There are a number of ways to get New Zealand Residence Visas, depending on whether it is based on your skills and job offer, your current visa or your relationship to a New Zealand resident or citizen. 

There are 3 skills-based residence pathways that require you to have a job offer in order to apply:

• The Skilled Migrant Category residence pathway
• The Green List pathway (Straight to Residence and Work to Residence)
• The Sector Agreement residence pathway (Care Workforce and Transport Sector Work to Residence)

Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa

The Skilled Migrant Category is based on a points system where you must claim 6 points to be eligible. 

You will need to have a skilled job offer, or current employment in a skilled role, with an Accredited Employer, that is at least 30 hours per week and on a permanent or fixed term contract for at least 12 months.

You also need to be suitably qualified for the role, through either meeting the qualification requirements set out in ANSZCO, a specified number of years’ relevant work experience (5 years for Skill Level 1, 3 years for Skill Levels 2 or 3), or through obtaining occupational registration (relevant for specific roles).

And you must be paid at least:

• the median wage (NZD $31.61 per hour) for occupations classified at ANZSCO skill level 1-3, or
• 1.5 times the median wage (NZD $47.41 per hour) for occupations classified at ANZSCO skill level 4-5.

You also need to meet health, character, English Language requirements, and be 55 years old or younger to apply.

Skill indicators

When calculating your 6 points, you must claim from one of the below skill indicators:

• New Zealand occupational registration 
• a recognised qualification (which must be a Bachelor’s degree or higher)
• or your income (earning at least 1.5 times the median wage in New Zealand)

You can only claim from one of these skill indicators and can choose whichever gives you the most points (between 3 & 6 points per skill indicator).

Claiming points for occupational registration

Your occupation must be on the list of eligible roles requiring occupational registration.

Points will be awarded as follows:

• 6 points – A minimum of 6 years of training is required to gain registration.
• 5 points – A minimum of 5 years of training is required to gain registration.
• 4 points – A minimum of 4 years of training is required to gain registration.
• 3 points – A minimum of 2 years of training is required to gain registration

Claiming points for a qualification

You may be able to claim points for your qualification if it is recognised as the equivalent of a Leve 7 Bachelor degree or above. Qualifications from outside New Zealand will need to be assessed by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) as equivalent to a New Zealand qualification, in order to claim points.  Some qualifications have already been pre-assessed by Immigration New Zealand, and so don’t require further assessment.

Points will be awarded as follows:

• 6 points – Level 10 Doctoral Degree
• 5 points – Level 9 Master’s Degree
• 4 points – Level 8 Bachelor Honours Degree or Postgraduate Diploma
• 3 points – Level 8 Postgraduate Certificate & Level 7 Bachelor’s degree

You can claim points, even if your degree is not relevant for the role you have been offered.

If you have a non-degree qualification at NZQF Level 7 or below, you will not be able to claim points under the new points system.

Claiming points for income

The following points can be claimed for higher income levels:

• 6 points – Job or job offer at 3 times the median wage (currently NZD $94.83 an hour) or more.
• 4 points – Job or job offer at 2 times the median wage (currently NZD $63.22 an hour) or more.
• 3 points – Job or job offer at 1.5 times the median wage (currently NZD $47.41 an hour) or more.

Skilled work experience in New Zealand 

You can claim 1 point per year of work in a New Zealand skilled job, up to a maximum of 3 points.

You can combine your Skill indicator points with your points from Skilled work experience in New Zealand, to make up the total of 6 points that is required.

However, if you are claiming points for New Zealand work experience PLUS points for income, you will need to provide evidence that you held that income throughout the entire work experience you are claiming points for.

Similarly, if you are claiming points for work experience PLUS points for occupational registration, you must have held that occupational registration throughout your work experience. 

You can include your partner and dependent children in your Skilled Migrant Visa application. When your visa is approved, you will all be granted residence under the Skilled Migrant Category, enabling your partner and dependent children to work and study in New Zealand too