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Pathway

New Zealand Skilled Migrant Resident Visa

New Zealand Residency
Pathway overview

At a glance

New Zealand's Skilled Migrant Category is a points-based residence route for skilled workers with New Zealand employment or a strong skilled profile. It generally requires meeting the points threshold, skill and pay rules, and standard residence checks.

Type
Skilled-worker residence
Job or skills fit
A skilled New Zealand job or offer plus enough skilled-residence points
Core requirements
Six points, accredited-employer job fit, age 55 or younger, English, health, and character
What to know
Meeting minimum rules may not guarantee an invitation
Duration
Resident visa from approval.
Renewal / path
Can support permanent resident status and later citizenship if New Zealand rules are met.

Summary

The Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Resident Visa is New Zealand's points-based skilled residence route. Under the rules current on 15 August 2026, the applicant needs a skilled New Zealand job or offer from an accredited employer and at least 6 points from one main skill category, with New Zealand skilled work experience added where needed.

Major changes take effect on 24 August 2026. An applicant seeking assessment under the current rules must submit the Expression of Interest (EOI) before that date; unfinished draft EOIs will expire.

Pathway fit check

Eligibility

The principal applicant must be 55 or younger, speak and understand English, and meet health and character requirements. The New Zealand job or offer must be with an accredited employer, at least 30 hours a week, and permanent, fixed-term for at least 12 months, or based on continuous contracts of at least 6 months.

Under current thresholds, an ANZSCO level 1 to 3 job must generally pay at least NZD 35 an hour. A level 4 or 5 job must generally pay at least NZD 52.50 an hour. The role's duties must substantially match its occupation classification.

The applicant claims 3 to 6 points from one main category:

Current income points are 3 points at NZD 52.50 an hour, 4 at NZD 70, and 6 at NZD 105. Recognized qualifications currently range from 3 points for certain level 8 or bachelor's qualifications to 6 for a doctorate. Up to 3 additional points can be claimed for 1 to 3 years of skilled New Zealand work. Qualification points and income points cannot be added together; the applicant chooses one main category.

An EOI is filed first. If INZ accepts the claimed 6 points, it issues an invitation to apply and then verifies every claim with the residence application.

Rules from 24 August 2026

INZ has published final settings adding Skilled Work Experience and Trades and Technician pathways, changing some qualification and wage treatment, and locking certain wage thresholds to the relevant start point. Those rules are enacted but not current on 15 August. Applicants filing from 24 August must use the new EOI and test the new occupation, work-experience, qualification, wage, and restricted-occupation rules rather than relying on this pre-change points summary.

What This Route Allows

The resident visa permits indefinite residence, work, and study. A partner and dependent children aged 24 or younger can be included if the family, health, character, and English requirements are met.

The initial visa normally has 2 years of travel conditions. A Permanent Resident Visa can be sought after 2 years if the applicable requirements are met.

What This Route Is Not

It is not a points route based only on foreign education or general years of experience. The current system requires the skilled New Zealand job and one valid 6-point calculation.

It is also not correct to combine qualification, registration, and income points. Overseas qualifications may need an International Qualification Assessment, and a job title without matching duties or pay is not enough.

Next Steps

  1. Decide whether an EOI will be submitted before 24 August 2026 or under the new rules from that date.
  2. Verify employer accreditation, occupation code and duties, hours, term, and hourly-equivalent pay.
  3. Calculate points using one main skill category and only the permitted New Zealand work add-on.
  4. Obtain professional-registration, qualification-assessment, employment, pay, tax, and work-history evidence.
  5. Prepare English, medical, police, identity, and family documents.
  6. Submit the EOI under the correct version of the rules and retain proof of every claim for the invited application.
Compare your options

Similar skilled worker pathways in other destinations.

Sources