The Skilled Migrant Category, Explained
The Skilled Migrant Category is New Zealand's main points-based residence visa for skilled workers. You need 6 skilled resident points, a skilled job with an accredited employer, and to be 55 or younger. The fee is NZ$6,450. From 24 August 2026 two extra pathways open alongside the points system.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa |
| What it gives you | A resident visa — the right to live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely |
| Cost | NZ$6,450 = NZ$2,880 application fee + NZ$3,570 immigration levy (Band A and Band C, as at August 2026) |
| Pacific fee band | NZ$1,860 application fee + NZ$3,570 levy (Band B) |
| Processing time | Average 10 weeks; 80% decided within 4 months (as published 20 August 2026) |
| Who it is for | Skilled workers already in a skilled job in New Zealand with an accredited employer |
| Age limit | 55 or younger at the date of application |
| Points needed | 6 skilled resident points |
| Selection | Points threshold. There are no selection rounds and no quota queue |
| Leads to residence? | It is a residence visa. A Permanent Resident Visa is usually available after 2 years |
| Changing | 24 August 2026 — two new pathways open and the points values change |
All figures as at August 2026. Fees come from the INZ Fees Guide (INZ 1028, May 2026 edition). Processing times are INZ's published averages and move every week.
What the Skilled Migrant Category actually is
The Skilled Migrant Category — usually shortened to SMC — is a residence visa for people whose skills New Zealand wants to keep. It is not a job-hunting visa. It is designed for someone who is already working in New Zealand in a skilled role, or who has an offer of one, and who wants to stop renewing temporary visas and settle permanently.
Two things make it unusual compared with other countries' skilled migration systems.
First, the points scale is tiny. New Zealand ran a 160-point system until 2023. It now runs a 6-point system. The number is not a score out of 100. It is closer to a skill band: you make one main claim about yourself, and if that claim is not worth the full 6 points, you top it up with years of skilled work in New Zealand.
Second, there is no competition for places. Since October 2023 the SMC has been a threshold system. If you reach 6 points and meet the other rules, you qualify. You are not ranked against other applicants, there is no pool cut-off that moves each month, and there are no selection rounds. Any website publishing selection dates for this visa is describing a system New Zealand no longer operates.
If you are new to the whole system, pathways to New Zealand residence maps the SMC against every other route.
The 6-point rule in plain terms
You need 6 skilled resident points.
Points come from one primary claim. You pick the single strongest thing about your profile:
- your qualification, or
- your income, or
- your occupational registration (a licence or registration your profession legally requires in New Zealand).
That one claim is worth between 3 and 6 points. If it is worth 6, you are there. If it is worth fewer than 6, you close the gap with skilled work experience in New Zealand — 1 point per year, up to 3 points.
A worked example, using the current rules: a Level 7 bachelor's degree is worth 3 points. Three years of skilled work in New Zealand within the past five years is worth 3 points. 3 + 3 = 6.
The full current table — every qualification level, every income band, and the registration bands — is set out in how Skilled Migrant Category points work.
One thing catches people out constantly: New Zealand qualification levels 3, 4, 5 and 6 earn zero points under the points-based pathway. The ladder starts at Level 7. A trade certificate has never scored under this system. That is exactly the gap the new Trades and Technician pathway is designed to fill from 24 August 2026.
The job you need
Points alone are not enough. The SMC also tests the job itself. As at August 2026, the position must:
- be with an accredited employer — an employer INZ has approved to hire migrants (how to check if an employer is accredited)
- be permanent, or fixed-term for at least 12 months, or a contract or continuous contracts of at least 6 months
- be at least 30 hours per week
- pay at or above the relevant threshold for its skill level.
On pay, the rule is set by the occupation's ANZSCO skill level. ANZSCO is the occupation classification New Zealand still uses for skilled residence (what ANZSCO is). As at August 2026:
| Job skill level | Minimum pay to count as skilled work |
|---|---|
| ANZSCO skill levels 1–3 | NZ$35.00 an hour |
| ANZSCO skill levels 4–5, and occupations not on the list | NZ$52.50 an hour (1.5× the median) |
NZ$35.00 is the immigration median wage, in force since 9 March 2026 and based on Stats NZ June 2025 data. It is the index that most residence thresholds hang off. SMC wage thresholds explained covers how it is applied, including the new rule about which year's rate you have to meet.
What changes on 24 August 2026
This is the most important thing on this page.
On 24 August 2026 the Skilled Migrant Category stops being one pathway and becomes three:
- The points-based pathway — the 6-point system above, continuing with amended point values.
- The Skilled Work Experience pathway — no points at all. Five years of relevant skilled work experience in total, including two years in New Zealand, paid at 1.1× the median wage (NZ$38.50 an hour).
- The Trades and Technician pathway — four years of relevant experience in total, including 18 months in New Zealand, paid at the plain median wage of NZ$35.00 an hour, with a qualification at Level 4 or above.
Alongside that:
- The maximum New Zealand work experience the points pathway can require drops from 3 years to 2.
- New Zealand qualifications earn more points than their overseas equivalents. A New Zealand bachelor's degree moves from 3 points to 5; a bachelor's gained overseas moves from 3 to 4.
- A red list of 6 occupations is barred from the Skilled Work Experience pathway: beauty therapists, hair or beauty salon managers, hairdressers, hospitality/retail and service managers nec, massage therapists and retail managers (general).
- An amber list of 14 occupations — chefs, bakers, pastrycooks, café and restaurant managers, hotel managers, office managers and ICT support roles among them — faces a tougher test: 1.2× the median wage (NZ$42.00/hr), plus 3 years of relevant experience gained in New Zealand, plus 2 further years of skilled New Zealand experience at 1.2×.
- Occupations at ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5 cannot use the two new pathways at all.
- An IELTS 6.5 or above English requirement applies under the restructure.
- Draft Expressions of Interest are deleted on 24 August 2026.
That last point is a hard deadline with no appeal. A saved, unsubmitted EOI disappears. To be assessed under the current rules, an EOI has to be submitted before that date.
The full list of changes is in what changed in the Skilled Migrant Category, and the three routes are set side by side in the three SMC pathways compared.
The new points table
INZ has published the post-24-August points table in full. The two grids that change are qualifications and New Zealand work experience, and both are set out at Skilled Migrant Category points, explained.
The three moves that matter most:
- A New Zealand bachelor's degree rises from 3 points to 5, the largest single change in the table.
- A bachelor's degree gained overseas rises from 3 to 4 — better, but still a point behind the New Zealand equivalent.
- Two years of New Zealand work experience now earns 3 points, which used to take three years. Eighteen months earns 2.
Together those mean a graduate of a New Zealand university reaches the 6-point threshold with 1 year of skilled New Zealand work experience rather than 3.
Step 1: Check the visa still fits you
Before anything else, confirm the basics that cannot be fixed later: you are 55 or younger at the date you apply, your employer is accredited, your job meets the hours and duration rules, and your pay meets the threshold for its skill level. Age is the one that ends applications outright — see the age limit for New Zealand skilled residence.
Step 2: Work out your claim
Decide which single claim you are making — qualification, income or occupational registration — and how many points it is worth. Then work out whether your New Zealand work experience closes the gap to 6. Overseas qualifications usually need an assessment from NZQA before INZ will accept the level you are claiming (what an NZQA IQA is).
Step 3: Submit an Expression of Interest
You submit an Expression of Interest, or EOI. It is a short online form describing your claim. There is no fee for an SMC EOI. It is not an application and it does not give you any status. The residence Expression of Interest, explained covers what goes in it.
Step 4: Wait for an Invitation to Apply
If your EOI meets the threshold, INZ emails you an Invitation to Apply, usually shortened to ITA. This is the point at which you become able to lodge the actual residence application.
Step 5: Lodge the full application within 4 months
From the date of the invitation you have 4 months to lodge the complete residence application and pay the fee. This is where the evidence goes in: employment documents, qualification assessments, English evidence, medical certificates, chest x-ray and police certificates. How to apply for a resident visa walks through the paperwork.
Step 6: Decision, then the two-year clock
If approved, you are granted a Resident Visa. That is not the end of the sequence. New Zealand grants a Resident Visa first, with travel conditions attached, and a Permanent Resident Visa later once you have met commitment requirements — usually after 2 years. The difference matters and is covered in resident visa vs permanent resident visa and the Permanent Resident Visa explained.
What it costs
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee, Band A (applying inside New Zealand) | NZ$2,880 |
| Application fee, Band C (applying from most countries) | NZ$2,880 |
| Application fee, Band B (Pacific countries) | NZ$1,860 |
| Immigration levy | NZ$3,570 |
| Typical total (Band A or C) | NZ$6,450 |
| International Visitor Levy | Does not apply to residence visas |
The split matters. The application fee pays for the decision. The immigration levy funds settlement programmes, immigration research and the Immigration Advisers Authority — and it is charged per application, not per person. A couple with two children included in one application pays one fee and one levy, not four of each.
INZ does not refund the fee or levy if an application is declined. Full comparison across every residence category is in what New Zealand residence actually costs.
How long it takes
As published on 20 August 2026, INZ's figures for the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa were:
| Measure | Time |
|---|---|
| Average (50% of applications decided within) | 10 weeks |
| Most completed within (80% decided within) | 4 months |
INZ updates these weekly and does not stamp a date on the page, so always re-check them yourself. Note also that New Zealand has no priority processing. Nobody can move your application up the queue, and anyone offering to do it for money is not offering an official service. Residence application processing times compares every residence category.
Health, character, English and age
Four gates sit outside the points system entirely.
Age. You must be 55 or younger at the date of application. There is no waiver and no discretion.
Health. You need a medical examination and a chest x-ray. INZ can decline an application where a medical assessor considers likely health service costs would exceed NZ$81,000, assessed over five years or over the predicted course of the condition. See health requirements for New Zealand residence.
Character. Police certificates must be less than 6 months old when you lodge. See character requirements for New Zealand residence.
English. You must be able to speak and understand English, and any test result must be no more than 2 years old. From 24 August 2026 an IELTS 6.5 or above requirement applies, and test validity extends from 2 years to 5 years for applicants holding an eligible occupational registration. English requirements for New Zealand residence covers this in detail.
How the SMC compares with the Green List
The SMC is not the only skilled route. The Green List is a schedule of occupations in shortage. If your occupation is on Tier 1, the Straight to Residence Visa lets you apply for residence directly on the strength of the job offer, with no points involved. If it is on Tier 2, the Work to Residence Visa lets you apply after 24 months in the role.
For most people the practical question is which route they qualify for at all, not which is better. Green List vs Skilled Migrant Category sets out the differences, and the Green List explained covers the list itself.
There are also sector routes — Care Workforce Work to Residence and Transport Work to Residence — which work on time served in the sector rather than points.
Where the rules actually live
The SMC's binding rules sit in INZ's immigration instructions, not in the friendly summary pages. Where a summary page and the instructions disagree, the instructions win. The published fee schedule is the Fees Guide INZ 1028 (May 2026 edition). Processing times come from INZ's resident visa wait-times page, which is updated weekly and carries no timestamp.
This page explains what the published rules say. It does not tell you whether you meet them, and it cannot. Working out whether a specific set of qualifications, job and history adds up to 6 points is exactly the kind of assessment that counts as immigration advice under New Zealand law, and only a licensed immigration adviser or a New Zealand lawyer may give it. You can check whether someone is licensed on the public register at app.mbieregisters.govt.nz. See also what a licensed immigration adviser is.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many points do I need for the Skilled Migrant Category?
Six. You need 6 skilled resident points, made up of one primary claim worth 3 to 6 points — qualification, income or occupational registration — plus up to 3 points of skilled work experience in New Zealand to close any gap.
How much does the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa cost?
NZ$6,450 as at August 2026 for most applicants: a NZ$2,880 application fee plus a NZ$3,570 immigration levy. Applicants from Pacific fee-band countries applying from outside New Zealand pay NZ$1,860 plus the same levy. The levy is charged per application, so a family included in one application pays it once.
What is the age limit for the Skilled Migrant Category?
You must be 55 or younger on the date you apply. The same limit applies to the Straight to Residence, Work to Residence, Care Workforce Work to Residence and Transport Work to Residence visas.
How long does an SMC application take?
As published on 20 August 2026, INZ decided 50% of applications within about 10 weeks and 80% within 4 months. These figures are updated weekly and change, so check the current ones before planning around them.
Are there selection rounds for the Skilled Migrant Category?
No. It has been a points-threshold system since October 2023. There is no ranked pool, no quota queue and no periodic selection event. If you reach 6 points and meet the other requirements, you are invited to apply.
Do I need a job offer to apply?
Yes, in practice. The points-based pathway tests the job as well as the applicant: it must be with an accredited employer, at least 30 hours a week, permanent or fixed-term for at least 12 months, and paid at the threshold for its skill level. Residence without a job offer explains the few routes that do not require one.
What happens to my Expression of Interest on 24 August 2026?
Draft, unsubmitted EOIs are deleted on that date. Submitted EOIs are not affected in the same way. If you want to be assessed under the current rules, the EOI has to be submitted before 24 August 2026.
Does a trade certificate earn points?
Not under the points-based pathway. New Zealand qualification levels 3, 4, 5 and 6 earn zero points — the ladder starts at Level 7. From 24 August 2026 the new Trades and Technician pathway opens the category to Level 4 and above for the first time.
Is the Skilled Migrant Category the same as permanent residency?
No. It grants a Resident Visa, which lets you live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely but carries travel conditions. A Permanent Resident Visa, which removes those travel conditions, is a separate application, usually available after 2 years.
Can my family be included?
A partner and dependent children can normally be included in one residence application, which is also why the immigration levy is charged once rather than per person. Dependent children have their own age and dependency tests. See what a dependent child is.
