Green List Tier 2: Can you apply with eight months left on a fixed-term contract?

If you rely on your current fixed-term job for Work to Residence, it needs to run for at least 12 months from the date you apply. A contract originally signed for two years falls short of that requirement if only eight months remain at lodgement. Immigration New Zealand also accepts a qualifying permanent job or job offer.

Calculate the remaining term from lodgement

Suppose your agreement ends on 31 August 2027 and you plan to apply in January 2027. You may already have 24 months of eligible work, but the current agreement still has only about eight months left. Record the proposed application date and contract end date side by side. If your employer expects to renew the agreement, check when formal written terms will be available and whether the term, role or pay will change.

Check the current job evidence separately

Use the current agreement, signed renewal or formal offer to check the employer's legal name, duties, hours, pay and term. The current job or offer must still meet the applicable full-time, Tier 2 and wage requirements, and the employer must meet INZ's accreditation requirement. If you rely on an offer from a different employer, repeat those checks and confirm when your immigration permission allows you to start.

Moving your intended lodgement date also moves the 30-month window for past work. Recalculate it with the Tier 2 qualifying work period guide before relying on an earlier stretch of employment.

Policy checked on 6 November 2026. See the current job or job offer section of Immigration New Zealand's Work to Residence Visa guidance.