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4 Aug 2026The Skilled Migrant Category (SMC), New Zealand’s main job-based residence policy, will undergo major transformation from 24 August 2026. These changes will introduce new and expanded residence pathways for skilled workers, increase points recognition for NZ qualification points and revise how skilled work experience is counted, among other changes. This is good news for many migrant workers who will now have a residence pathway which they did not previously have, while for other migrants the changes will mean they can now plan a long term residence plan with more certainty.
This is a high-level overview of the new Skilled Migrant Category framework. While many migrants will benefit from these changes, the underlying policy is considerably more complex than it may first appear. Factors such as occupation classification, wage rates, qualification recognition, work experience evidence, English language requirements and employment history can all affect eligibility. NB: each person’s circumstances are different and professional advice is strongly recommended before making residence plans or relying on any particular pathway.
Why Are These Changes Being Made?
The Government has recognised that a one-size-fits-all residence system does not always reflect the reality of New Zealand's workforce needs. The new framework aims to provide more flexible residence pathways for skilled migrants while ensuring policy settings remain focused on genuine, skilled employment that contributes to New Zealand's economy and labour market needs.
The current SMC Points-based policy requires applicants to achieve a total of 6 points. This policy remains, albeit with some points adjustments for qualifications and NZ work experience and will sit alongside two new SMC pathways – the Skilled Work Experience Pathway, and the Trades and Technician Pathway.
Requirements for all Skilled Migrant residence applications
Requirements for all Skilled Migrant residence applications
The principal applicant must be aged under 56 years at the time of their application and all applicants must meet good health and character, and applicable English language, requirements.
Irrespective of which of the three SMC pathways is taken every applicant must have suitable skilled employment, or an offer of suitable skilled employment, from an INZ accredited employer.
The employment must be:
- Full-time (at least 30 hours per week)
- Genuine
- Ongoing (or at least for a 12 month fixed term)
- Paid at the required wage threshold
- In an eligible occupation where required
Securing suitable employment will generally remain the most important requirement for all residence applicants.
Applicants who satisfy Green List Tier 1 criteria can continue to directly apply for residence and are not impacted by these changes. The Green List comprises occupations acknowledged as being a national skill shortage provided the required credentials are held.
The New Skilled Migrant Category Pathways
The New Skilled Migrant Category Pathways
From 24 August 2026 there will be three separate Skilled Migrant Category residence pathways. However, determining eligibility is not always straightforward. Some migrants may potentially qualify under more than one pathway, while others may initially appear eligible but face challenges relating to wage thresholds, qualification recognition, occupation classification or work experience evidence requirements. Understanding which pathway offers the strongest residence path is often as important as determining whether a pathway exists.
1. Points-Based Pathway
The existing 6-point pathway remains, and requires applicants to achieve these points through a combination of:
- Payrate, or
- Qualifications, or
- New Zealand registration, licensing or certification
- Plus skilled work experience in New Zealand.
Positive changes are being made to the qualification and work experience points under this pathway.
Qualification point changes:
- New Zealand master’s degrees will now attract 6 points, compared with 5 points for overseas masters, provided a qualifying bachelor’s degree is also held.
- New Zealand Level 8 qualifications, such as honours degrees and postgraduate diplomas or certificates, will be worth 5 points.
- New Zealand bachelor’s degrees will be worth 5 points - a very significant increase over the previous 3 points.
The good news is that applicants who complete their qualifications in New Zealand can now potentially be eligible to apply for residence much sooner than is the present case as less NZ work experience is required. This change can only serve to attract new international students to study in New Zealand, particularly at master degree level.
Applicants relying on overseas qualifications must still ensure their qualification is recognised for SMC purposes. This may require an NZQA International Qualification Assessment, or reliance on the List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment (LQEA) - which is also being significantly expanded. Simply holding an overseas qualification does not automatically mean it will attract SMC points. If a NZQA Assessment is required, this should be applied for as soon as possible due to potential high demand and processing delays.
New Zealand skilled work experience point changes:
- 1 point for 1 year of experience completed in the last 2 years
- 2 points for 18 months of experience completed in the last 3 years
- 3 points for 2 years of experience completed in the last 4 years
These changes will allow applicants to more quickly accrue work experience points, and to achieve the required 6 point total. NB: New Zealand work experience must meet certain requirements (eg; job role, payrate) to count for points.
The SMC changes include the introduction of a Red List. Applicants with occupations on the Red List (eg: salon manager, hairdresser, retail manager, hospitality manager and massage therapist) can only apply for residence under the Points-based policy and are excluded from applying under the new pathways.
The SMC Points-based pathway will continue to be the main residence pathway for many professionals and highly skilled workers.
2. Skilled Work Experience Pathway - New
This new residence pathway has been introduced for experienced workers and requires applicants to demonstrate:
- Employment in an ANZSCO Skill Level 1–3 occupation (which covers most managers, professionals, technicians and trades workers), and
- A minimum of three years of directly relevant work experience (gained in the last 10 years), plus
- At least two years of relevant skilled work experience in New Zealand (gained in the last 4 years) and paid at 1.1x the required SMC wage threshold
The changes include the introduction of an Amber List which comprises some 14 occupations (eg: hotel manager, restaurant manager, office manager, ICT support, web administrator, baker and chef). Applicants with occupations on the Amber List must meet slightly different requirements including:
- A minimum of three years of directly relevant work experience in New Zealand (gained in the last 10 years), plus
- At least two years of relevant skilled work experience in New Zealand (gained in the last 4 years) and paid at 1.2x the required SMC wage threshold
This pathway will be attractive for migrant workers currently working in skilled employment in New Zealand who do not have the qualification, occupational registration or payrate to achieve the required points under the current Points-based system.
3. Trades and Technician Pathway - New
This new residence pathway has been introduced for over 100 specified trades and technical am
Applicants will generally require:
- Employment in an ANZSCO Skill Level 1–3 occupation and;
- In an occupation on the Trades & Technician Occupation List; and
- A relevant Level 4 or above qualification (recognised on the NZQCF); and
- At least 2.5 years of relevant post-qualification work experience, including
- At least 18 months of skilled work experience in New Zealand (gained in the last 3 years); and
- At least 4 years of directly relevant work experience (gained in the last 10 years)
Work Experience – arguably the most important aspect of the new policy
Work Experience – arguably the most important aspect of the new policy
Work experience eligibility is likely to become the single most misunderstood and contentious aspect of the new SMC. Whether overseas or New Zealand work experience can be counted depends on detailed evidence requirements and, in some cases, historical wage rates. A person may have many years of work experience but still be unable to claim all of it for residence purposes if the requirements are not fully met.
One of the most significant new changes relates to how wage thresholds are met in order for New Zealand work experience to be counted.
- Points-Based Pathway
- For most ANZSCO Skill Level 1–3 occupations, applicants must have been paid at least at the applicable SMC wage threshold
- For ANZSCO Skill Level 4–5 occupations, applicants must generally be paid at least 1.5x the applicable SMC wage threshold.
- Skilled Work Experience Pathway
- Pay to be at least 1.1x the applicable SMC wage threshold; or
- Pay to be at least 1.2x the applicable SMC wage threshold for Amber List occupations.
- Trades and Technician Pathway
- Pay to be least at the applicable SMC wage threshold
As at 9 March 2026 the SMC wage thresholds are:
| Threshold | Hourly Rate |
| SMC threshold | $35.00 |
| 1.1 x SMC threshold | $38.50 |
| 1.2 x SMC threshold | $42.00 |
| 1.5 x SMC threshold | $52.50 |
Probably the most complex aspect of the policy changes is determining from what date New Zealand work experience can be counted. Under the new settings, applicants can count New Zealand work experience from the date their pay first met the applicable SMC wage threshold and no longer have to have met any subsequent SMC wage threshold increases. Determining this date requires a detailed review of historical pay rates and all pay increases to ascertain if/when the SMC wage threshold was first achieved. This assessment is also important for lodgement planning, as some applicants may have only a narrow window in which they are able to satisfy all policy requirements and to lodge their application.
Also, if you start your job within 5 months of your work visa being granted, you can use the SMC wage threshold that applied when your visa was granted, even if the threshold increased before you began your job (ie: the Grace Period).
There are also significant document requirements, particularly to evidence overseas work experience, that are now required (eg; tax statements) and is likely to prove very challenging for some applicants.
Periods of self-employment cannot be counted for any New Zealand or offshore work experience claim, for either of these new residence pathways.
English Language
English Language
English language requirements apply to every principal applicant, and also to all family members aged 16 years and older. If a person does not otherwise meet these requirements from their citizenship and/or qualifications, they need to have an acceptable English Test result as follows:
- Principal applicant - IELTS 6.5, PTE Academic 58, TOEFL iBT 79, Cambridge English 176 and OET Grade B in each component
- Family members aged 16 years and older are required to satisfy a lower English level eg: IELTS 5.0 or PTE 36 or these family members can pre-purchase ESOL tuition costing from NZ$1,735 to NZ$6,795 per person (the exact amount depends on any English test result)
English test results are valid for 2 years however another change being made is that tests will be valid for 5 years for applicants who have demonstrated their English competency as part of their occupational registration (eg: medical professionals, teachers etc).
English language requirements are often overlooked until very late in the residence planning process. For some families, obtaining acceptable English test results can become a critical factor affecting application timing and it is best to achieve these requirements earlier rather than later.
Skilled Migrant Category Application Process
Skilled Migrant Category Application Process
The SMC application process is online, and all documents can be received, and uploaded, electronically.
The first step is to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) in which an applicant provides their personal information and details of how they meet the eligibility criteria applicable to one of the SMC residence pathways. There is no cost to make this EOI.
Assuming the SMC criteria is met, an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for residence is issued immediately and applicants then have 4 months, from the date of this EOI, to complete and lodge their residence application accompanied with all required supporting documentation. Care is required as an applicant’s work experience period can change between when the ITA is issued and when the residence application is lodged. The SMC application fee is currently NZ$6,450.
Processing times will vary depending on application volumes, and the complexity of individual cases, but assuming a complete and compliant application, with no impediments, we expect a processing time of between 2-4 months.
Pathways Insight
The August 2026 Skilled Migrant Category changes represent a significant shift in New Zealand's skilled residence framework and are likely to reshape residence planning for thousands of migrant workers, and international students, over the coming years.
While much of the public discussion has focused on the introduction of the new Skilled Work Experience and Trades and Technician pathways, the most important practical impact may be that residence planning can now begin much earlier. Many migrants who previously had no realistic pathway to residence will now be able to work towards clear residence eligibility based on their skills, experience, payrate and contribution to the New Zealand labour market.
The changes are particularly positive for:
- Experienced tradespeople and technicians;
- Migrants in skilled occupations who lack degree-level qualifications;
- International students who have completed, or intend to complete, New Zealand qualifications;
- Employers seeking to retain skilled staff for the long term; and
- Workers who may previously have been unable to achieve the required six SMC points.
For employers, these reforms should improve staff retention and reduce the uncertainty that many skilled migrant employees have experienced under previous residence settings. A clearer and more attainable residence pathway is a powerful recruitment and retention tool for employers in an increasingly competitive labour market.
However, there is also a common misconception that these new pathways will make residence “easy”. In reality, the policy framework has become more sophisticated rather than simpler. Residence eligibility often depends on detailed assessments of occupation classification, qualification recognition, historic wage rates, work experience evidence and what pathway is most feasible. Small differences in an individual's circumstances can produce very different outcomes, meaning that two workers in seemingly similar roles may not necessarily have the same residence options.
Migrants who are likely to benefit most from these changes are those who take a proactive approach. Understanding which pathway is most appropriate, identifying and addressing any eligibility gaps early, and developing a structured and timely residence strategy is the key – and can significantly shorten the time required to achieve residence. Above all, being secure in the knowledge of what is required, and progressing this plan, will provide migrants and their families with certainty to achieve their residence goal.
For many migrants already working in New Zealand, the period leading up to, and immediately following 24 August 2026 is the ideal time to review their residence eligibility and options, and to take advantage of these policy changes, if at all possible.
Need a Skilled Migrant Residence Assessment?
The new Skilled Migrant Category pathways create exciting opportunities for many migrant workers and employers. However, determining eligibility requires careful analysis of qualifications, employment, income history, work experience and more.
Pathways to New Zealand® has been advising migrants and employers for more than 30 years and has one of New Zealand's largest teams of Licensed Immigration Advisers.
If you would like to understand which Skilled Migrant Category pathway may be available to you, contact our team for a personalised assessment and residence strategy consultation.