Recognised qualifications

You can claim points for qualifications such as trade certificates, diplomas, bachelor degrees and postgraduate qualifications.

The points you can earn will depend on what level your qualification occupies on the New Zealand Register of Quality Assured Qualifications.

Check if your qualification(s) is included in the List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment, or the List of Qualifications Recognised as an Exception, and if there are any additional requirements that you need to meet. We also accept qualifications that the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) considers equivalent to an acceptable New Zealand qualification.

Evidence of qualifications

You will need to provide an NZQA* assessment of your qualification unless one of the following applies:

• your qualification is on our List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment, or
• your qualification is on our List of Qualifications Recognised as an Exception, or
• you have full or provisional registration and your qualification has been assessed by a New Zealand organisation as being comparable to a New Zealand qualification on the List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment  

If you are invited to apply for residence, you will also need to provide evidence of your qualification.

*NZQA Assessment

If an NZQA assessment is required for an overseas qualification, a Pre-Assessment Result may be provided as evidence to support your Expression of Interest. If you are invited to apply for residence your qualification will then have to be fully assessed by the NZQA (see International Qualifications Assessment).

If you have a New Zealand qualification which is included on the New Zealand Register of Quality Assured Qualifications you should provide a 'Qualification Overview' report, this report can be obtained from the NZQA 'KiwiQuals' website. If your qualification is not included on this register you will need a letter from the NZQA to determine whether your qualification will qualify for points.

Note that if your qualification is assessed by the NZQA as Level 4, your qualification must be relevant to an occupation at Part B or Part C of the List of Skilled Occupations.

Points for Qualifications

Bonus points for Qualifications

You may qualify for bonus points if your recognised qualification is in an area in which skills are in demand in New Zealand and which will help build New Zealand’s economy.

* If you want bonus points for an identified future growth area, you must also have a job or job offer in that area. Your qualification must also be a requirement for the job.

** If your job or job offer is not in an area of absolute skill shortage, you will only be able to get these bonus points if your qualification is on the Long Term Skill Shortage List. You must also meet any other requirements on the list.

***To gain bonus points for your partner’s qualification, your partner needs to meet the same English language requirements as you.