SR3.40 Trades and Technician Pathway

SR3.40.1 Skilled employment for the Trades and Technician pathway

Principal applicants applying via the Trades and Technician pathway must have current employment, or an offer of employment, in New Zealand that:

1. is in an occupation listed in Appendix 23; and
2. pays at least the equivalent of the SMC wage threshold (see SR3.10.5).

   Note: The SMC wage threshold in effect over time (including any applicable multiplier) can be found in SR3.10.5, to determine the date that applies, refer to SR3.10(f).

SR3.40.5 Level 4 (or above) qualification for the Trades and Technician pathway

1. When applying via the Trades and Technician pathway, the principal applicant must hold a level 4 (or above) qualification that is recognised on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF) and relevant to their current role or offer of employment (as specified at SR3.40.1 above).
2. In addition to (a) above, where the qualification is gained in New Zealand, it must be made up of:
   1. at least 120 credits in a single qualification; or
   2. less than 120 credits at level 4 or above, and the principal applicant holds a prerequisite qualification (or multiple prerequisite qualifications) all of which are gained in New Zealand, and where all qualifications together add up to at least 120 credits (including the level 4 or above qualification).

      Example: One New Zealand level 3 qualification at 60 credits that is a pre-requisite to a relevant level 4 New Zealand qualification at 60 credits would meet the requirement in (b)(ii).

      Note: For the purpose of assessing (b), any credits must be recognised by the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF).

3. For the purpose of (a) and (b) above:
   1. A qualification is considered relevant to an applicant’s current role, or offer of employment, if the major subject area of the principal applicant's recognised qualification is directly applicable to the employment, or an immigration officer is satisfied that the qualification was a key factor in the employer's decision to employ the principal applicant in that position.
   2. Credits obtained in recognition of prior learning will not count towards the 120-credit minimum requirement.

      Note: Recognition of prior learning is where existing skills and knowledge are recognised as equivalent to those taught in a formal education setting for the purposes of awarding credit toward a qualification.

4. As evidence of qualification, applicants must provide:
   1. their qualification certificate and an academic transcript (or equivalent), if the qualification is from New Zealand, or
   2. their qualification certificate and an International Qualifications Assessment (IQA) from the NZQA, if the qualification is from outside New Zealand.

SR3.40.10 Work Experience for the Trades and Technician pathway 

1. Principal applicants applying via the Trades and Technician pathway must have a total of 4 years work experience, including:
   1. at least 2 years and 6 months of relevant work experience accrued from any country (including New Zealand); and
   2. at least an additional 18 months of skilled work experience accrued in New Zealand.
2. The same time period cannot be counted for both relevant (SR3.40.10.1) and skilled work experience in New Zealand (SR3.40.10.5).
3. All work experience must be accrued after receiving their relevant level 4 (or above) trade qualification (SR3.40.5).

SR3.40.10.1 Directly relevant work experience requirements for the Trades and Technician pathway

1. Directly relevant work experience must be: 
   1. full-time (employment is full-time if it amounts to at least 30 hours per week for every week worked).
   2. in an occupation listed at ANZSCO skill level 1-3; and 
   3. directly relevant to the offer of skilled employment; and 
   4. completed in the 10 years immediately prior to submitting their residence application; and
2. Directly relevant work experience can be accrued in any country (including New Zealand).
3. Work experience must not be self-employment.  
4. As evidence of work experience applicants must provide: 
   1. An employment agreement or an employment contract or a service agreement (previous and current), and job description specifying the name of the applicant, name of the employer (their legal entity), occupation, hours and remuneration of any employment; and
   2. a summary of earnings or a tax statement confirming the period of work and income over any period of work or (for overseas work experience only) a certificate of service.

SR3.40.10.5 Skilled work experience in New Zealand for the Trades and Technician pathway

1. Skilled work experience in New Zealand for the Trades and Technician pathway must be:
   1. paid at least the equivalent of the SMC wage threshold; and
   2. directly relevant to the offer of employment or skilled employment; and
   3. completed within the 3 years prior to submitting the residence application; and
   4. in an occupation listed at ANZSCO skill level 1-3.

      Example: If an applicant began working in a role paying $30.00 per hour on 14 January 2024 when the SMC wage threshold was $29.66 and they need to accrue 18 months of work experience in the 36 months prior to their SMC application, if they maintain a rate of over $29.66 they will be considered to meet the SMC wage threshold as long as they apply for their resident visa before 13 January 2027 (see SR3.10.5 for the SMC wage threshold in effect across time).

SR3.40.15 Determining work experience for the Trades and Technician pathway

1. In determining the ANZSCO skill level of an applicant’s work experience 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. If an immigration officer is unable to determine a claimed substantial match to an ANZSCO occupation, they may request evidence of the tasks associated with that employment to assess whether the previous employment displays the characteristics of that occupation in terms of the relevant ANZSCO ‘Unit Group’ (4-digit) level description of tasks for that role.
3. For applicants applying via the Trades and Technician pathway, work experience will only begin to be counted after the relevant qualification has been received.
4. Work experience is directly relevant to employment if the employer considers, and an immigration officer is satisfied, that the work experience is directly applicable to the employment, or the offer of employment could not reasonably have been made, or the employment could not reasonably have been undertaken, if the principal applicant did not have that work experience.
5. An applicant is eligible for the Trades and Technician pathway if their occupation was listed in Appendix 23 at the time the applicant began accruing their skilled work experience in New Zealand, even if the occupation was subsequently removed.

Effective 24/08/2026