SR3.35 Skilled work experience in New Zealand (09/03/2026)

1. When claiming points for skilled work experience in New Zealand, immediately prior to submitting the residence application, the principal applicant must have completed skilled work experience in New Zealand for:
   1. 36 months in the prior 60 months to qualify for 3 points; or
   2. 24 months in the prior 48 months to qualify for 2 points; or
   3. 12 months in the prior 24 months to qualify for 1 point.

      Note: Skilled work experience in New Zealand does not have to be completed consecutively and can be a total of different periods, for example two 12-month periods with a gap of six months in between.

2. Skilled work experience in New Zealand is time that the applicant worked in full-time employment (employment is full-time if it amounts to at least 30 guaranteed hours per week for every week worked) in New Zealand where they earned at least the equivalent of:
   1. the median wage if their occupation is listed at ANZSCO skill level 1-3; or
   2. 1.5 times the median wage if their occupation is listed at ANZSCO skill level 4-5, or not included in ANZSCO; or
   3. the wage required by SR3.25.1 if they have claimed points for income.
3. The median wage in effect for the Skilled Migrant Category across time is:

   Date range	Median wage	1.5 times median wage	2 times median wage
   15 January 2018 – 25 November 2018	$24.29	$36.44	$48.58
   26 November 2018 – 23 February 2020	$25.00	$37.50	$50.00
   24 February 2020 – 18 July 2021	$25.50	$38.25	$51.00
   19 July 2021 – 23 October 2022	$27.00	$40.50	$54.00
   24 October 2022 – 26 February 2023	$27.76	$41.64	$55.52
   27 February 2023 - 27 February 2024	$29.66	$44.49	$59.32
   28 February 2024 – 17 August 2025	$31.61	$47.41	$63.22
   18 August 2025 - 8 March 2026	$33.56	$50.34	$67.12
   From 9 March 2026	$35.00	$52.50	$70.00

4. For applicants claiming points for New Zealand registration, licensing or certification, skilled work experience in New Zealand must have been completed after gaining that registration, license or certification.
5. Skilled work experience must have been lawfully obtained and will not be counted if the principal applicant was unlawfully in New Zealand or required authority to undertake employment but did not have such authority.
6. The principal applicant’s employment during skilled work experience in New Zealand must be genuine and not offered as the result of payment (see SR2.1.5).
7. For skilled work experience in New Zealand, work on a contract for services is acceptable.
8. As evidence of skilled work experience in New Zealand, applicants must provide:
   1. employment agreements and job descriptions (previous and current), specifying the occupation, hours and remuneration of any employment; and
   2. a summary of earnings or tax statement (for work on a contract for services) from the Inland Revenue confirming the period of work and income over any period of work.
9. Despite SR3.35(b)(iii), for applicants claiming points for income of at least 2 times the median wage, skilled work experience in New Zealand is also acceptable if it was completed:
   1. on or after 29 September 2021 and before 9 October 2023; and
   2. in an occupation listed in Tier 2 of Appendix 13 while meeting the requirements listed in Tier 2 of Appendix 13 for that occupation.

SR3.35.1 Determining skilled work experience in New Zealand

1. In determining the ANZSCO skill level of an applicant’s employment an immigration officer:
   1. will determine whether the applicant’s employment is substantially consistent with the ANZSCO ‘Occupation’ (6-digit) level job title and description for that occupation; and
   2. may undertake a substantial match assessment (see SR2.1.1).
2. Skilled work experience in New Zealand will start being counted when the applicant earns at least the wage required by SR3.35(b) at that time.
3. Skilled work experience in New Zealand will stop being counted if the applicant changes employment or their income decreases, and their new income is below the wage required by SR3.35(b) at that time.

   Note: Skilled work experience will not stop being counted if the median wage in immigration instructions (and wage thresholds based on this median wage) increases, as long as the applicant’s income does not decrease to below the new wage threshold, and they have not changed employment.
   
   For example, if a principal applicant was required to earn at least the median wage for their skilled work experience, work could be counted from 24 February 2020 if the applicant was earning the median wage of $25.50 in effect at that time. When the median wage in effect increases to $27 an hour on 19 July 2021, they can keep counting their income if they are still in that same job earning that same amount.
   
   If a principal applicant who earned $30 an hour on 24 February 2020 started a new job earning $27 an hour on 19 July 2021, they can keep counting their work experience as it was at least equivalent to the median wage at that time. If they started a new job earning $26.50 on this date, work experience in their new job could not be counted.

4. Any leave consistent with the definition in section 16 of the Holidays Act 2003 (including parental leave and ACC leave) taken during a period of skilled work experience in New Zealand can be counted if the applicant was earning the wage required by SR3.35(b) immediately before the period of leave.

Effective 09/03/2026