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Pathway

New Zealand Transport Work to Residence Visa

New Zealand Residency
Pathway overview

At a glance

New Zealand transport residence requires 24 qualifying months of local work within the previous 30 months and a current eligible job or offer. New cases use the listed maritime roles; certain earlier driver cases have separate date-based rules.

Eligible work
Current listed maritime roles; limited transitional rules for earlier driver cases
Work history
24 qualifying New Zealand months during the preceding 30
Age
55 or younger

Summary

This is a residence route for selected transport roles after 24 months of qualifying New Zealand work. It requires a current qualifying transport job or offer, accredited-employer support, age, English, health, and character checks.

For a person starting the pathway now, the listed occupations are Ship's Master and Deck Hand. Some people who entered specified driver and transport jobs before those occupations were removed on 7 April 2024 may still qualify under rules that preserve eligibility for certain earlier cases. You must check the dates, visa history, duties, pay, and required maritime qualifications together.

Checking a transport residence application
  1. Identify the occupation and date rules Check a current maritime role or the rules for eligible earlier driver cases.
  2. Document 24 qualifying months and the current job Verify visa, employer, duties, hours, pay, and certificate requirements.
  3. Apply within the 30-month counting window Prepare employment, tax, English, health, and family evidence.

Not every transport job qualifies, and overseas experience does not replace the required New Zealand work.

Could this pathway work for you?

Eligibility

The main applicant must be 55 or younger and have completed at least 24 months of qualifying New Zealand work within the 30 months immediately before applying. Throughout the counted period, they must have held a visa allowing the work and met the occupation, hours, and pay rules then applying. Counted work can be split into separate periods, but any gap reduces the room available in the 30-month window.

The applicant must currently work in, or hold an offer for, an approved job that is:

The latest rate for Ship's Master and Deck Hand is NZD 35 an hour; an earlier rate may still apply if the rules protect work that began under that rate. A Ship's Master needs the specified Skipper Restricted Limits endorsement or recognized STCW certificate. A Deck Hand needs a recognized Qualified Deck Crew or Deck Watch Rating certificate.

The removed occupations — including qualifying bus drivers, truck drivers, aircraft refuelers, furniture removalists, tanker drivers, and tow-truck drivers — are available only under detailed transitional rules. Broadly, the person needed qualifying employment and an eligible work visa, or a successful eligible application, by 6 April 2024. They should test their exact start, application, visa, employer, license, and pay history against INZ's current instructions.

The main applicant must speak and understand English and meet health, character, and identity requirements. A partner and dependent children aged 24 or younger can be included if they meet relationship, health, character, and applicable English rules.

What This Route Allows

Approval grants residence, allowing the family included in the application to live, work, and study in New Zealand indefinitely. The initial resident visa normally lets you leave and return as a resident for 2 years, under its travel conditions.

After holding residence for 2 years in a row, the holder may apply for a Permanent Resident Visa if the applicable requirements are met. Until then, travel conditions must remain valid for return to New Zealand.

What This Route Is Not

It is not a residence route for every driver, logistics worker, or maritime employee. A job title alone is insufficient: INZ checks the occupation code and duties, qualifying visa, employer accreditation, hours, contract term, pay across the counted period, and required licenses or certificates.

It is also not available merely because the applicant has 2 years of overseas transport experience. The qualifying work must be in New Zealand, and it must fall within the final 30-month window.

Next Steps

  1. Identify whether the case uses Ship's Master, Deck Hand, or the rules for an occupation removed from the list.
  2. Build a month-by-month table of visas, employers, occupations, hours, pay, leave, and any job changes for the last 30 months.
  3. Verify the current employer's accreditation and obtain an offer that meets the rules and is permanent or for at least 12 months.
  4. Gather employment agreements, job descriptions, payslips, Inland Revenue earnings records, and maritime certificates or driving licenses.
  5. Check which wage rate applies to your work history.
  6. Prepare English, medical, police, identity, and family evidence and apply before early qualifying months fall outside the 30-month window.

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Sources