New Zealand is trying to entice IT professionals by fast-tracking residency applications for certain in-demand roles as it prepares for a full border reopening by the end of July.

Six ICT roles on the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) appear on New Zealand’s Green List which will lower requirements for employers who want to import workers as of 4 July and let those workers apply for residence from September.

Around 20,000 migrants already in New Zealand will also have their visas extended.

“We know a major constraint on business is access to skilled labour,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.

“This plan will increase the available pool of labour, while also speeding up our tourism recovery.

“By helping to relieve urgent skills shortages, opening up tourism and putting our immigration settings on a more secure footing, we are building on our proven plan to secure New Zealand’s economic future.”

For employers, the Green List means they can bypass some of the immigration requirements that are designed to encourage hiring Kiwis over international migrants.

Specifically, employers won’t have to prove they have also advertised the role to New Zealanders as currently required for the Accredited Employer Work Visa.

Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi called the Green List the “cornerstone” of the country’s adjust immigration program.

“[It] will incentivise and attract high skilled migrants to New Zealand, by providing a new streamlined pathway to residency for those globally hard to fill roles,” he said.

“Our rebalanced immigration system will be simpler, reducing categories, bringing more online accessibility and streamlining application processes for businesses.”

The six ICT-related ANZSCO roles on New Zealand’s Green List are: chief information officer (ANZSCO 135111), ICT project manager (ANZSCO 135112), ICT managers ANZSCO 135199), software engineer (ANZSCO 261313), ICT security specialist (ANZSCO 262112), and multimedia specialist (ANZSCO 261211).

The minimum salary to be eligible for these roles is around $108,000 (NZ$120,000) – except multimedia specialist which has a minimum salary requirement of around $86,000 (NZ$95,000).

Half of these roles also appear on Australia’s Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List which gives first preference to immigration processing to workers from 44 needed occupations.

New Zealand will fully re-open its border to all tourists and visa holders just before midnight, 31 July.

It marks the first time New Zealand will be open to the world since closing down during the COVID-19 pandemic.