Skilled migrant category pathway to residence
This pathway to New Zealand residence is for people with a skilled job who have occupational registration, a Bachelor's qualification or higher, or earn 1.5 times the median wage.
Follow this pathway if you have an acceptable skilled job and 1 of the following:
- occupational registration that requires at least 2 years of training
- a level 7 Bachelor's degree or higher — based on the
levels, or - a pay rate of at least 1.5 times the median wage.
This pathway leads to the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa.
Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
To be ready to apply for this visa, follow these steps.
What to do
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Step 1: Work in a skilled job or receive an offer for a skilled job
You will need to work in, or have a job offer for, an acceptable skilled job with an
in New Zealand. To be considered a skilled job, it must be:
- with an accredited employer
- either an
level 1 to 3 job paid at or above the , or a level 4 to 5 job paid at or above 1.5 times the median wage, and -
(for at least 30 hours a week) - permanent or fixed-term for at least 12 months, or a contract or continuous contracts for at least 6 months.
Note
The Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANSCO) list grades jobs according to skill level. ANZSCO skill levels range from 1 to 5, with 1 being the most skilled and 5 being less skilled.
The job title and description for your job should mostly match the job title and description in
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Step 2: Qualify for 6 skilled resident points
You will need 6 skilled resident points from your skills and work in New Zealand. These are the points you need before you can apply for a Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa.
You can get:
- 3 to 6 points based on your occupational registration, qualification, or income
- up to 3 more points for skilled work experience in New Zealand.
If you have occupational registration, check that it is eligible for you to get points from it.
Claiming skilled resident points from occupational registration
If you are claiming points for income or skilled work experience, you must meet the pay rate requirements.
Pay rates for the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
When you do not need work experience
You can get 6 points if you have:
- an eligible occupational registration requiring at least 6 years of training
- a PhD or doctorate, or
- a job or job offer in New Zealand which pays at least 3 times the
.
If you have 6 points, you can apply for the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa now — you do not need to work in New Zealand first to get work experience.
When you need 1 year of work experience
You can get 5 points if you have:
- an eligible occupational registration requiring at least 5 years of training, or
- a Master's degree.
You will need 1 more point for a year of skilled work in New Zealand on any work visa, to get your 6 points.
When you need 2 years of work experience
You can get 4 points if you have:
- an eligible occupational registration requiring at least 4 years of training
- an Honours degree or Postgraduate diploma, or
- a job or job offer in New Zealand which pays at least 2 times the median wage but less than 3 times the median wage.
You will need 2 more points for 2 years of skilled work in New Zealand on any work visa, to get your 6 points.
When you need 3 years of work experience
You can get 3 points if you have:
- an eligible occupational registration requiring at least 2 years of training, or
- a Bachelor's degree or Postgraduate certificate, or
- a job or job offer in New Zealand which pays at least 1.5 times the median wage but less than 2 times the median wage.
You will need 3 more points for 3 years of skilled work in New Zealand on any work visa, to get your 6 points.
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Step 3: Get remaining points from skilled work experience, if required
If you need to get points from working in New Zealand, you can do this on any work visa that lets you work in a
job. You must meet the requirements for the job including the pay rate required during your work experience.
Check the visa under 'Skilled work experience' for full details.
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Step 4: Apply for residence when you meet the requirements
You can apply for a Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa when you:
- are working in an acceptable skilled job, or have a job offer for a skilled job, in New Zealand
- have 6 skilled resident points
- meet the other requirements for the resident visa.
Check the full visa requirements and how to apply.
Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
Note
If you are already in New Zealand, you must have a valid visa. If you think your current visa may expire while you are waiting for our decision on your resident visa application, you can choose to apply for a temporary visa to work, study or visit.
When you apply for a temporary visa, we may give you an Interim Visa if your current visa expires while your application is being processed. This will let you stay in New Zealand lawfully.
If you have applied for a Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa after October 2023 and you have not applied for a new temporary visa, we may give you a Skilled Migrant Category Interim Visa instead of an Interim Visa.