Moving to New Zealand from the US, Canada or the UK

For younger people on a working holiday, skilled workers with a job offer, and retirees and investors with significant capital. Which New Zealand route fits you and what each one asks for.

New Zealand’s routes split by age and by money. Younger people from all three countries can go on a working holiday. Skilled workers with an offer from an approved employer can get residence straight away. Retirees and investors have routes too, but the money tests are high. Every visa here is applied for online with Immigration New Zealand, in English.

The main ways in

Working holiday visa. This is the easiest way to try New Zealand, and the terms differ by passport.

Fees start at NZD 770. The UK scheme has a cap of 15,000 visas a year. Working holiday visas are individual, so a partner applies separately.

Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa. This is the main path to living in New Zealand for good. You must be 55 or younger. You need a job, or a job offer, with an accredited New Zealand employer. The job must be at least 30 hours a week and permanent or fixed-term for 12 months or more. You also need 6 points. Points come from your qualification, occupational registration or pay, plus up to 3 for skilled work in New Zealand. Pay of three times the wage threshold, currently NZD 105.00 an hour, earns all 6 points on its own. You must also show you speak English. Fees start at NZD 6,450. A resident visa lets you stay indefinitely from the day it is granted.

Temporary Retirement Visitor Visa. This suits people aged 66 or over with substantial savings. You need NZD 750,000 to invest in New Zealand for two years, NZD 500,000 to live on and an income of NZD 60,000 a year. A partner must meet the same tests. The visa lasts up to two years. It is a visitor visa, so it does not lead to residence and you cannot work.

Active Investor Plus Visa. This suits investors with at least NZD 5 million to invest for three years (Growth), or NZD 10 million for five years (Balanced). Time you must spend in New Zealand is short: 21 days over three years for Growth. The fee starts at NZD 27,470. It gives residence on grant.

See every route below, including the student visa.

Working remotely on a visit

Since 27 January 2025, people on visitor visas may work remotely for employers or clients outside New Zealand. You must be a genuine visitor, for example on holiday or visiting family. You may not work for New Zealand employers or sell to New Zealand businesses or people. US, Canadian and UK citizens normally visit with an NZeTA, an electronic travel authority, rather than a visitor visa. Immigration New Zealand’s page refers to visitor visas, and we could not confirm whether NZeTA visitors are covered. Check before you plan on it.

Money and tax

Immigration fees in New Zealand are high next to many countries, so budget for them. The figures above are Immigration New Zealand’s “from” prices.

New Zealand tax residence generally starts once you have spent 183 days in the country in a 12-month period. New residents may qualify as “transitional residents”, which exempts most foreign income for about four years. Remote workers on a visitor stay may not owe New Zealand tax if they are there for under 92 days in a 12-month period and are taxed elsewhere. Check with Inland Revenue.

US citizens stay liable for US tax on worldwide income wherever they live. The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and foreign tax credits can reduce double tax.

Timeline and what comes next

1. Check your age first. Working holiday age limits apply on the day you apply. Americans must apply by 30.
2. Line up an accredited employer. For the skilled migrant route, the employer must already be accredited. Ask before you accept an offer.
3. Apply online and wait. Immigration New Zealand does not show processing times on the pages we read, so leave time.
4. Plan the longer path. A permanent resident visa, which removes travel conditions, can usually follow after two years on a resident visa. Citizenship generally follows after five years’ residence. We have not confirmed either timeline on official pages.

What catches people out

• Working holidays do not lead to residence on their own. To stay, you need a resident visa such as the skilled migrant route.
• One US working holiday only. The USA scheme is not open to anyone who has held a New Zealand working holiday visa before.
• The retirement visa is a visit. It does not lead to residence and you need to meet its tests each time you apply.
• Rules are changing. Immigration New Zealand announced two new residence pathways due from August 2026. We have not yet confirmed their details.

This is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Confirm each requirement with Immigration New Zealand before you apply.