The New Zealand government announced on Tuesday that it will create two additional residency pathways for migrants, part of a strategy aimed at supporting economic growth.

Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis said in the statement that skilled and experienced migrants play an important role in plugging workforce gaps, and in turn help businesses to grow.

“Businesses told us it was too hard for some migrants to gain residence, even when they had crucial skills and significant experience that was not available in the existing workforce. We’re fixing it,” she said.

From mid-2026, the government will roll out two distinct streams: the Skilled Work Experience pathway and the Trades and Technician pathway.

The first targets migrants in roles classified under ANZSCO Levels 1-3 who have

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