Transport Work to Residence Visa

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa name	Transport Work to Residence Visa
Purpose	Residence through eligible transport work
Stay	Indefinitely
Cost	From NZD $6,450
Application status	Applications are open
Age limit	55 or younger
Eligibility timing	24 months within 30 months
Work rights	Any job, any employer
Study	Any course, any duration
Medicare	Not stated in the source
Travel facility	Multiple travel for 2 years
Permanent residence	Apply after two consecutive years
Citizenship	May qualify after five resident years
Family sponsorship	Include partner and dependent children
Dependent-child age	24 or younger
Visa record	eVisa
English	Required for principal applicant
Health and character	Required
Application method	Apply online

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Purpose

This resident visa is for people aged 55 or younger who have completed qualifying New Zealand work in an approved transport job and currently have, or are offered, eligible work with an accredited employer.

It allows you to live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely.

Eligibility

You must:

• Be aged 55 or younger when applying.
• Be in good health and of good character.
• Speak and understand English.
• Currently work in, or have a job offer for, an approved transport job.
• Have a job or offer with an employer accredited under the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) policy, either when applying or when the visa is decided.
• Have worked in New Zealand for at least 24 months in the 30 months immediately before applying.
• Meet the required wage rate and occupation-specific requirements.
• Have a genuine relationship with any included partner or dependent children.

Your current job or offer must be:

• Full-time.
• Permanent, or fixed-term for at least 12 months.
• In an approved transport job.
• Paid at the required wage rate.
• With an AEWV-accredited employer.

Approved Transport Jobs

Current approved jobs

Job	ANZSCO code	Additional requirements
Ship's Master	231231	24 months, median wage, specified maritime qualification
Deck Hand	899211	24 months, median wage, specified competency certificate

For both jobs, you must be currently employed or have an offer in that role from a New Zealand employer.

Jobs with pre-7 April 2024 eligibility

The following jobs may count only where specified employment, AEWV, AEWV application, or employment-agreement conditions were met before 7 April 2024:

• Bus driver — ANZSCO 731211.
• Truck driver — ANZSCO 733111.
• Aircraft refueller — ANZSCO 733112.
• Furniture removalist — ANZSCO 733113.
• Tanker driver — ANZSCO 733114.
• Tow truck driver — ANZSCO 733115.

Bus drivers must have been paid at least NZD $28 an hour for 24 months and held a Class 2 New Zealand driver licence with passenger endorsement. Other listed drivers must have held a Class 4 or 5 New Zealand driver licence and been paid at least the median wage for 24 months.

Work Experience Requirements

You must have completed at least 24 months of qualifying New Zealand work experience within the 30 months before applying.

You may count:

• Work in approved transport jobs.
• Legally entitled leave, including annual, bereavement or parental leave.
• Some work in a Green List Tier 2 role, approved care workforce role, or a role paid at least twice the median wage.

You can begin counting work experience only once you receive the required wage rate.

During the qualifying period, you must have been paid at least:

• The median wage applying when you began counting experience; or
• NZD $28 an hour for bus drivers.

If you change jobs, your experience continues to count only if the new job pays at least the wage rate applying when you first began counting. Time worked below that rate does not count.

English Language

You must show that you speak and understand English through either:

• Citizenship, study history and qualifications; or
• An English language test meeting the required minimum score.

English test results must be no more than 2 years old when you apply.

A partner and dependent children aged 16 or older must demonstrate English ability or pay for English language lessons in New Zealand. Immigration New Zealand may request further English evidence or tests.

Health and Character

You and included family members must meet health and character requirements.

Medical evidence

You and included family members generally need a medical examination and chest X-ray.

• Children aged 10 or younger generally need a medical examination only.
• Children aged 11 to 14 generally need a medical examination and chest X-ray.
• Medical and chest X-ray evidence must be less than 3 months old when received.
• Previously supplied medical certificates issued within the last 3 years may not be required again.

Police certificates

Applicants and included family members aged 17 or older must provide police certificates less than 6 months old when applying.

Provide certificates from:

• Every country of citizenship; and
• Every country where you spent 12 months or more during the last 10 years.

Certificates must show criminal records at any time, not only during the last 10 years.

A criminal conviction or security risk may result in refusal.

Family Members

You may include your partner and dependent children aged 24 or younger in your application.

You must provide evidence of genuine relationships, such as marriage and birth certificates.

If your partner or dependent children already hold, or are applying for, a work, student or visitor visa based on their relationship to you, they must be included in your residence application.

Documents

Provide:

• Passport or certificate of identity.
• One acceptable photo.
• Medical examination and chest X-ray evidence.
• Police certificates, where required.
• English language evidence.
• Evidence of 24 months’ qualifying work experience.
• Evidence of your current eligible job or job offer.
• Certified English translations and original-document copies for documents not in English.

Employment and work evidence

Provide evidence showing:

• Work performed.
• Pay received.
• Employment dates.
• Average weekly hours.
• Work locations.
• Employer contact details.

Useful evidence includes:

• Employment agreements or fixed-term contracts.
• Job descriptions.
• Payslips or bank statements.
• Inland Revenue Department summary of earnings confirming 24 months’ work.
• Required occupational licences, certificates or qualifications.
• Job-offer letter stating duties, hours, duration and pay.

Employer documents should be on official company letterhead and signed by an authorised person.

Country-specific identity documents

Additional documents are required for some applicants:

• China: Hukou and Chinese identity card.
• Indonesia: Kartu Keluarga.
• French Polynesia or Wallis and Futuna: Carte d’assuré if not French.
• New Caledonia: Livret de famille; non-French nationals also need carte d’assuré.
• Thailand: Identity card may be accepted if a birth certificate cannot be provided for cost or timing reasons.

Filipino citizens leaving the Philippines must hold a passport valid for 6 months after their planned departure date.

How to Apply

1. Gather identity, health, character, English, employment and work-experience evidence.
2. Obtain certified English translations of non-English documents.
3. Apply online through Immigration New Zealand.
4. Upload documents and pay the applicable fee.
5. Respond to any requests for further information.
6. Check application status online.

Immigration New Zealand will email its decision. If approved, you receive an eVisa.

Processing times and final costs depend on country details and are not displayed in the source.

Rights and Travel Conditions

Work and study

You may:

• Work in any job for any employer in New Zealand.
• Study anywhere in New Zealand for any length of time.

Travel

You may travel in and out of New Zealand as many times as you like until travel conditions expire.

Travel conditions expire 2 years from:

• Your first arrival in New Zealand as a resident; or
• Visa grant, if you are already in New Zealand.

If you are outside New Zealand when travel conditions expire, your visa also expires.

After travel conditions expire, obtain a Permanent Resident Visa or extend travel conditions before travelling again. If your passport expires, transfer the visa to a new passport before travelling.

Staying Longer

After holding this visa for 2 consecutive years, you can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa. This allows indefinite travel in and out of New Zealand while the visa remains in a valid passport.

For most people, New Zealand citizenship may be available after 5 years living in New Zealand as a resident. A Permanent Resident Visa is not required first.

Important Warnings

• Keep a valid visa while awaiting a residence decision in New Zealand.
• Consider applying for a new temporary visa if your current visa may expire.
• Incorrect identity details may delay, result in refusal of, or affect entry on your application.
• Submit complete evidence to reduce processing delays.
• Immigration New Zealand may request original passports, further salary evidence, or further English evidence.