Find the New Zealand pathway that fits you

Pick the pathway that fits your situation

There is no single “best” New Zealand visa for everyone. The right pathway depends on what you can bring to New Zealand, who is coming with you, how soon you want to move, and whether your goal is temporary stay, work, study, investment, family reunification or residence.

A simple way to start is to match your situation to the pathway type:

| Your situation | Common pathway to explore | |---|---| | You have skilled work experience, qualifications or a New Zealand job offer | Skilled Migrant Category, Green List or AEWV | | You have a job offer from a New Zealand employer | Accredited Employer Work Visa | | You want to invest or build a business in New Zealand | Active Investor Plus or Entrepreneur routes | | Your partner, parent or child has a New Zealand connection | Partner, dependent child or parent pathways | | You want to study first and work later | Student visa, Post Study Work Visa, then possible work or residence options |

Yimin is designed to help you move from confusion to clarity. You can start with the [free eligibility checker](/eligibility-checker/) for indicative orientation, then speak with a licensed professional if your situation needs a detailed assessment. Immigration rules, visa settings and evidence requirements can change, so always confirm current requirements with Immigration New Zealand (INZ) or a licensed adviser before making decisions.

Skilled Migrant Category (points + Green List)

The Skilled Migrant Category is one of New Zealand’s main residence pathways for people with skilled employment, qualifications, occupational registration or other recognised skilled factors. It is not just about wanting to work in New Zealand — INZ looks at whether you meet the current residence instructions, including skilled employment, health, character and English-language requirements.

Many applicants also consider the Green List. In broad terms, Green List roles are occupations New Zealand has identified as important or in demand. Some roles may offer a more direct residence pathway, while others may require a period of work in New Zealand before residence can be considered. The exact requirements can depend on your occupation, pay, qualifications, registration and timing, so it is important to check the current INZ rules.

If you are comparing skilled residence options, start with our overview of the [Skilled Migrant visa](/skilled-migrant-visa/). A licensed adviser can help you understand whether your job title, duties, qualifications and evidence are likely to align with INZ’s requirements — especially where your role is specialised, your qualification is overseas, or occupational registration may be needed.

Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)

The Accredited Employer Work Visa is a key temporary work visa for people who have a job offer from a New Zealand employer. In general, the employer must be accredited, the role must meet INZ’s job-check requirements, and the offer must meet applicable pay, skill and employment conditions. Settings such as wage thresholds and evidence rules can change, so check the latest INZ guidance before relying on any figure or assumption.

AEWV can be an important step if you are offshore and have secured a New Zealand role, or if you are already in New Zealand and need a work visa connected to a specific employer. It may also sit alongside a longer-term residence plan, depending on your occupation, pay, qualifications, work experience and whether your role connects to the Green List or another residence pathway.

You can read more about the [Accredited Employer Work Visa](/accredited-employer-work-visa/) if your first step is employment in New Zealand. Because AEWV applications involve both the employer’s side and the migrant worker’s side, many people choose to speak with a licensed adviser to identify gaps early — for example, issues with job duties, documentation, immigration history, medicals, police certificates or family visas.

Active Investor Plus and Entrepreneur routes

If you are looking at New Zealand from an investment or business perspective, the main pathways to understand are Active Investor Plus and the Entrepreneur Work Visa route. These pathways are different from skilled or employment-based visas because INZ focuses on the nature of your investment or business activity, the source and transfer of funds, and whether you meet the relevant visa conditions.

Active Investor Plus is generally designed for people who can make a significant qualifying investment in New Zealand. The exact investment categories, thresholds, weighting and acceptable assets are policy-specific and may change, so you should treat any summary as general only until checked against current INZ instructions. The Entrepreneur route is usually more focused on establishing or buying a business and meeting business-plan, capital, points or performance requirements.

If investment is part of your move, see our guide to the [Active Investor Plus visa](/active-investor-plus-visa/). These applications can involve financial evidence, business documentation, tax history, fund-transfer questions and timing issues. Yimin can help you get oriented for free, then match you with a licensed immigration adviser or lawyer who can assess the immigration side and, where needed, work alongside your financial, tax or legal professionals.

Partner, family and parent pathways

Many New Zealand immigration plans are really family plans. You may be joining a New Zealand citizen or resident partner, bringing dependent children with you, supporting a partner while you study or work, or exploring options for parents to spend more time in New Zealand.

Partner pathways usually focus on whether the relationship meets INZ’s requirements, including evidence that the relationship is genuine, stable and living arrangements are properly documented. Family members connected to a worker, student, resident or citizen may have different visitor, work, student or residence options depending on the main applicant’s visa and circumstances. Parent options can include residence pathways with caps or selection settings, as well as longer-stay visitor options, depending on the current policy.

For a practical overview, visit our [partner and family visa](/partner-and-family-visa/) page. Family cases often benefit from early professional input because evidence matters: shared address history, financial documents, photos, communication records, birth certificates, custody documents, translations and police or medical certificates may all be relevant. A licensed adviser can help you understand what is appropriate for your situation without over- or under-submitting.

Study-to-residence pathway

Studying in New Zealand can be a meaningful first step, but it should be planned carefully. A student visa does not automatically lead to residence. Your future options may depend on the level and type of qualification, the education provider, whether you can get a Post Study Work Visa, your occupation after graduation, pay, registration requirements and whether your work aligns with a residence pathway.

For many people, a study-to-residence plan looks like this: choose a programme that supports a realistic career outcome, study in New Zealand, apply for post-study work rights if eligible, secure skilled employment, then assess whether a skilled residence or Green List pathway may fit. The risk is choosing a course based only on marketing claims without checking whether it supports your long-term immigration goals.

Before committing to tuition fees, it is worth checking your plan from both an education and immigration perspective. Yimin can help you identify the questions to ask, and a licensed adviser can explain the immigration implications of your intended course, family members’ visas, work rights and possible next steps. This is especially important if your partner or children will come with you, or if your goal is residence after study.

Not sure? Start the free eligibility check

If you are unsure where you fit, start with the [free eligibility checker](/eligibility-checker/). It is designed to give you indicative orientation across common New Zealand pathways — not a final visa decision and not personalised immigration advice. You will be asked about factors such as your age range, qualifications, occupation, work experience, job offer, family situation, study plans and investment or business background.

The goal is to help you answer three practical questions:

- Which pathways are worth exploring first? - What evidence or missing pieces may matter most? - Should you speak with a licensed adviser before taking the next step?

This can save time because you do not need to understand every visa category before taking action. You can use the result as a starting point, then confirm the details with INZ or a licensed adviser. If your case involves previous visa refusals, health or character concerns, complex family circumstances, self-employment, overseas qualifications or a tight deadline, it is especially important to get professional guidance before lodging anything.

Talk to a licensed adviser

Yimin is a free, independent information and matching service. We are not a licensed immigration adviser, and we do not provide personalised immigration advice or lodge applications ourselves. Instead, we help you understand the broad pathways, complete a free eligibility check, and connect with an IAA-licensed immigration adviser or immigration lawyer who can assess your situation properly.

A licensed adviser can help with the parts that require professional judgement: confirming eligibility, choosing the right pathway, reviewing risks, planning timing, checking evidence, preparing forms, responding to INZ requests and managing the application process. This matters because small details — job duties, pay structure, relationship evidence, qualification recognition, medicals, police certificates or past visa history — can affect the outcome.

If New Zealand is your goal, the next step is simple: complete the free check, then book a free intro call if you want to be matched with a licensed adviser. You will get a clearer view of your options without pressure, and you can decide whether professional support is right for your move.