2026 Changes to the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa

On 24 August 2026, Immigration New Zealand will be making changes to the points system for the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa (SMC). Immigration New Zealand will also be adding 2 new pathways to the SMC, and making changes to the SMC wage threshold (median wage) rules.

Immigration rules and wage rates change often. Always check immigration.govt.nz for the latest guidance before you apply. This article is general information, not immigration advice.

What is changing from August 2026

From 24 August 2026, Immigration New Zealand will be introducing changes to the SMC, including:

• 2 new SMC pathways, alongside the existing Points-based pathway
• updates to the Points-based pathway, and
• changes to the SMC wage threshold (median wage) rules.

Who is affected

You may be affected if you:

• are already working in New Zealand and planning to apply for an SMC Resident Visa
• are relying on a qualification to get points
• do not currently meet the 6-point threshold, or
• work in a trades or technician role.

New SMC pathways

From 24 August 2026, 2 new pathways will be added to the SMC: the Skilled Work Experience pathway and the Trades and Technician pathway.

Skilled Work Experience pathway

Under the current rules you can use skilled work experience in New Zealand to reach the 6-point threshold, if you do not have enough points from your income, qualification or occupational registration alone.

From 24 August 2026 a new pathway will be available for the SMC that allows you to gain residence from work experience alone. This will be separate to the Points-based pathway.

You will be eligible for the Skilled Work Experience pathway if you:

• work in or have a job offer for an ANZSCO skill level 1 to 3 occupation paid at least 1.1 times the SMC wage threshold (median wage)
• have at least 3 years of relevant work experience in an ANZSCO skill level 1 to 3 occupation, and
• have an additional 2 years of skilled work experience in New Zealand in an ANZSCO skill level 1 to 3 occupation paid at least 1.1 times the SMC median wage (median wage threshold).

Find your job's skill level

If your current job or job offer is on the Amber List, there are additional requirements you must meet to be eligible for this pathway.

If your current job or job offer is on the Red List, or is an ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5 occupation, you will not be eligible for this pathway.

You can not include self-employment as relevant work experience.

Amber list occupations

Applicants with a job or job offer in these occupations will need to:

• be paid at least 1.2 times the SMC wage threshold, and
• have at least 3 years of relevant work experience in New Zealand in an ANZSCO skill level 1 to 3 occupation, and
• have an additional 2 years of skilled work experience in New Zealand in an ANZSCO skill level 1 to 3 occupation paid at least 1.2 times the SMC wage threshold (median wage).

Red list occupations

These occupations are not eligible for the new Skilled Work Experience pathway:

Trades and Technician pathway

From 24 August 2026 a new pathway will be available for people with trades and technician occupations.

You will be eligible for the Trades and Technician pathway if you:

• work in an eligible trades and technician occupation paid at least the SMC wage threshold (median wage)
• have a relevant qualification that is level 4, comparable to level 4, or higher than level 4 on the NZQCF (New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework)
• have at least 2.5 years of relevant, post-qualification work experience in an ANZSCO skill level 1 to 3 occupation, and
• have an additional 1.5 years of post-qualification, skilled work experience in New Zealand paid at least the SMC wage threshold (median wage).

Eligible occupations for the SMC Trades and Technician pathway (August 2026)

Credit requirements for New Zealand qualifications

If you have a New Zealand qualification, it must be either:

• at least 120 credits on the NZQCF, or
• less than 120 credits but with multiple prerequisite qualifications that together make at least 120 credits.

If you were awarded credits in recognition of prior learning, they will not count towards the 120-credit requirement.

If you have an overseas qualification it must be level 4 or higher, but there are no credit requirements.

Evidence of qualifications

You will need to provide evidence of your qualification.

Overseas qualifications: If you have an overseas qualification, you will need to have an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) from the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA). When you apply for residence you will need to provide a copy of the qualification certificate and the IQA. Check if you need an International Qualification Assessment

New Zealand qualifications: If you have a New Zealand qualification, you will need to provide a copy of the qualification certificate and an academic transcript (or equivalent) when you apply for residence.

Timeframe for gaining work experience

You must have gained your work experience for the Skilled Work Experience or Trades and Technician pathway within a set timeframe.

For relevant work experience this timeframe is 10 years, counted back from the date you apply for residence. For example, if you need 3 years of relevant work experience, this experience must have been gained within the 10 years immediately before you apply for residence.

For skilled work experience this timeframe is twice as long as the amount of experience you need, counted back from the date you apply for residence. For example, if you need 2 years of skilled work experience, this experience must have been gained within the 4 years immediately before you apply for residence.

Points-based pathway

The current SMC allows you to claim points towards New Zealand residence if you have 1 of the following:

• an occupational registration that requires at least 2 years of training
• a level 7 bachelor's degree or higher, based on the NZQCF levels, or
• you are paid at least 1.5 times the median wage.

You must have a total of 6 points and a skilled job or job offer to apply. Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa

Changes to the Points-based pathway

From 24 August 2026 you will be able to:

• get extra points for New Zealand qualifications
• get more points for overseas bachelor's degrees and postgraduate certificates, and
• reach the 6-point threshold with less New Zealand work experience.

Extra points for some qualifications

From 24 August 2026 you will be able to get extra points for New Zealand qualifications. You will also be able to get 4 points for a bachelor's degree or post-graduate certificate gained outside of New Zealand (3 points under the current rules). You will also need to have a bachelor's degree for some higher-level qualifications.

Evidence of qualifications: You will need to provide evidence of any qualifications you claim points for.

Overseas qualifications: If you claim points for an overseas qualification, you must provide an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) from the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA), unless the qualification is listed on the List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment (LQEA). Check if you need an International Qualification Assessment

New Zealand qualifications: If you claim points for a New Zealand qualification, you must provide a copy of the qualification certificate.

You can claim 6 points for a New Zealand master's degree if you have completed at least 30 weeks of full-time study in New Zealand and have a bachelor's degree.

You can only claim 5 points for a New Zealand master's degree if you have not completed 30 weeks of full-time study in New Zealand or do not have a bachelor's degree.

Supporting bachelor's degree for a level 8 or 9 qualification: If you claim points for a level 8 or 9 qualification and your bachelor's degree is only being used as a supporting qualification, you will not need to provide an IQA for the bachelor's degree. You must provide the bachelor's degree certificate, and the academic transcript.

Combined master's degrees: If you claim points for a combined master's degree, you will only need to provide the academic transcript as evidence of the bachelor's degree.

Lower work experience requirements

Under the current rules you can claim up to 3 additional points from work experience in New Zealand, if you cannot reach 6 points with your occupational registration, qualification or income.

From 24 August 2026 Immigration New Zealand will reduce the amount of work experience in New Zealand you need to gain additional points.

New occupational registration for accountants

From 24 August 2026, you will be able to claim 6 points for the Points-based pathway if:

• you are an accountant who can undertake the work of a Qualified Statutory Accountant in New Zealand, and
• you are a member of Certified Practising Accountants (CPA) Australia.

Types of membership, CPA Australia

English language tests for eligible occupational registrations

From 24 August 2026, your English language test results will be valid for 5 years instead of 2 years if you have an eligible occupational registration. Claiming skilled resident points from occupational registration

If you are including your partner in your SMC Resident Visa application, their English language test results will also be valid for 5 years if they have an eligible occupational registration.

Changes to the SMC wage threshold (median wage) rules

From 24 August 2026, Immigration New Zealand is changing the way it calculates the SMC wage threshold (median wage).

The current rules

The SMC wage threshold is based on the median wage and is updated each year.

Under the current rules you must meet the SMC wage threshold:

• in your current job or job offer, and
• during any skilled work experience in New Zealand that you are using to claim points.

Pay rates for the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa

How your threshold is determined under the current rules

For your current job or job offer you must meet the SMC wage threshold that is in place when you submit your expression of interest (EOI).

For your skilled work experience you must meet the SMC wage threshold that was in place when you started gaining skilled work experience. If you change jobs while gaining work experience, your new job must meet the threshold that is in place when you start that job. This may be higher than the previous threshold, as it increases over time.

Changes from 24 August 2026

From 24 August 2026 you will only need to meet the SMC wage threshold that was in place when you started gaining skilled work experience. This means that your current job or job offer must meet the rate that applied at that time.

This change also applies to the new Skilled Work Experience and Trades and Technician pathways.

If you do not need skilled work experience for your pathway, for example you are claiming 6 points for a doctoral degree, you need to meet the threshold in effect for your pathway at the time you are invited to apply for residence (which is usually the same date that you submit your EOI).

If you change jobs

For most people, you will not need to meet a higher SMC wage threshold if you change jobs.

You may need to meet a higher SMC wage threshold if you apply under the Points-based pathway and are changing jobs from a skill level 1 to 3 occupation to a skill level 4 or 5 occupation.

Timeframe for setting your SMC wage threshold

The skilled work experience used to set your SMC wage threshold must fall within the eligible timeframe. This timeframe is twice the amount of experience you need, counted back from the date you are invited to apply.

For example, if you need 2 years of skilled work experience, the earliest you can set your SMC wage threshold is 4 years before you are invited to apply.

Grace period

From 24 August 2026, a new grace period rule will apply. This is for situations where the SMC wage threshold increases between your work visa being granted and starting your skilled work experience.

When it applies: The grace period applies if:

• you started working within 5 months of your work visa being granted
• there was a change in threshold between your work visa being granted and your skilled work experience starting, and
• your skilled work experience is within the eligible timeframe to set your wage threshold for your pathway.

SMC wage threshold rates for Trades and Technician and Skilled Work Experience pathways

If you apply for an SMC Resident Visa under one of the new pathways, you must meet the relevant hourly pay amount for your:

• skilled work experience in New Zealand, and
• current job or job offer.

The amount that you must meet will depend on when you started gaining skilled work experience (and if it was within the eligible timeframe).

If you apply for an SMC Resident Visa under the Points-based pathway, the pay rates below will not change on 24 August 2026.

Pay rates for skilled work in New Zealand (Points-based pathway)

Your current job or job offer must pay at least the pay rate required at the time you submit your EOI and application. This is based on the ANZSCO (Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations) skill level of the job, and a minimum pay rate based on the hourly median wage.

Pay rates to claim points for income

You must earn at least the current pay rate required for the points you want to claim for income. For example, if you want to claim 4 points for income, you must be earning at least NZD $70.00 an hour. If you are also claiming points for skilled work experience in New Zealand, you must meet the pay rate required for the income points you are claiming throughout your work experience period.

Pay rates to claim skilled work experience (Points-based pathway)

To claim points for skilled work experience, you must meet the hourly pay rate requirement in effect at the start of the work experience period you are claiming points for.

• Use Table 6 if you are claiming points for work experience but not income.
• Use Table 7 if you are claiming points for income as well as work experience.

If the median wage increases during this period your income does not need to increase, as long as you stay in the same job. If you change jobs, you must meet the new wage threshold applicable at that time.

Changes to other skilled residence visas

The changes to wage threshold rules will also apply to other skilled residence visas such as the Work to Residence Visa, Transport Work to Residence Visa and Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa. 2026 changes to wage rate rules for work to residence visas

Draft EOIs

Draft expressions of interest (EOIs) will expire on 24 August 2026.

Immigration New Zealand is making changes to the SMC EOI form on 24 August 2026. If you want to apply for an SMC Resident Visa under the current rules you must submit your EOI before 24 August.

Any draft (unsubmitted) EOIs will expire on 24 August 2026 and be deleted. If your EOI is deleted, you need to start your EOI again using the new form which will be available from 24 August 2026.

What you can do now

Before 24 August 2026, you can:

• Check if you may qualify under a new pathway
• Review your qualifications and work experience
• consider whether you need an International Qualification Assessment (IQA), and
• Talk to your employer about your pay and role.

Sources and further reading

This article is adapted from Immigration New Zealand's official guidance, reused under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand Licence, and is credited to the Crown and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

• 2026 changes to the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa, Immigration New Zealand
• Pay rates for the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa, Immigration New Zealand