RESIDENCE & PERMANENT RESIDENCY

Make New Zealand permanent

Residence is where the move stops feeling temporary — open work rights, domestic study fees for your children, and a settled future. Aimee maps the shortest credible route to get you there.

WHO IT IS FOR

Residence is a plan, not a single application

Very few people qualify for residence on day one. The people who get there fastest are the ones who chose the right work visa, the right employer and the right occupation two years earlier.

You are already working in New Zealand — Aimee audits your current position against every residence category and tells you exactly what is missing.
You are still overseas — Aimee works the plan backwards — which occupations, which employers and which visa gets you to residence fastest.
Your occupation is in demand — Some roles have a direct route to residence. Aimee confirms whether yours qualifies and on what terms.
You are the partner of a New Zealander — A separate pathway with its own evidence standards around a genuine and stable relationship.

YOUR OPTIONS

Routes to New Zealand residence

Each has different evidence requirements, timeframes and risks. Choosing correctly is most of the work.

Skilled Migrant Category

The main points-based residence route. Points come from a combination of skilled employment in New Zealand and your qualifications, occupational registration or income.

Green List — Straight to Residence

For roles New Zealand is actively short of. Eligible applicants can apply for residence immediately rather than working towards it.

Green List — Work to Residence

For a second tier of in-demand roles, residence follows a qualifying period of employment with an accredited employer.

Sector work to residence

Dedicated pathways covering parts of the care workforce and transport sectors, with their own qualifying periods and conditions.

Highly paid residence

A route recognising sustained employment well above the New Zealand median wage, regardless of whether the occupation is listed.

Partner of a New Zealander

Residence based on a genuine and stable relationship with a New Zealand citizen or resident, supported by strong relationship evidence.

Permanent Resident Visa: A resident visa usually carries travel conditions that eventually expire. After meeting the commitment-to-New-Zealand requirements you can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa, which gives you indefinite re-entry rights. Aimee plans for that step too.

REQUIREMENTS

What a strong residence application contains

Residence applications are assessed far more closely than temporary visas. Gaps that pass unnoticed on a work visa become refusals here.

A verifiable employment history — Contracts, payslips, tax records and references that corroborate every claim of skilled employment.
Qualifications assessed correctly — Overseas qualifications may need assessment against the New Zealand framework, or recognition by an occupational body.
Health and character clearance — Full medicals and police certificates, with any adverse history addressed openly and with supporting material.
Consistency across your visa history — Every statement must line up with what you have previously told Immigration New Zealand.
Evidence of settlement — For relationship-based categories, a documented history of living together that stands up to scrutiny.

At a glance

Typical processing: Several months — residence queues move slowly compared to work visas
Points required: Applies to the Skilled Migrant Category; other routes are criteria-based
Family included: Partner and dependent children are normally included in your application
Travel conditions: Resident visas carry them; a Permanent Resident Visa removes them
Path to citizenship: Possible after meeting residence and presence requirements

HOW AIMEE HELPS

What working with Aimee looks like

Aimee is a licensed adviser who handles your file herself, from the first assessment to the decision letter.

Category selection

Aimee compares every route you qualify for and recommends the one with the best odds and shortest realistic timeframe.

Points and eligibility audit

A line-by-line check of your claimed points or criteria before a cent is spent on lodgement.

Evidence pack preparation

Residence files are large. Aimee builds and indexes yours so an officer can verify every claim without asking twice.

Complex history handling

Previous refusals, overstays, health conditions or character issues — addressed with proper legal submissions.

Bridging your visa status

Aimee keeps your temporary visa valid while the residence application is on foot so you never fall out of status.

After approval

Travel conditions, permanent residence timing and citizenship planning — Aimee does not disappear at approval.

THE PROCESS

The route to residence

Every application is different, but the shape of the journey stays the same.

Eligibility audit

Aimee assesses you against every residence category and shows exactly where you sit today.

Gap plan

If you are not there yet, you get a written plan with the specific steps and timeframes that will get you there.

Application build

Aimee assembles, verifies and indexes the evidence pack, and prepares submissions on anything contentious.

Lodgement to decision

Aimee files, handles every request for further information, and advocates for you until a decision issues.

QUESTIONS

Frequently asked

How long does residence take?

Considerably longer than a work visa — typically several months from lodgement, and longer again if you first need to build up qualifying employment. Processing times vary by category and by how complete your application is when it is filed. Incomplete files are the single biggest cause of delay.

Can I apply for residence from outside New Zealand?

Some categories allow it, but most residence routes are built around skilled employment in New Zealand, which in practice means holding a work visa first. Your assessment will tell you whether an offshore application is realistic in your case.

What is the difference between residence and permanent residence?

A resident visa lets you live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely, but its travel conditions eventually expire, which limits your ability to re-enter. Once you have met the commitment-to-New-Zealand requirements you can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa, which gives you indefinite travel rights.

Does my whole family get residence?

Your partner and dependent children are normally included in your application, provided they meet health and character requirements. Adult children and parents fall under different categories with their own criteria.

I was refused residence before. Is it worth trying again?

Often, yes — but only once the original reason for refusal has been properly understood and addressed. Aimee obtains and reviews the file, identifies what actually went wrong, and tells you honestly whether a fresh application is viable.

NEXT STEP

Ready to take the first step?

Tell Aimee where you are today and she will tell you honestly what is possible. Your first eligibility assessment is free and comes with no obligation.