The Government has announced the addition of 32 new health sector roles to the Green List and has moved all the roles of this industry to the Straight to Residence pathway. This means that the Green List will have a total of 48 health roles, all of which are considered critical and nationally important.
The new roles also cover specialisations within those fields and the list will include roles in social services, education, and the justice sector that support the delivery of health services.
List of health sector roles going on the Green List:
1. Addiction practitioner/alcohol & drug clinician
2. Audiometrist
3. Chiropractor
4. Clinical dental technician
5. Clinical physiologists (sleep, renal, exercise, respiratory, neurology, and cardiac)
6. Counsellor
7. Dental specialists
8. Dental technician
9. Dental therapist
10. Dentist
11. Dietician
12. Dispensing optician
13. Drug and alcohol counsellor
14. Enrolled nurse
15. Genetic counsellor
16. Medical laboratory pre-analytical technician
17. Medical resonance imaging technologist
18. Nuclear medicine technologist
19. Nurse practitioner
20. Optometrist
21. Oral health therapist
22. Orthotic and prosthetic technician
23. Orthotist/prosthetist
24. Osteopath
25. Paramedic/emergency medical technician
26. Perfusionist (cardiac)
27. Pharmacist
28. Physiotherapist
29. Play therapist (hospital)
30. Social worker
31. Speech language therapist
32. Sterile processing technician
Existing roles on Green List Work to Residence pathway moving to Straight to Residence pathway:
1. Anaesthetic Technician
2. Audiologist
3. Medical imaging technologist
4. Medical laboratory technician
5. Medical radiation therapist
6. Occupational therapist.
7. Podiatrist
8. Sonographer
Existing roles on Green List Straight to Residence pathway:
1. Clinical Psychologists
2. Medical laboratory scientist
3. Medical practitioners
4. Midwife
5. Orthoptist
6. Physicist (Medical)
7. Psychologists
8. Registered Nurse
Eligibility
Eligible people will be able to apply from 29 May 2023. To apply for the Straight to Residence visa applicants must meet the requirements for their occupation as shown in the Green List.
Continue with a 2021 Resident Visa application
Those who have already applied for a 2021 Resident Visa should continue with that application as the 2021 Resident Visa processing is close to completion.
Sector agreements for other essential roles
Last year, the Government announced it was developing a transport sector agreement, which will include a two-year work to residence pathway for truck drivers and bus drivers.
It has been confirmed that essential maritime transport roles (ship’s masters – also known as skippers – and deckhands) will be added to the transport sector agreement and provided a two-year work to residence pathway.
The detailed settings of the transport sector agreement will be announced shortly.
For any questions regarding this update or any further immigration matters, please contact Arno Nothnagel, our NZ Immigration Director, here.
