Skilled Migrant Visa

There are three main pathways to residence: the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC), the Green List Straight to Residence and Work to Residence pathway, and the Care Workforce and Transport Sector Agreement pathway.

SKILLED MIGRANT CATEGORY

The previous SMC pathway to residence based on 180 points closed on 15 th August 2023.

The new SMC residence pathway based on skills and employment requires a minimum of 6 points to be eligible for residence which can be earned through professional registration, qualification, income, and work experience in New Zealand.

The purpose of the new 6-point system is to rebalance immigration settings and offer a clear pathway that allows only specific individuals whose skills are required in the medium to long term to gain residence, and where it is challenging to meet the market demand through domestic labour.

The 6-point SMC aims to establish a clear and realistic pathway to residence for migrants and provide employers with the confidence to attract skilled migrants and offer them greater certainty from the outset. It provides faster decision-making and reduced processing time, making New Zealand a more attractive destination for skilled migrants.

Requirements

— Must hold skilled employment or offer of skilled employment

— Must earn at least the median wage for occupations classified as highly skilled and 1.5 times for other occupations

— Must meet age, health, and character requirements

— Must meet the minimum standard of English language requirement

Immigration New Zealand will soon be updating to the latest ANZSCO version 1.3 with new SMC settings and updated information on occupation levels.

If your current temporary work visa expires while your SMC application is being processed, you will be granted an SMC interim visa which will allow you to stay up to a period of 24 months or until your application is decided.