NZ Skilled Migrant Points Explained: How the 6-Point System Works

If you are looking for a points calculator with 65, 85 or 120 points, age bands and state nominations, you are reading about Australia. New Zealand’s Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) points system is a different and much simpler machine: you need exactly 6 points, they come from one skill category, and New Zealand work experience tops you up if you fall short. Since 24 August 2026 the points values have changed, deliberately favouring New Zealand qualifications and experienced workers. This guide sets out the current table, what each figure means in dollars, and how to check your own position, based on Immigration New Zealand’s published settings.

The rules of the system

• You need 6 points in total to be invited to apply under the points based pathway
• Your base points come from one category only: your qualification, your income, or your occupational registration. You cannot combine categories: a master’s degree (5 points) plus a high income does not give you 10
• If your base is 3, 4 or 5 points, you make up the difference with skilled work experience in New Zealand in a job paid at or above the SMC wage threshold
• Points are not the whole application: you also need a skilled job or job offer with an accredited employer, to be 55 or under, and to meet English (IELTS 6.5 overall or equivalent), health and character requirements. Our Resident Visa guide covers the full application

The points table (settings from 24 August 2026)

6 points: no NZ experience needed

• Qualification: a doctoral degree, or a New Zealand master’s degree (with a bachelor’s degree)
• Registration: NZ recognised registration in a specified occupation requiring at least 6 years of training
• Income: a job or job offer paying at least 3 times the median wage (at the current $35.00 median wage, $105.00 an hour)

5 points: plus 1 year of NZ skilled work experience

• Qualification: a master’s degree gained outside New Zealand (with a bachelor’s degree); a New Zealand master’s degree without a bachelor’s; a New Zealand honours degree, postgraduate diploma or postgraduate certificate (each with a bachelor’s degree); or a New Zealand bachelor’s degree
• Registration: recognised registration requiring at least 5 years of training

4 points: plus 18 months of NZ skilled work experience

• Qualification: an honours degree, postgraduate diploma or postgraduate certificate gained outside New Zealand (each with a bachelor’s degree), or a bachelor’s degree gained outside New Zealand
• Registration: recognised registration requiring at least 4 years of training
• Income: at least 2 times the median wage ($70.00 an hour at the current median)

3 points: plus 2 years of NZ skilled work experience

• Registration: recognised registration requiring at least 2 years of training
• Income: at least 1.5 times the median wage ($52.50 an hour at the current median)

Two things in this table surprise people. First, there is no longer a 3 point qualification: the lowest qualification base is now 4 (an overseas bachelor’s degree, up from 3 points before August 2026), and New Zealand qualifications are worth more at every level. Second, postgraduate claims carry a condition: claiming points for a postgraduate qualification generally requires holding an undergraduate degree as well, with narrow exceptions (doctoral degrees, and a New Zealand master’s claiming 5 points).

Checking your own points: a worked sequence

1. Pick your strongest single category. For most applicants that is their highest qualification. Value it from the table, noting whether it was gained in New Zealand or overseas
2. If your qualification is overseas, check whether it is on INZ’s List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment. If not, you will need an NZQA International Qualification Assessment (IQA) to confirm its level before INZ accepts the points
3. Check the wage alternative: if your NZ job pays at least 1.5, 2 or 3 times the median wage, income points may beat your qualification points. Use the highest single result, not a blend
4. Count your NZ skilled work experience at or above the relevant wage threshold: 1 year if you have 5 base points, 18 months for 4, 2 years for 3. The wage must have been maintained through that experience period
5. Total 6? You can submit an Expression of Interest. Submitting an EOI is free; if selected and invited, you have 4 months to lodge the full application, which costs from $6,450

If you cannot reach 6: the other two pathways

The August 2026 changes added two non-points routes under the same visa, covered in detail in our guide to the 2026 immigration changes:

• Skilled Work Experience pathway: a skilled role (ANZSCO skill level 1 to 3), at least 5 years of directly relevant experience, including 2 years in New Zealand paid at or above 1.1 times the median wage ($38.50 an hour at the current median). A Red List of occupations is excluded, and Amber List occupations carry extra criteria
• Trades and Technician pathway: a specified trade or technician role, a relevant Level 4 or higher qualification (NZ qualifications need at least 120 credits; overseas qualifications need an IQA at Level 4 or above, with no 120 credit rule), 4 years of post-qualification experience including 18 months in New Zealand paid at or above the median wage

Most people who fall short of 6 points today get there with time: the system is designed so that skilled work in New Zealand itself closes the gap. Coming in on a work visa first and building the NZ experience is the standard sequence, not a fallback.

Common points mistakes

• Claiming from two categories: the most frequent error. Points come from one base category plus NZ experience, never from qualification plus income
• Assuming an overseas qualification’s home-country level: what matters is the level NZQA assesses it at, and an IQA takes time. Apply for the assessment early
• Forgetting the bachelor’s condition: a postgraduate diploma without an undergraduate degree generally cannot be claimed (check the two exceptions in the table notes)
• Using an old median wage: income thresholds move with the immigration median wage, currently $35.00 an hour since 9 March 2026. A salary that equalled 2 times the median two years ago may not now
• Confusing NZ settings with Australia’s: Australia’s system rewards age under 45, partner points, state nomination and regional study. None of those exist in New Zealand’s SMC. If your research mixes the two, it will mislead your planning

Frequently asked questions

How many points do I need for NZ residence?

Six, under the Skilled Migrant Category points based pathway: 3 to 6 base points from one category (qualification, income or registration), topped up with skilled work experience in New Zealand if needed. Alternatively, qualify through the Skilled Work Experience or Trades and Technician pathways, which use no points.

Does age give points in New Zealand?

No. Age is an eligibility rule (you must be 55 or under), not a points category, unlike the Australian system.

Is the Expression of Interest really free?

Yes. INZ charges nothing to submit an EOI. Fees apply at the application stage if you are invited: the Skilled Migrant Category application costs from $6,450 including the immigration levy.

My employer will pay me 1.5 times the median wage next year. Can I claim income points now?

No: income points are assessed on your actual job or job offer at the relevant rate, and the required wage must be maintained through your NZ work experience period. A future raise does not earn points today.

Where do I check the official points settings?

On Immigration New Zealand’s Skilled Migrant Category pages, which publish the current points table and the qualification exemption list. More immigration topics are in the immigration category.

Sources

• Immigration New Zealand, Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa and the announced SMC changes (points tables): https://www.immigration.govt.nz
• NZQA, International Qualification Assessments: https://www.nzqa.govt.nz

Disclaimer

This article is general information about the Skilled Migrant Category points system as at October 2026. Points settings, the median wage and occupation lists change, sometimes at short notice, so confirm your position on the INZ website or with a licensed immigration adviser before relying on a points total.