Care Workforce Work to Residence, Explained
The Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa grants New Zealand residence to people who have worked 24 months full-time in one of nine care occupations within the previous 30 months, paid at least NZ$28.25 an hour. The current job must be with an accredited employer. The application costs NZ$6,450 and the applicant must be 55 or younger.
Quick Facts
| Item | Detail (as at August 2026) |
|---|---|
| Who it is for | Care and support workers already working in New Zealand |
| Eligible occupations | Nine, listed in Appendix 14 (effective 10 March 2025) |
| Prior New Zealand work | 24 months full-time, within the previous 30 months |
| Pay rate | NZ$28.25 an hour from 1 July 2022 (NZ$27.00 between 29 September 2021 and 30 June 2022) |
| Is the rate tied to the median wage? | No. It is separately fixed and materially lower than NZ$35.00 |
| Employer | Must be accredited; job permanent or fixed-term 12 months or more |
| Age | 55 or younger |
| Family | Dependent children under 25 may be included |
| Cost | NZ$6,450 — NZ$2,880 fee + NZ$3,570 immigration levy |
| Processing | Not published in INZ's resident visa wait-time table — use INZ's processing-time tool |
| What it grants | Indefinite right to live, work and study in New Zealand |
Primary sources: Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa — INZ and Appendix 14 — care workforce and tourism and hospitality occupations, effective 10 March 2025. Both read on 20 August 2026.
What this visa is
New Zealand's care and support workforce is not on the Green List. It has something else: a dedicated residence visa built on the same 24-month structure as the Work to Residence Visa, but with its own occupation list and its own — much lower — pay rate.
That structure is deliberate. The Green List pay thresholds are indexed to the immigration median wage, and care work in New Zealand is not paid at those levels. Rather than exclude the workforce, the government created a separate instrument with a separately fixed rate.
Applications are open.
The nine eligible occupations
These are set out in Appendix 14 of the Operational Manual, effective 10 March 2025.
| Occupation | ANZSCO |
|---|---|
| Kaiawhina (Hauora) / Māori Health Assistant | 411512 |
| Diversional Therapist | 411311 |
| Disabilities Services Officer | 411712 |
| Residential Care Officer | 411715 |
| Aged or Disabled Carer | 423111 |
| Nursing Support Worker | 423312 |
| Personal Care Assistant | 423313 |
| Therapy Aide | 423314 |
| Child or Youth Residential Care Assistant | 423411 |
Nine, and only nine. Job titles in the sector vary enormously between employers — "healthcare assistant", "support worker", "caregiver", "care partner" — so the ANZSCO code matching the actual duties is what decides, not the wording on a contract.
Note that registered nurses are not on this list. Registered Nurse occupations sit on Tier 1 of the Green List, with a direct residence route through the Straight to Residence Visa and registration with the Nursing Council of New Zealand. Enrolled Nurse is also Tier 1. This visa is for the unregulated care workforce below that line.
The 24-month rule
24 months of full-time work in New Zealand in one of the nine occupations, within the 30 months immediately before applying.
The 30-month window gives six months of tolerance — for a gap between jobs, a period of unemployment, or time in a role that did not qualify. It does not give unlimited tolerance.
Work that can be substituted in
Some of the 24 months can be made up from outside the nine care occupations. Immigration New Zealand allows part of the period to be worked in:
- a Green List Tier 2 occupation,
- a transport sector role, or
- any role paid at twice the median wage — NZ$70.00 an hour from 9 March 2026.
This matters for people whose careers have moved between sectors. Two years spent entirely in aged care is the straightforward case; two years assembled from aged care and a Tier 2 trade is also capable of qualifying.
The pay rate — and what it is not
NZ$28.25 an hour, in force since 1 July 2022. Before that, from 29 September 2021 to 30 June 2022, the rate was NZ$27.00.
The single most important thing to understand about this figure is what it is not.
It is not the immigration median wage. It is not a multiple of the median wage. It did not move on 9 March 2026 when the median rose to NZ$35.00 an hour, and it did not move on 18 August 2025 when the median rose to NZ$33.56.
| Rate | Applies to | Indexed to the median? |
|---|---|---|
| NZ$28.25/hr | Care Workforce Work to Residence | No — separately fixed since 1 July 2022 |
| NZ$35.00/hr | Green List baseline, Transport Work to Residence | Yes — it is the median |
| NZ$40.25 / $45.50 / $52.50 | Green List Tier 2 multiples | Yes — 1.15×, 1.3×, 1.5× |
| NZ$70.00/hr | Twice the median, for substituted work | Yes — 2× |
Any page describing the care rate as a fraction or multiple of the median wage is describing a relationship that does not exist in the instructions. See Green List pay thresholds for the rates that are indexed.
The current job must pay at least NZ$28.25 an hour. The historical rate matters for the qualifying period: work done between 29 September 2021 and 30 June 2022 is tested against NZ$27.00.
What the current job must look like
- Accredited employer. The employer must hold Immigration New Zealand accreditation. See employer accreditation explained.
- Permanent or fixed-term for at least 12 months.
- Paid at least NZ$28.25 an hour, or the salary equivalent.
- You must be working in the job, or hold an offer for it, at the time of application.
Age, English, health and character
- Age 55 or younger at the date of application.
- English — must be able to speak and understand English.
- Health — medical examination for those aged 15 and over, and a chest x-ray where required.
- Character — police certificates less than six months old for everyone aged 17 and over.
Family. Dependent children under 25 may be included, along with a partner. Children must be single and financially dependent, and those in the upper age band face a dependency test.
Cost
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee | NZ$2,880 |
| Immigration levy | NZ$3,570 |
| Total | NZ$6,450 |
The same as the Skilled Migrant Category, the Straight to Residence Visa and the Work to Residence Visa. Immigration New Zealand publishes the combined figure; the split is shown here because the two components are separate charges with separate purposes.
There has been no general fee or levy increase in 2025 or 2026 — INZ's fee page still describes its rates as current as of 1 October 2024.
Processing time: INZ does not publish one
This is worth stating plainly rather than filling with a guess.
Immigration New Zealand publishes a wait-time table for resident visas covering the Skilled Migrant Category, Straight to Residence, Work to Residence, Partner of a New Zealander, Parent Resident and Permanent Resident visas. The Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa is not in that table. INZ directs users to its processing-time tool instead.
For a rough sense of scale, the two structurally similar visas are published: Work to Residence averages 8 weeks with 80% decided within 3.5 months, and Straight to Residence averages 7 weeks with 80% within 3 months. Those are not figures for this visa and should not be quoted as if they were. Check INZ's tool for a current estimate.
There is no way to buy a faster decision. Paid priority processing does not exist in the New Zealand system, and offers of it are a standard scam pitch — see paid priority visa processing.
Step 1: Match the job to one of the nine ANZSCO codes
Identify the code that fits the duties actually performed. A "support worker" title could map to Aged or Disabled Carer (423111), Disabilities Services Officer (411712), Personal Care Assistant (423313) or none of them, depending on the work. How to find your ANZSCO code covers the method.
Step 2: Reconstruct the 24 months
For each period worked, record the occupation, the employer, the visa held, the hours and the hourly rate — then test each period against the rate that applied at the time (NZ$27.00 before 1 July 2022, NZ$28.25 after). Payslips and employment agreements are the evidence.
Step 3: Confirm the employer's accreditation and the job terms
Accredited employer, permanent or fixed-term for 12 months or more, paid at or above NZ$28.25 an hour.
Step 4: Assemble health, character and English evidence
Medical examination, chest x-ray where required, police certificates less than six months old for everyone 17 and over. Applications lodged without an upfront police certificate may be declined without further contact.
Step 5: Apply online
The application is made through an Immigration Online account, and INZ's processing-time tool is the only current estimate available for this visa.
After the visa is granted
This is a Resident Visa. It grants an indefinite right to live, work and study in New Zealand and is not tied to the employer once granted. Its travel conditions expire — typically two years from first arrival — and a Permanent Resident Visa, which has no travel expiry, can be applied for after two years for NZ$315.
See Resident Visa vs Permanent Resident Visa and rights of a New Zealand resident.
What changes on 24 August 2026
From 24 August 2026, applicants for work-to-residence visas need to meet the wage rate in force when they began accumulating qualifying work experience, rather than the rate applying at the date of application. A five-month grace period applies where the threshold rose between a work visa being granted and the person starting work.
Immigration New Zealand has confirmed the change extends to the Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa. In practice its effect here is narrower than elsewhere, because the NZ$28.25 rate has not moved since 2022 — the mechanic bites hardest where a threshold rises mid-accrual.
This page was verified on 20 August 2026, four days before that change. Confirm the current rules on Immigration New Zealand's site before you apply.
How it compares with the transport pathway
The Care Workforce and Transport Work to Residence visas are built the same way — 24 months in 30, accredited employer, age 55 or younger, NZ$6,450 — but they cover different occupations at very different pay rates.
| Care Workforce | Transport | |
|---|---|---|
| Occupations | 9 care roles | Ship's Master (231231), Deck Hand (899211) |
| Rate | NZ$28.25/hr | NZ$35.00/hr, with legacy bus and truck rates for pre-7-April-2024 roles |
| Occupation list | Appendix 14 | Named on the visa page |
| Qualification gate | None specified in the occupation list | Maritime certificates required for both roles |
See Transport Work to Residence and the side-by-side in Care Workforce vs Transport.
Where to get advice
This page explains what the published instructions require. Whether a particular employment history satisfies the 24-month test is an assessment of an individual's circumstances, which under the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007 is licensed work — and the Act applies whether or not the person giving the advice charges for it.
If your history includes a change of employer, a period below the rate, a spell on a different visa or an occupation that may not map cleanly to one of the nine codes, take it to a licensed immigration adviser or a New Zealand lawyer. Licences can be checked on the Immigration Advisers Authority register — see how to check an adviser's licence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which jobs qualify for the Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa?
Nine occupations: Kaiawhina (Hauora)/Māori Health Assistant (411512), Diversional Therapist (411311), Disabilities Services Officer (411712), Residential Care Officer (411715), Aged or Disabled Carer (423111), Nursing Support Worker (423312), Personal Care Assistant (423313), Therapy Aide (423314) and Child or Youth Residential Care Assistant (423411).
What is the pay rate for the Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa?
NZ$28.25 an hour, in force since 1 July 2022. Work done between 29 September 2021 and 30 June 2022 is tested against the earlier rate of NZ$27.00.
Is the care workforce rate going up with the median wage?
It has not been indexed to the median wage. NZ$28.25 has applied since 1 July 2022 and did not change when the immigration median wage rose to NZ$33.56 in August 2025 or to NZ$35.00 in March 2026.
Can aged care workers get residence in New Zealand?
Aged or Disabled Carer (423111) is one of the nine eligible occupations, so the pathway exists. It requires 24 months of full-time New Zealand work in the occupation within the previous 30 months, at NZ$28.25 an hour or above, with an accredited employer.
Do the 24 months have to be all in care work?
Not necessarily. Part of the period may be worked in a Green List Tier 2 occupation, in a transport sector role, or in any role paid at twice the median wage — NZ$70.00 an hour from 9 March 2026.
How long does the Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa take?
Immigration New Zealand does not publish a wait time for this visa. It is absent from the resident visa wait-time table, and INZ directs applicants to its processing-time tool instead.
Are registered nurses eligible for this visa?
No — and they do not need it. Registered Nurse occupations are on Tier 1 of the Green List, which leads to the Straight to Residence Visa with no prior New Zealand work requirement, subject to registration with the Nursing Council of New Zealand.
Can I include my children?
Dependent children under 25 may be included, along with a partner. Children must be single and financially dependent.
How much does it cost?
NZ$6,450 — a NZ$2,880 application fee plus a NZ$3,570 immigration levy. Medicals, police certificates and translations are additional.
