New Zealand
New Zealand's six-point Skilled Migrant Category residence route and the Accredited Employer Work Visa, with where points come from, the age-55 limit, the accredited-employer requirement, and how this differs from hundred-point systems.
How the system works
Step 1: Understand that six points is not a hundred-point system
The Skilled Migrant Category needs six skilled resident points, not a running total in the tens or hundreds as in Canada or Australia. Points come mainly from one principal claim: occupational registration (3 to 6 points depending on the years of training required), qualifications (5 to 6 points for New Zealand qualifications, 4 to 6 for international ones, which need an International Qualification Assessment), or income (3 to 6 points based on multiples of the SMC income threshold). On top of that, one to two years of skilled New Zealand work experience adds up to 3 more points. A non-degree qualification at level 7 or below cannot be claimed.
Step 2: Check the age, employer and position conditions
You must be aged 55 or younger when you apply. You need a job offer from an accredited employer, or to be already employed by one, and that employer must appear on the accredited employers list. The position must be permanent, or fixed-term for at least 12 months.
Step 3: If residence is out of reach yet, start with the work visa
The Accredited Employer Work Visa requires a full-time job offer from an accredited employer who holds an approved job check for that role. You need either two years or more of relevant job experience, or a qualification at level 4 or higher on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework. The visa runs up to five years based on the job offered, and the maximum continuous stay is five years for most jobs, or three years if the job is ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5.
Step 4: Prepare the health and character evidence
You must be in good health: applicants aged 15 and over need a chest X-ray and a medical examination. You must be of good character: applicants aged 17 and over need police certificates less than six months old. These two commonly slow an application down because evidence expires, rather than because the requirement is not met.
Key requirements and figures
Figures change. Each row shows the period it applies to and the source it came from.
| Requirement | Current value | Applies to | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Migrant Category points needed | Six skilled resident points | 2026 | immigration.govt.nz/skilled-migrant-category-resident-visa · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
| Age limit | Aged 55 or younger when you apply | 2026 | immigration.govt.nz/skilled-migrant-category-resident-visa · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
| Occupational registration points | 3 to 6 points depending on the years of training required, from two to six years | 2026 | immigration.govt.nz/skilled-migrant-category-resident-visa · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
| Qualification points | 5 to 6 points for New Zealand qualifications; 4 to 6 for international qualifications, which require an International Qualification Assessment; a non-degree qualification at level 7 or below cannot be claimed | 2026 | immigration.govt.nz/skilled-migrant-category-resident-visa · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
| Income points | 3 to 6 points based on multiples of the Skilled Migrant Category income threshold | 2026 | immigration.govt.nz/skilled-migrant-category-resident-visa · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
| New Zealand work experience points | Up to 3 additional points for one to two years of skilled New Zealand work experience | 2026 | immigration.govt.nz/skilled-migrant-category-resident-visa · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
| Employer and position requirement | A job offer from, or current employment with, an accredited employer; the position must be permanent or fixed-term for at least 12 months | 2026 | immigration.govt.nz/skilled-migrant-category-resident-visa · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
| Accredited Employer Work Visa skill requirement | Two years or more of relevant job experience, or a qualification at level 4 or higher on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework | 2026 | immigration.govt.nz/accredited-employer-work-visa · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
| Accredited Employer Work Visa length | Up to five years based on the job offered; the maximum continuous stay is five years for most jobs, or three years if the job is ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5 | 2026 | immigration.govt.nz/accredited-employer-work-visa · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
| Health and character evidence | A chest X-ray and medical examination for applicants aged 15 and over; police certificates less than six months old for applicants aged 17 and over | 2026 | immigration.govt.nz/skilled-migrant-category-resident-visa · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
What commonly blocks an application
These are frequent reasons a route is closed. Absence of a listed problem is not an eligibility decision.
The employer is not on the accredited employers list. Both the Skilled Migrant Category and the Accredited Employer Work Visa rest on the employer's accreditation.
Being older than 55 at the time of application. The Skilled Migrant Category has a hard age limit that other strengths do not offset.
Claiming qualification points for a non-degree qualification at level 7 or below. That category cannot be claimed.
Using an international qualification for points without a completed International Qualification Assessment.
A fixed-term contract shorter than 12 months. The Skilled Migrant Category requires a permanent position or a fixed term of at least 12 months.
Police certificates or medical evidence expiring during processing. Character evidence must be less than six months old.
Reviewed programs
- New Zealand Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa — New Zealand's Skilled Migrant Category needs six skilled resident points, not a hundred-point total. They come mainly from one of occupational registration, qualifications or income, plus New Zealand work experience.
- New Zealand Straight to Residence Visa — New Zealand's Straight to Residence Visa is for Green List Tier 1 occupations: a job or job offer with an accredited employer leads straight to residence, with no prior period of work in New Zealand required.
- New Zealand Work to Residence Visa — New Zealand's Work to Residence Visa is for Green List Tier 2 occupations and requires 24 months of work in that job in New Zealand first — the core difference from the Straight to Residence Visa.
Official sources
- Skilled residence pathwaysImmigration New Zealand · Reviewed 2026-09-03
- Skilled Migrant Category Resident VisaImmigration New Zealand · Reviewed 2026-09-06
- Accredited Employer Work VisaImmigration New Zealand · Reviewed 2026-09-06
This page provides general educational information, not personalized immigration or legal advice. Confirm current requirements with the responsible government authority before acting.