People wanting to move to New Zealand will need to meet a number of requirements to gain residence under our Skilled Migrant Category.
We need to be assured that the person and any family members included in their application:
- are healthy. If a person is invited to apply for residence they need to have a doctor assess their health and fill in New Zealand Immigration Service medical and chest x-ray certificates for each member of their family coming to New Zealand.
- are of good character. People invited to apply for residence will have to provide police certificates as evidence of good character for everyone 17 years and over included in their application.
- meet a minimum standard of English. Our requirements apply differently depending on whether a person is the principal applicant – the person completing the form - or a non-principal applicant. Non-principal applicants include the partner and dependent children of the person completing the form.
Once a person has met these requirements, whether we invite them to apply for residence will depend the number of points they qualify for when they complete their Expression of Interest.
We provide points and bonus points for…
- skilled employment. This is work that requires the use of specialist, technical or management expertise. This expertise may have been gained through completing a relevant recognised qualification, through relevant work experience, or through completing a relevant recognised qualification and relevant work experience.
- work experience. We award points for work experience that has given a person transferable skills that will help them settle in and contribute to New Zealand.
This is work experience that:
- is relevant to the person’s qualifications or skilled employment in New Zealand
or
- required or enabled them to gain specialist, technical or management skills and experience relevant to an occupation that may be considered skilled employment.
- a recognised qualification. A person can qualify for points for qualifications such as trade certificates, diplomas, bachelor degrees, and post-graduate qualifications. We provide points for these qualifications as they indicate an ability to gain skilled employment in New Zealand and because qualified people enrich New Zealand’s work capabilities.
- age. Because we are looking for people who can make a long term contribution to New Zealand only people who are 55 years or under can apply under this category.
- close family in New Zealand. We recognise that family support enhances prospects for employability and settlement. Applicants can gain points for having a close family member who is in New Zealand and is a New Zealand resident.