📄 Details
Visa Overview
The Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa (SMC) is a residence visa that allows skilled workers to live, work, and study in New Zealand indefinitely, with a pathway to a Permanent Resident Visa after 2 years.
Eligibility Requirements
To apply for this visa, you must meet several requirements including age, a job with an accredited employer, 6 skilled resident points, and English language ability.
Age Requirement
- You must be aged 55 or younger when you apply.
- Your identity document will be used to confirm your age.
Work Requirements
- You must be working in a skilled job, or have a job offer for one, with an accredited employer.
- The skilled job must be in an ANZSCO Level 1 to 3 occupation and paid at least NZD $35.00 an hour (the 2025 median wage), or in an ANZSCO Level 4 to 5 occupation and paid at least NZD $52.50 an hour (1.5 times the 2025 median wage).
- The job must be full-time (at least 30 hours a week) and permanent or fixed-term for at least 12 months, or a contract or continuous contracts for at least 6 months.
- You cannot claim points for a skilled job or job offer.
Skills Assessment Requirements
- You must claim 6 skilled resident points.
- Claim 3 to 6 points based on your occupational registration, qualification, or income.
- Claim up to 3 more points for skilled work experience in New Zealand.
Language Requirements
- You must speak and understand English.
- You can show this through your citizenship, where you studied and the qualifications you gained, or by English language tests.
- English language test results must meet the minimum score we set and be no more than 2 years old when you apply.
- Your partner and dependent children aged 16 or older must speak English or pay for classes to learn English in New Zealand.
Health and Character Requirements
- You, and anyone else included in your application, must be in good health.
- You, and anyone else included aged 15 or older, must complete a chest X-ray and medical examination.
- You, and anyone else included aged 17 or older, must provide police certificates that are less than 6 months old when you apply.
- Police certificates must be from countries you are a citizen of and countries where you have spent 12 months or more in over the last 10 years.
Family Member Requirements
- You must have a genuine relationship with your partner and dependent children if including them.
- Provide documents like marriage and birth certificates to prove your relationship to your partner and dependent children aged 24 or younger.
- If your partner or dependent children already have, or are applying for, a work, student or visitor visa based on their relationship to you, you must include them in your residence application.
Invitation and EOI Requirements
- You must submit an Expression of Interest (EOI).
- If your EOI is accepted, you will receive an invitation to apply.
Financial Requirements
- There is no specific financial requirement mentioned in the official source for this visa.
Status and Visa Requirements
- You do not need to have a specific current visa status as a prerequisite, but you must be aged 55 or younger and meet all other requirements.
Documentation Requirements
- Documents you can provide include: your employment agreement, fixed term contract or employment offer letter from an accredited employer (must show hours, duration, position and pay), and contract or contracts (without breaks) adding to 6 months or more.
- For health: chest X-ray and medical examination less than 3 months old.
- For character: police certificates less than 6 months old.
- For family: marriage and birth certificates.
- For English: test results no more than 2 years old.