New Zealand Skilled Migrant Category 2027: Points and Green List

New Zealand runs one of the simplest skilled residence systems in the English-speaking world, once you get past the jargon. You need a skilled job with an accredited employer, you need to clear a wage threshold, and you need six points from one source of skill. For many people, a job on the Green List skips the points altogether.

The catch is that almost every route assumes you are already working in New Zealand, or about to. There is no Express Entry-style pool you can join from Manila or Nairobi with a good degree and hope for an invitation. The usual sequence is job offer, then work visa, then residence.

This guide covers the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) as it stands after the changes of 24 August 2026, the Green List pathways, the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) that feeds them, the wage figures you need to beat and what it all costs.

If you want the one-line answer: the fastest route is a Green List Tier 1 job, which can take you straight to residence. The next best is two years of skilled work in New Zealand, which now earns you the full three work-experience points in the SMC.

How the 6-point system works

The SMC points pathway is deliberately narrow. You claim points from one of three skill categories, then top up with New Zealand work experience if you need to. You must reach 6 points, and you also need a job or job offer with an accredited employer, generally at least 30 hours a week, paid at least the SMC wage threshold. The rules are on Immigration New Zealand's Skilled Migrant Category page.

You can then add New Zealand skilled work experience: 1 point for one year, 2 points for 18 months and 3 points for two years. A doctor with full registration or someone earning three times the threshold has 6 points on day one. Someone with an overseas bachelor's has 4 and needs 18 months of skilled work in New Zealand to qualify.

Non-degree qualifications at level 7 or below do not earn points under this pathway. Overseas qualifications generally need an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) from NZQA, unless they appear on the list of qualifications exempt from assessment.

What changed on 24 August 2026

The SMC was rebuilt in 2023, and the Government announced a second round of changes in September 2025. These took effect on 24 August 2026.

• Two new pathways for people who cannot reach 6 points through degrees or high pay (details below).
• Better recognition of New Zealand study. NZ bachelor's and master's degrees now earn more points than overseas equivalents, and overseas bachelor's degrees rose from 3 to 4 points.
• Shorter work experience. The full 3 experience points now need two years of New Zealand work, not three.
• One wage threshold, not two. Most applicants now only need to meet the threshold that applied when they started counting their skilled work, rather than a higher rate at the point of applying for residence. There is a five-month grace period if the threshold rises between your work visa being granted and your start date.
• Tighter checks on genuine employment. Offers must be "available and ongoing" and genuinely need to be based in New Zealand, broadly matching the AEWV definition.
• Supporting degrees. If you claim points for a level 8 or 9 qualification, you generally also need to show the bachelor's degree underneath it.

The wage rule change matters more than it sounds. Under the old system, people sometimes worked two years at the required rate, then found the threshold had risen just before they applied. That trap is now largely closed.

The two new pathways

Skilled Work Experience pathway. You need at least five years of relevant experience, including two years of skilled work in New Zealand, in a job at ANZSCO skill level 1 to 3 paid at least 1.1 times the SMC threshold (NZD 38.50 an hour at the current rate). This suits experienced professionals whose degree is not enough on its own.

Trades and Technician pathway. You need a relevant level 4 or higher qualification, at least four years of post-qualification experience including 18 months in New Zealand, and a job paid at least the SMC threshold. New Zealand qualifications must total at least 120 credits; overseas trade qualifications need an IQA at level 4 or above but are not held to the 120-credit rule.

Under both new pathways, self-employment cannot count as relevant work experience, and you will need independently verifiable evidence such as payslips, tax records and employer letters.

The wage threshold and median wage

New Zealand pegs most skilled residence wage rules to the median wage. The current SMC threshold, in effect since 9 March 2026, is NZD 35.00 an hour, which INZ describes as the 2025 median wage. All rates are hourly; annual figures below assume a 40-hour week.

INZ usually updates these figures once a year, and the threshold that applies to you depends on when you began your skilled work. Check the current table on INZ's SMC pay rates page before relying on a job offer.

Green List: straight to residence or work to residence

The Green List is a list of hard-to-fill roles with their own residence routes.

Tier 1, Straight to Residence. If you have a job or job offer with an accredited employer in a Tier 1 role (examples include many medical specialists, engineers and senior ICT roles), and you meet any registration or qualification requirement for it, you can apply for residence immediately. Pay must meet the rate set for the role, or NZD 35.00 an hour if none is specified. The job must be permanent or fixed-term for at least 12 months. INZ's Straight to Residence page says 80% of applications are processed within 3.5 months.

Tier 2, Work to Residence. For Tier 2 roles, you need 24 months of full-time work in that role in New Zealand, within the 30 months before you apply, paid at or above the required rate, while holding a work visa the whole time. Separate work-to-residence routes exist for the care workforce and the transport sector.

Both Green List residence visas cost from NZD 6,450, require you to be 55 or younger and let you apply for a Permanent Resident Visa after two years.

The Accredited Employer Work Visa

Unless you are going straight to residence, you will almost certainly start on an AEWV. The essentials:

• The employer must be accredited, and the job must pass a job check.
• Pay must be at least the market rate for the job and at least the minimum wage. The old median wage floor for AEWV jobs was removed in 2025.
• You need two years of relevant experience or a relevant level 4 or higher qualification, with third-party evidence such as payslips or tax records. A CV alone is not enough.
• Maximum continuous stay is five years for most jobs and three years for ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5 jobs.
• English evidence is needed for skill level 3 to 5 jobs, with some exemptions.
• The fee is from NZD 1,540.

Your partner and children are not included in the AEWV itself. Whether you can support a work or visitor visa for them depends on your job's skill level and how much you earn, so check that before you resign at home.

Costs to budget for

A single person moving on an AEWV and later applying for SMC residence should expect to spend roughly NZD 9,500 to 11,000 on fees and paperwork across the whole process, plus the cost of moving. Money transfer fees on that much can add up, and our guide to the cheapest way to send money abroad compares the options.

Health cover

Residence visa holders can use the public health system. Work visa holders are generally eligible for publicly funded health care if their visa allows them to stay for two years or more, which covers most AEWV holders on longer contracts. Anyone on a shorter visa, and visitors bringing family, should buy private cover. GP visits are not free even for residents, so budget around NZD 20 to 80 per appointment depending on the clinic and your age.

Job offer fraud and licensed advisers

New Zealand has a serious problem with migrants paying for jobs. INZ reported an Employment Court decision in October 2026 confirming that payments made overseas for a New Zealand job are illegal, and it regularly prosecutes unlicensed advisers. Never pay an employer or agent for a job offer or an accredited employer's "sponsorship".

Anyone giving New Zealand immigration advice must be licensed by the Immigration Advisers Authority, or be a New Zealand lawyer, unless an exemption applies. Check the public register before paying. Our guide to spotting fake overseas job offers lists the usual warning signs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the median wage for New Zealand visas in 2027?

The rate INZ currently uses is NZD 35.00 an hour, described as the 2025 median wage, and it sets the base SMC threshold. INZ usually updates it once a year, so check the official pay rates page before you accept an offer.

Can I apply for the Skilled Migrant Category from outside New Zealand?

You can apply with a job offer from an accredited employer, but most people only reach 6 points with some New Zealand work experience. Doctors, registered professionals and very high earners are the main exceptions.

What is the difference between Straight to Residence and Work to Residence?

Straight to Residence is for Green List Tier 1 roles and lets you apply immediately. Work to Residence is for Tier 2 roles and requires 24 months of work in New Zealand first.

Do I need an IQA for my overseas degree?

Usually, yes, unless your qualification is on the list of qualifications exempt from assessment. You do not need an IQA for a supporting bachelor's degree when claiming points for a higher qualification.

Is there an age limit for New Zealand residence?

Yes. For the SMC and the Green List residence visas you must be 55 or younger when you apply.

Final Thoughts

New Zealand rewards people who arrive with a real job and then stay put. If your role is on Green List Tier 1, prioritise employers who can offer you that job, because residence can follow within months. If not, work out today how you will reach 6 points, whether through registration, income or two years of New Zealand experience, and choose your first employer with that in mind.

Keep every payslip, contract and tax record from day one. The new pathways are generous on paper, but they lean heavily on documents, and applications fail on missing evidence far more often than on missing points. If Australia is also on your list, compare this with our guide to Australian skilled migration visas.