Tradie thinking about the Tasman? New Zealand's Green List could shorten the road to residence

Visa guide · 2026-08-18 · 5 min read

Two carpenters inspect a timber house frame at a sunny construction site amid New Zealand’s green hills.

New Zealand is a realistic option for a qualified electrician, plumber, welder or carpenter who wants more than the Australian market alone can offer. Industry estimates put the construction shortfall at roughly 60,000 people, and the immigration system has been built to bring in people with exactly these skills. Here is how the pieces fit together for a worker outside the country.

Why the shortage is real

Roughly half of that 60,000 gap is trades-qualified people, among them electricians, plumbers, carpenters, welders and gasfitters. The Government has earmarked close to $60 billion for infrastructure over the next four years, covering highways, hospitals, schools and water systems. Work of that scale needs workers on site, and there are not enough local ones.

The pipeline is visible on the map. Highway upgrades are under way from Cambridge to Whangarei. Hospital wards and redevelopments are progressing in Whangarei, Tauranga, Hawke's Bay, Palmerston North and Dunedin, and a new hospital is planned south of Auckland. Ten school redevelopments, new courthouses and new police stations add to the list.

Housing is also picking up. Home consents rose 16% in the year to April 2026, and the country still needs to consent around 25,000 new homes a year to keep pace with population growth. Regional areas such as Northland, Waikato, the Bay of Plenty and the South Island are building as hard as the big cities.

The two Green List routes

The Green List names occupations New Zealand cannot fill locally and offers two fast-tracked pathways.

Straight to Residence: Civil engineers, construction project managers: Residence can follow almost immediately after a job offer from an accredited employer
Work to Residence: Electricians, plumbers, gasfitters, welders, fitters, metal fabricators: After two years working for an accredited employer at the right wage threshold, residence becomes an option

In 2025 ten more trades joined the list, including welders, fitters, panel beaters, vehicle painters and paving plant operators. Most arriving workers begin on the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV), and from late August 2026 a new Skilled Migrant Category pathway aimed at trades and technicians adds another route to permanent residence for people who have built up local experience. Official detail is on the Immigration New Zealand website.

Getting your trade recognised

Many overseas tradespeople worry that their qualifications will not count. New Zealand has specific bodies for this:

EWRB for electricians and electrical engineers
PGDB for plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers
MBIE's Licensed Building Practitioners scheme for carpenters and residential builders
Engineering New Zealand for engineering professions
NZQA for trades without a dedicated body, which compares overseas qualifications against local standards

Registration is a legal requirement for working in many of these roles, and it can also add points to a Skilled Migrant Category application. Start the registration process early and keep your certificates, references and work records in order. A tidy, role-specific CV helps the same way, and Build AI CV can help you present your tickets and experience clearly.

How this compares with working in Australia

Australia and New Zealand are neighbours, and many workers weigh them against each other. Australia's skilled visas are covered in our guides on choosing a state for skilled migration and visa charges for skilled workers. For the New Zealand side of the shortage, read the piece on New Zealand's project pipeline. Current Australian vacancies are on the jobs page.

Common mistakes when planning a move to New Zealand

Assuming a trade qualification is accepted automatically, without checking the registration body for your trade.
Taking a job with an employer that is not accredited and then finding the AEWV route closed.
Expecting residence straight away on a Work to Residence trade. The pathway describes two years of work first.
Choosing a big city by habit when regional areas are building just as hard.

Questions tradespeople ask about New Zealand

Which trades are on the Work to Residence pathway?

Electricians, plumbers, gasfitters, welders, fitters and metal fabricators are named, and ten more trades were added to the Green List in 2025.

Do I need an accredited employer?

Yes. Both Green List pathways describe a job offer or work with an accredited employer, and most arriving workers start on the AEWV.

Who registers an electrician or a plumber?

EWRB covers electricians and electrical engineers, and PGDB covers plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers.

What is new from late August 2026?

A Skilled Migrant Category pathway aimed at trades and technicians, for people who have built up local experience.

Is the shortage temporary?

The demand described here comes from public investment and housing consents, and it is described as structural, not a short-term spike.

What to remember before you decide

New Zealand has a documented need, defined routes and named registration bodies for trades. Check your occupation against the Green List, find the registration body that covers it, and line up an accredited employer before you commit to the move.

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