a property of the occupation, not of the employer, the salary or the job title on your contract.
Does skill level affect whether I need an English test?
Yes. Skill levels 1 and 2 require no English evidence. Skill levels 3, 4 and 5 require English at IELTS 4.0 or equivalent. Skill level 3 was brought in on 1 June 2026.
Does the National Occupation List affect the Green List?
No. Green List Tier 1 and Tier 2 are published by ANZSCO code and were not moved to the new classification. Ten trades occupations were added to Tier 2 on 18 August 2025, but the Green List has no fixed review cycle — changes are announced ad hoc.
Can my occupation be at different skill levels under each system?
Yes, and that is the single most useful thing to know about the transition. Check the classification that applies to the specific visa rather than carrying one skill level across your whole plan.
This page is general information, not immigration advice. New Zealand regulates immigration advice under the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, and we do not assess anyone's individual circumstances. For advice about your own case, use a licensed immigration adviser or a New Zealand lawyer, and check the licence on the Immigration Advisers Authority register.
