Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa

You need 6 points. You claim 3 to 6 points from one of three factors - occupational registration, qualifications, or income - and can add 1 point for each year of skilled work experience in New Zealand, up to 3 points. The three factors cannot be combined with each other: if your highest factor gives you 6 points you can apply straight away, and if it gives you 3, 4 or 5 points you make up the difference with New Zealand work experience.

Qualifications earn 3 points for a bachelor's degree or postgraduate certificate, 4 for a bachelor honours degree or postgraduate diploma, 5 for a master's degree, and 6 for a doctorate. Occupational registration earns 3 to 6 points depending on how many years of training the registration requires. Income earns 3 points at 1.5 times the median wage (NZD 52.50 an hour), 4 points at 2 times (NZD 70.00), and 6 points at 3 times (NZD 105.00). Skilled work experience in New Zealand adds 1 point per year, capped at 3 points.

No. The SMC does not use an occupation list. What matters is that your job or job offer is full-time with an INZ-accredited employer and pays at least NZD 35.00 an hour for jobs at ANZSCO skill levels 1 to 3, or NZD 52.50 an hour for skill levels 4 to 5. The Green List is a separate list used for the Straight to Residence and Work to Residence routes - being on it is not required for the SMC, though Green List roles often meet the wage settings comfortably.

Four things: a total of 6 points; skilled full-time employment or a job offer from an accredited employer at or above the wage floor for the job's skill level; age 55 or younger when you apply; and English-language, health, and character requirements. Residence is granted directly - after 2 years of meeting residence conditions you can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa, which has no travel conditions and never expires.

In practice, yes. Skilled employment or a job offer from an accredited employer is a core requirement, and points from income or New Zealand work experience assume you are already working here. The most common route is to secure an Accredited Employer Work Visa first, build points, and then transition to SMC residence.

There is no fee to submit the expression of interest. The resident visa application costs NZD 6,450 under the current INZ fee settings. Budget separately for the English test, medical examinations, police certificates, and any qualification assessment by NZQA.

INZ's resident-visa wait times page, updated weekly, currently reports an average wait of 11 weeks with 80% of SMC applications completed within 4 months. Add time before that for the qualification assessment (typically 4 to 8 weeks at NZQA), the expression of interest and invitation, and gathering police and medical certificates.

Yes. Your partner and dependent children aged 24 and under can be included in the resident visa application, and they receive residence when you do. They must meet health and character requirements, and your partner may need to meet an English-language requirement or pre-purchase English tuition.

Two new pathways open alongside the points system: a Skilled Work Experience pathway for people with several years of skill level 1 to 3 experience including skilled work in New Zealand, and a Trades and Technician pathway for people with level 4 or higher qualifications plus post-qualification experience. Points settings also improve for New Zealand qualifications and overseas bachelor's degrees, and English-test validity extends from 2 to 5 years where you hold eligible occupational registration. Draft EOIs not submitted before 24 August 2026 will expire.

The Skilled Migrant Category age criterion is generally being 55 or under at the time of application, so applying in your early forties is within the typical age range. Being over 55 is a common reason applications are refused. Always confirm the current rules with Immigration New Zealand.

The Skilled Migrant Category typically requires English-language proficiency at IELTS 6.5 overall or equivalent, with IELTS or an equivalent test result among the typical evidence. Native English speakers may be exempt. Check the current accepted tests and scores on the Immigration New Zealand website.

Immigration New Zealand has announced a reform effective 24 August 2026 that adds Skilled Work Experience and Trades and Technician pathways, simplifies median-wage settings across pathways, and gives a points advantage for NZ-completed qualifications; the current 6-point system stays in force until then. This is informational only — verify the current points table and Green List on the INZ website.