Transport Work to Residence Visa

Residence Pathway

What is the Transport Work to Residence Visa?

The Transport Work to Residence Visa makes it possible for people who have worked in certain transport occupation roles in New Zealand to be able to apply for residency.

Applicants must meet certain criteria to be considered eligible for the transport work to residence visa including being offered employment by an Accredited Employer and to have completed at least 24 months of work in an eligible role in New Zealand.

This residency pathway visa allows you to live, work and study in New Zealand, as well as include your partner and dependent children in your application.

What Transport Roles are Eligible for the Transport Work to Residence Visa?

To be eligible for this type of residency visa pathway, you must be qualified and experienced in a transport role in New Zealand for at least 24 months. The occupations and relevant ANZCO code that are approved work to residence transport roles are:

bus driver (731211)
truck driver (733111)
aircraft refueller (733112)
furniture removalist (733113)
tanker driver (733114)
tow truck driver (733115)
ship’s master (231231)
deck hand (899211)

Please be aware that each of the above roles have specific requirements that need to be met – we’ve included that information in the Frequently Asked Questions section of this page.

What other criteria must be met?

In addition to being qualified and meeting the experience requirements for the occupation that you are applying through; applicants must also ensure that they meet the following criteria too:

Applicants must be aged 55 years or younger;
Applicants must be working for or have a job offer from an accredited employer;
Applicants must be of good character;
Applicants must be in good health;
Applicants must be able to speak and understand English; and
Applicants must hold a work visa or Critical Purpose Visitor Visa that allows them to work at the time of making the application.

You can discuss your situation with our immigration specialists to ensure your eligibility.

How Immigration Chambers Can Help

Immigration law can be complex and overwhelming, but here at Immigration Chambers, we’re here to make understanding your options and securing the right New Zealand visa for you a lot easier.

Our team of immigration specialists include accredited immigration lawyers and licensed immigration advisers who are not only vastly experienced in all manner of immigration law matters but are also well versed in the latest immigration laws and restrictions for New Zealand.

When you’re looking to become a New Zealand resident through the Transport Work to Residence Visa, we can help you by ensuring you do have the right qualifications and skills that allow you to submit your application, we can also help to ensure that you have provided all of the right information and avoid making costly mistakes.

We can also help to ensure that this is the right visa option for you. There are lots of different options that makes immigrating to New Zealand possible, so we will listen to you to understand your situation – making sure you achieve the right visa for you.

Talk to our Immigration Specialists Today

Why Choose IC Legal for New Zealand Immigration matters?

Here’s why people choose IC Legal for assistance with immigration and visas for New Zealand:

We make the process easier

Immigration and visa matters are often complex but we’re here to take the stress and confusion out of the process and ensure that you have the right information for your situation.

Expert Advice

Our team is made up of qualified immigration experts – both immigration lawyers and immigration advisers. Our knowledge is up-to-date and accurate.

Exceptional results

We pride ourselves on being able to advise businesses and individuals on all aspects of immigration law and ensure that our advice leads to successful outcomes.

Clear communication

We will always keep you up to date with the latest news and any changes to policies and laws that could impact your visa application.

Frequently Asked Questions

For an international applicant to be eligible for a residency visa via the Care Workforce residency pathway, they must secure a job offer aligning with the specific occupational description or stipulations. Each occupation in the

Below we’ve listed the criteria by role as of October 9th, 2023:

Transport Role	Role-Specific Requirements
Bus Driver (731211)	On the day you apply for your residence visa you must: be currently employed by, or have a job offer from, a New Zealand employer and your role is passenger bus driver have been employed for at least 24 months as a passenger bus driver in New Zealand have been paid at least $28 an hour for 24 months hold a class 2 New Zealand driver licence with a passenger endorsement. You must be working either: for an employer who has signed a Waka Kotahi (New Zealand Transport Agency) ‘All Parties Memorandum of Understanding on Improving Driver Terms and Conditions’ for the region you are working in, or as a school bus driver on a Ministry of Education-funded school bus service, or as a school bus driver on a service directly contracted to a school.
Truck Driver (733111)	On the day you apply for your residence visa you must: be currently employed by, or have a job offer from, a New Zealand employer and your role is driver of a class 4 or 5 vehicle have been employed for at least 24 months driving a class 4 or 5 vehicle have been paid at least the median wage for 24 months hold a New Zealand class 4 or 5 driver licence.
Aircraft Refueller (733112)	On the day you apply for your residence visa you must: be currently employed by, or have a job offer from, a New Zealand employer and your role is driver of a class 4 or 5 vehicle have been employed for at least 24 months driving a class 4 or 5 vehicle have been paid at least the median wage for 24 months hold a New Zealand class 4 or 5 driver licence.
Furniture removalist (733113)	On the day you apply for your residence visa you must: be currently employed by, or have a job offer from, a New Zealand employer and your role is driver of a class 4 or 5 vehicle have been employed for at least 24 months driving a class 4 or 5 vehicle have been paid at least the median wage for 24 months hold a New Zealand class 4 or 5 driver licence
Tanker Driver (733114)	On the day you apply for your residence visa you must: be currently employed by, or have a job offer from, a New Zealand employer and your role is driver of a class 4 or 5 vehicle have been employed for at least 24 months driving a class 4 or 5 vehicle have been paid at least the median wage for 24 months hold a New Zealand class 4 or 5 driver licence.
Tow Truck Driver (733115)	On the day you apply for your residence visa you must: be currently employed by, or have a job offer from, a New Zealand employer and your role is driver of a class 4 or 5 vehicle have been employed for at least 24 months driving a class 4 or 5 vehicle have been paid at least the median wage for 24 months hold a New Zealand class 4 or 5 driver licence.
Ship’s Master (231231)	On the day you apply for your residence visa you must: be currently employed by, or have a job offer from, a New Zealand employer and your role is ship’s master have been employed for at least 24 months as a ship’s master have been paid at least the median wage for 24 months hold either: the Skipper Restricted Limits qualification with 500GT or 3000GT endorsement, or a Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) certificate for duties of a Ship’s Master on a vessel that is 500 gross tonnes or more (as recognised by Maritime New Zealand).
Deck Hand (899211)	On the day you apply for your residence visa you must: be currently employed by, or have a job offer from, a New Zealand employer and your role is deck hand have been employed for at least 24 months as a deck hand have been paid at least the median wage for 24 months hold either a: Qualified Deck Crew Certificate of Proficiency (CoP), or Deck Watch Rating (DWR) Certificate of Proficiency (CoP) that entitles the holder to perform the duties of Deck Hand (as recognised by Maritime New Zealand).

Transport sector has the specific requirements that must be met to be eligible for that occupation.

To ensure you meet all of the requirements for your application, it’s best to seek the services of an Immigration Advisor, like us here at IC Legal.

Contact us today for an initial enquiry

We have a highly experienced team of licensed immigration advisers in New Zealand. Our experts will take away the stress and worry of navigating the complicated world of immigration. All you need to do is get in touch. Our team is on standby, ready to help.

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What is the Transport Work to Residence Visa?

What Transport Roles are Eligible for the Transport Work to Residence Visa?

What other criteria must be met?

How Immigration Chambers Can Help

Why Choose IC Legal for New Zealand Immigration matters?

We make the process easier

Expert Advice

Exceptional results

Clear communication

Frequently Asked Questions

1 What are the criteria of the occupations on the Transport Work to Residence Visa?

2 What does the Immigration NZ Transport Work to Residence visa application cost?

3 How do you find an accredited employer?

4 What if you are not eligible for a Transport Work to Residence visa?

5 How can I get a job offer in New Zealand?

6 Do I need a Licensed Immigration Adviser to help?

Contact us today for an initial enquiry

Feedback From Our Clients