Scoring System Overview
The Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa uses a 6-point scoring system to determine eligibility — applicants need at least 6 skilled resident points from their skills and work in New Zealand. Points can be claimed from one skill category (New Zealand occupational registration, qualifications or income) for 3 to 6 points, with up to 3 additional points from skilled work experience in New Zealand if required.
Score Breakdown
New Zealand Occupational Registration
You can use your occupational registration to claim points if it is on the list of eligible New Zealand occupational registrations. Registrations that require more training are worth more points.
| Condition | Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum of 6 years of experience, training or both required to gain registration | 6 pts | |
| Minimum of 5 years of experience, training or both required to gain registration | 5 pts | |
| Minimum of 4 years of experience, training or both required to gain registration | 4 pts | |
| Minimum of 2 years of experience, training or both required to gain registration | 3 pts |
Prerequisites: If you do not have 6 points from your occupational registration, you can use your skilled work experience in New Zealand to claim more points — you cannot use your qualifications or income to claim more points from this pathway. Skilled work experience used must be gained after getting your occupational registration.
Qualification
You can use your qualification to claim points if it is a New Zealand qualification recognised on the NZQF, has had an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) from NZQA, or is on the List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment (LQEA). You can claim between 3 to 6 points depending on the highest level of qualification you have.
| Condition | Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Level 10 doctoral degree | 6 pts | |
| Level 9 master's degree | 5 pts | |
| Level 8 bachelor honour's degree or postgraduate diploma | 4 pts | |
| Level 8 postgraduate certificate or level 7 bachelor's degree | 3 pts |
Prerequisites: For international qualifications without a New Zealand equivalent (IQA does not confirm equivalence but recognises on NZQF): level 10 earns 5 points, level 9 earns 4 points, level 8 earns 3 points. Non-degree qualifications at level 7 or below cannot be used for points. If you do not have 6 points from your qualifications, you can use skilled work experience in New Zealand to claim more points — you cannot use occupational registration or income from this pathway.
Income
You can use the income from your current New Zealand job or job offer to claim points, if the income from the job is at least 1.5 times the 2024 median wage.
| Condition | Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Job at 3 times the 2025 median wage (currently NZD $105.00 an hour) or more | 6 pts | |
| Job at 2 times the 2025 median wage (currently NZD $70.00 an hour) or more | 4 pts | |
| Job at 1.5 times the 2025 median wage (currently NZD $52.50 an hour) or more | 3 pts |
Prerequisites: If your remuneration is based on annual salary, calculate your rate based on hours worked each week. If you do not have 6 points from your income, you can use skilled work experience in New Zealand to claim more points — you cannot use occupational registration or qualifications from this pathway.
Skilled Work Experience
You can claim 1 point for each year of skilled work experience in New Zealand, up to a maximum of 3 points. You will need to claim more points from your New Zealand occupational registration, qualification or income to get the minimum of 6 points.
| Condition | Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years of skilled work experience during the 5 years before you apply | 3 pts | |
| 2 years of skilled work experience during the 4 years before you apply | 2 pts | |
| 1 year of skilled work experience during the 2 years before you apply | 1 pt |
Prerequisites: Skilled work experience must be in a full-time job. Wage threshold: for ANZSCO level 1-3 jobs, you must have been paid the median wage or above; for ANZSCO level 4-5 jobs, you must have been paid 1.5 times the median wage or above. If using skilled work experience to supplement another category, you must show that you met the applicable wage threshold throughout the skilled work experience period.