There is no visa just for Wellington. New Zealand's visas are national, so moving here means qualifying for a visa from Immigration New Zealand (INZ), the government agency that decides visas, and finding work or study in the city.

Wellington City Council describes Wellington as New Zealand's centre of government and the world's southernmost capital city. Parliament moved to Wellington in 1865.

In te reo Māori, the Māori language, the council calls the city Pōneke: its About Wellington City page is headed "Mō Pōneke". Its page on Māori history gives another name Māori gave the area, Te Whanganui-a-Tara, and explains that it means "the great harbour of Tara".

Working in Wellington

WellingtonNZ's guide to doing business in Wellington describes the city as home to the Government and to the headquarters of most of New Zealand's central government agencies. The same page notes that Wellington is a UNESCO City of Film, known for its screen industry and post-production work (the editing and effects done after filming). The council's own profile calls Wellington a leading centre for creative industries, such as film and computer technology, and the home of the New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZX).

Some visas require you to work for an accredited employer: a business that INZ has approved to hire workers from overseas. INZ's accredited employer list lets you check an employer by searching its company or trading name, or its New Zealand Business Number (NZBN), a 13-digit number. The tool has one search box and no location filter, so it cannot show you which accredited employers are in Wellington. INZ notes that some accredited employers choose not to appear in the results, so if a Wellington employer you are talking to is missing, ask them.

Studying in Wellington

These universities have campuses in the city:

• Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington has its main campus at Kelburn, its business, government and law schools at Pipitea in the central city, and its architecture and design programmes at Te Aro.
• Massey University's Wellington campus sits next to the Pukeahu National War Memorial, within walking distance of the city centre. Subjects taught there include creative arts, film and animation, commercial music, nursing, psychology and media.
• The University of Otago runs Wellington's medical and health science campus, teaching medicine, radiation therapy, physiotherapy and postgraduate health courses.

If you plan to study here first and stay afterwards, our guide to going from study to residence explains how that works.

Which visa lets you live in Wellington?

• Skilled Migrant Category (SMC). A resident visa that lets you live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely. It needs a job or job offer from an accredited employer and starts with an expression of interest (EOI): you tell INZ about yourself, and if INZ accepts it, INZ invites you to apply. Its points-based pathway needs 6 points, from things like your qualification or pay. Our SMC calculator adds them up; our SMC guide explains the rest.
• Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV). A work visa for people with a job offer from an accredited employer. INZ says you may work only in the job, for the employer and in the location stated on your visa. See our AEWV guide.
• Green List. INZ's list of roles New Zealand needs workers for. If your role is listed and you meet its qualification, registration or experience requirements, you may be able to apply for residence straight away or after 2 years of work in New Zealand. See our Green List guide.
• Working holiday visas. These let young citizens of countries with a working holiday agreement work and travel in New Zealand, normally for up to 12 months. See our working holiday guide.

Housing and getting around

Tenancy Services' market rent tool shows the weekly rent for properties in an area, so you can compare Wellington suburbs before you agree to rent.

The council explains that a building confirmed as earthquake-prone is entered into a national register, which lists the type of notice issued and the time frame for strengthening work. You can search the register by address or suburb before you rent.

Public transport is provided by Greater Wellington, the regional council, under the name Metlink: a bus, train and ferry network for the wider region, including Wellington City, the Hutt Valley, Porirua, the Kāpiti Coast and the Wairarapa. Greater Wellington also looks after regional parks and flood protection.

Free help after you arrive

Wellington City Council's page on diverse communities points to practical help. The city's libraries have material to help people learn English, plus books and newspapers in other languages. You can ask for an interpreter when you talk to the council, and the council supports festivals such as Diwali.

For first steps that apply anywhere in New Zealand, such as finding somewhere to live, getting a doctor and finding schools for your children, see INZ's page on setting up your life in New Zealand.