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For Brits moving abroad
Moving to New Zealand as a Tradesperson from the UK
Last checked: October 2026
New Zealand needs skilled tradespeople. House building, infrastructure projects and an ageing workforce mean employers across the country are struggling to fill roles, and many trades are on the government's Green List of jobs it needs people for.
Most trades sit on Tier 2 of the Green List, the Work to Residence route. You start on an Accredited Employer Work Visa with an approved employer, work in your trade for two years, and can then apply for residence. Electricians, plumbers and a range of construction and automotive trades are among them, and more trades were added in 2025.
Before you can work, most trades need New Zealand registration. Electricians register with the Electrical Workers Registration Board, and plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers register with the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board. Your UK qualifications and experience will be assessed, and some trades may need extra training or a test.
Check your trade on the official Green List before you apply, as the list is reviewed regularly.
Trades in demand in New Zealand
All of these trades are on Tier 2 of New Zealand's Green List, which means two years working for an accredited employer can lead to residence.
Electricians, plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers are on Tier 2 of the Green List, and all need New Zealand registration before you can work.
Automotive electricians and diesel mechanics are also on Tier 2, with a recognised qualification or relevant experience.
Carpenters and joiners are on Tier 2 too, along with construction plant operators such as excavator, bulldozer, backhoe and loader operators.
In 2025, ten more trades were added to Tier 2, including plasterers, tilers, roofers, scaffolders, stonemasons, metal fabricators, motor mechanics and vehicle painters.
Visa Options When Moving to New Zealand as a Tradesperson
Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV): the main route for most tradespeople. You need a job offer from a New Zealand employer that's accredited with
Immigration New Zealand, and the job has to meet the visa's pay and skill rules.
Green List Work to Residence: if your trade is on Tier 2 of the Green List, you can apply for residence after working 24 months full-time in that trade in New Zealand.
Skilled Migrant Category: a points-based residence visa. Your qualifications, New Zealand registration, pay and time working in New Zealand all count towards your points.
Working Holiday Visa: if you're a UK citizen aged 18 to 35, you can live and work in New Zealand for up to three years. You normally need to be living in the UK when you apply. It's a good way to try the country before committing to a longer visa.
Getting Your UK Trade Recognised in New Zealand
Unlike Canada, New Zealand has one national board for each regulated trade, so it doesn't matter which city you move to. Electricians register with the Electrical Workers Registration Board, and plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers register with the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board.
For electricians, you apply to the board with proof of your UK qualifications and experience. The board tells you which practical skills assessments you need to pass, and these are run by approved training providers in New Zealand. You'll also need a current first aid certificate.
In regulated trades, including electrician and plumber, registration is compulsory, so you can't legally work without it. Builders doing certain structural and weathertightness work on homes need to be a Licensed Building Practitioner. Start the process before you move, because it can take a while.
Moving to New Zealand from the UK with Your Family
If you get residence, through the Green List or the Skilled Migrant Category, you can usually include your partner and dependent children on the same application, so the whole family gets residence together.
If you move on an Accredited Employer Work Visa first, whether your partner can work depends on your job and your pay. Partners of people in Green List roles or higher-paid jobs can often get a work visa, but partners of lower-paid workers may only get a visitor visa or nothing at all. Check this before you accept a job offer.
Your children can usually go to state primary and secondary school as domestic students, which means no tuition fees, as long as you meet the income threshold for your visa. Once you're residents, school is free and your family can use the public health system. On a work visa you may not qualify for public healthcare straight away, so check your eligibility and arrange private health insurance.
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