Living in New Zealand
New Zealand welcomes new migrants – people who will contribute to our country by bringing valuable skills or qualifications, setting up a business, or making a financial investment. We also offer opportunities for family reunification by allowing residents and citizens to sponsor family members for residence.
Skilled Migrant Category
The Skilled Migrant Category is the main path to residence in New Zealand. It is designed to make sure that people migrating to New Zealand have the skills the country needs. This category works on a points system. Points are earned on the basis of your qualifications, work experience and job, or job offer, in New Zealand.
Business and Investment Category
If you’re thinking of investing or establishing a business in New Zealand, we can offer business advantages and an environment that you’ll enjoy as well.
Family Categories
Many people already settled in New Zealand wish their close family to join them, and family members, often alone, wish to come to New Zealand to be close to relatives. We have a range of family policies facilitating partners, dependent children, parents, siblings or adult children of New Zealand citizens or residents to come to live in New Zealand.
Samoan Quota
We have a special relationship with our Samoan neighbours. As part of this special relationship, each year we invite a number of Samoan citizens to apply for residence under our Samoan Quota Scheme.
Pacific Access Category
If you are from Kiribati, Tuvalu or Tonga we offer a number of opportunities each year under the Pacific Access Category for people to move here to live.
Refugee Family Support Category
The Refugee Family Support Category allows New Zealanders who were granted residence as refugees to sponsor a family member and that person's partner and dependent children for New Zealand residence. Each year there are 300 places available.
Other opportunities
You may like to consider other ways you can apply to come to New Zealand for a short time to visit or study or to come here to live or work.
More about applying for a visa or permit
This section has information to help you if you are applying for a visa and/or permit, and want to find out more about dealing with Immigration New Zealand, what the process involves, what you need to do to get your documents together, and what you can do if there is a problem, or the processing of your application is delayed.
I'm accepted – tell me more
This section has information for you if you have been granted a visa and want to find out what to do to prepare for your departure, and what to expect when you arrive in New Zealand. We have also provided some information and advice on settling in New Zealand long term.
The Skilled Migrant Category is the main path to residence in New Zealand. It is designed to make sure that people migrating to New Zealand have the skills the country needs. This category works on a points system. Points are earned on the basis of your qualifications, work experience and job, or job offer, in New Zealand.
Business and Investment Category
If you’re thinking of investing or establishing a business in New Zealand, we can offer business advantages and an environment that you’ll enjoy as well.
Family Categories
Many people already settled in New Zealand wish their close family to join them, and family members, often alone, wish to come to New Zealand to be close to relatives. We have a range of family policies facilitating partners, dependent children, parents, siblings or adult children of New Zealand citizens or residents to come to live in New Zealand.
Samoan Quota
We have a special relationship with our Samoan neighbours. As part of this special relationship, each year we invite a number of Samoan citizens to apply for residence under our Samoan Quota Scheme.
Pacific Access Category
If you are from Kiribati, Tuvalu or Tonga we offer a number of opportunities each year under the Pacific Access Category for people to move here to live.
Refugee Family Support Category
The Refugee Family Support Category allows New Zealanders who were granted residence as refugees to sponsor a family member and that person's partner and dependent children for New Zealand residence. Each year there are 300 places available.
Other opportunities
You may like to consider other ways you can apply to come to New Zealand for a short time to visit or study or to come here to live or work.
More about applying for a visa or permit
This section has information to help you if you are applying for a visa and/or permit, and want to find out more about dealing with Immigration New Zealand, what the process involves, what you need to do to get your documents together, and what you can do if there is a problem, or the processing of your application is delayed.
I'm accepted – tell me more
This section has information for you if you have been granted a visa and want to find out what to do to prepare for your departure, and what to expect when you arrive in New Zealand. We have also provided some information and advice on settling in New Zealand long term.
Many people already settled in New Zealand wish their close family to join them, and family members, often alone, wish to come to New Zealand to be close to relatives. We have a range of family policies facilitating partners, dependent children, parents, siblings or adult children of New Zealand citizens or residents to come to live in New Zealand.
Samoan Quota
We have a special relationship with our Samoan neighbours. As part of this special relationship, each year we invite a number of Samoan citizens to apply for residence under our Samoan Quota Scheme.
Pacific Access Category
If you are from Kiribati, Tuvalu or Tonga we offer a number of opportunities each year under the Pacific Access Category for people to move here to live.
Refugee Family Support Category
The Refugee Family Support Category allows New Zealanders who were granted residence as refugees to sponsor a family member and that person's partner and dependent children for New Zealand residence. Each year there are 300 places available.
Other opportunities
You may like to consider other ways you can apply to come to New Zealand for a short time to visit or study or to come here to live or work.
More about applying for a visa or permit
This section has information to help you if you are applying for a visa and/or permit, and want to find out more about dealing with Immigration New Zealand, what the process involves, what you need to do to get your documents together, and what you can do if there is a problem, or the processing of your application is delayed.
I'm accepted – tell me more
This section has information for you if you have been granted a visa and want to find out what to do to prepare for your departure, and what to expect when you arrive in New Zealand. We have also provided some information and advice on settling in New Zealand long term.
If you are from Kiribati, Tuvalu or Tonga we offer a number of opportunities each year under the Pacific Access Category for people to move here to live.
Refugee Family Support Category
The Refugee Family Support Category allows New Zealanders who were granted residence as refugees to sponsor a family member and that person's partner and dependent children for New Zealand residence. Each year there are 300 places available.
Other opportunities
You may like to consider other ways you can apply to come to New Zealand for a short time to visit or study or to come here to live or work.
More about applying for a visa or permit
This section has information to help you if you are applying for a visa and/or permit, and want to find out more about dealing with Immigration New Zealand, what the process involves, what you need to do to get your documents together, and what you can do if there is a problem, or the processing of your application is delayed.
I'm accepted – tell me more
This section has information for you if you have been granted a visa and want to find out what to do to prepare for your departure, and what to expect when you arrive in New Zealand. We have also provided some information and advice on settling in New Zealand long term.
You may like to consider other ways you can apply to come to New Zealand for a short time to visit or study or to come here to live or work.
More about applying for a visa or permit
This section has information to help you if you are applying for a visa and/or permit, and want to find out more about dealing with Immigration New Zealand, what the process involves, what you need to do to get your documents together, and what you can do if there is a problem, or the processing of your application is delayed.
I'm accepted – tell me more
This section has information for you if you have been granted a visa and want to find out what to do to prepare for your departure, and what to expect when you arrive in New Zealand. We have also provided some information and advice on settling in New Zealand long term.
This section has information for you if you have been granted a visa and want to find out what to do to prepare for your departure, and what to expect when you arrive in New Zealand. We have also provided some information and advice on settling in New Zealand long term.