One of the visas available for foreigners is the skilled migrant visa in New Zealand. This document, as its name suggests, represents a paper that can be requested only by persons who have gained a certain level of expertise in a given field or who have a degree. This visa category can be used as a way to relocate here on a permanent basis and obtain New Zealand citizenship as well.
In this article, our immigration lawyer in New Zealand will present the requirements imposed for the 1st visa type, the Skilled Migrant Category Resident visa.
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Types of skilled visas available in New Zealand
The law on immigration to New Zealand prescribes 3 categories of skilled visas, as follows:
- the Skilled Migrant Category Resident visa;
- the Green List Pathway to Residence;
- the Care Workforce and Transport Sector Agreements Pathway to Residence.
Depending on the type of visa a foreigner is qualified for, different requirements are imposed to the applicant.
How to initiate the visa application process
The skilled visa is available for foreigners who want to migrate to New Zealand for employment purposes only, and in order to be taken into consideration for this type of immigration document, the applicant must first make an Expression of Interest. Through this, the applicant lets the New Zealand authorities know that he or she wants to arrive here under this visa, and then, the local authorities will provide a response, in the sense that they will issue an invitation.
Skilled migration visas are available if you will be moving from USA to New Zealand or from other countries, as the immigration rules are imposed following the same law for all foreign nationals.
A foreigner is entitled to apply for this visa while being outside New Zealand, or while being here. For work, there are many options foreigners can choose and skilled migration is highly encouraged in New Zealand.
Application requirements for the skilled migrant visa in New Zealand
Our immigration lawyer in New Zealand can assist in the process of obtaining this document, but below we have prepared an outline of the most important aspects the applicant should be aware of.
The application for the skilled migrant visa in New Zealand (more specifically the 1st visa presented above, the Skilled Migrant Category Resident visa) is based on a point system, and for the applicant to be considered for this document, the application must have 6 points, the following being available:
• the applicant must have a maximum age of 55 years old;
• currently, the New Zealand Immigration Office will consider only the applications that have a minimum of 6 points, comprised of 3 to 6 points obtained based on the occupational/qualifications/income criteria, and up to 3 others based on the skilled work experience;
• the skilled migrant visa in New Zealand provides the right of bringing here close family members (the spouse and the children with an age below 24 years old);
• if the applicant brings a partner here, the person must have good knowledge of English (IELTS 5 minimum);
• when the couple will apply for the New Zealand residence permit, the applicant’s spouse’s English tests results must be of less than 2 years old.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Who can apply for a skilled visa? | All foreigners, with the exception of Australian citizens (who are exempt), must apply for a skilled migrant visa in New Zealand, provided that they want to relocate here for skilled employment. |
|
Types of skilled visas |
The Skilled Migrant Resident visa, The Green List visa, the Care Workforce and Transport Sector Agreement visas. |
|
Institution in charge with the issuance of the visa |
New Zealand Immigration Office |
| Minimum requirements to apply for a skilled visa | Have a job included on the list of skilled occupations, secure a job position from an accredited employer in New Zealand, have the relevant work experience, receive the minimum salary established for the respective work activity, meet the health requirements available in New Zealand, meet the point-based system (applicable for the Skilled Migrant Resident visa), etc. |
| Residency rights |
The Skiled migrant visa in New Zealand grants the right to permanent residency. |
| Is it possible to relocate with family members? (yes/no) |
Yes |
| Family members allowed on a skilled visa application |
Those who apply for a skilled migrant visa in New Zealand can include in their application their partner and dependend children (below 24 years old). |
| Nomination requirements |
Applicants must sign a work contract with an employer in New Zealand who has the status of “accredited employer”, which refers to a company, organization, entity that has been approved by the New Zealand Immigration Office. |
| Rights obtained by visa holders |
Live, work and study in New Zealand. |
| Skilled visas that grant permanent residency |
All 3 main categories of skilled work visas grant the right to permanent residency. The procedure to become a permanent resident can be initiated after 2 years of living and working in this country, under the conditions of the visa obtained by the foreigner. |
| Skilled visa fees |
NZD 6,450 |
| System for the classification of work skills |
The Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANSCO) |
| Minimum income requirements (yes/no) |
Yes |
| Income thresholds applied in 2025 |
They depend on the visa type and the job activity. For example, for the Skilled Migrant Resident visa, there are 2 thresholds, a salary above the median wage or a salary 1.5 times the median wage, depeding on the job specialization. |
| Age requirements | Below 55 years old. |
The point system used in order to immigrate to New Zealand analyzes the applicant’s years or experience and/or training (3 points are awarded for 2 years of experience and/or training, 4 points, for 4 years of experience and/or training, 5 points, for 5 years of experience/training, and 6 points, for 6 years of experience/training).
There are other criteria assessing the eligibility of the applicant, based on which the points are granted and, given the complexity of the system, we highly recommend you to address our immigration lawyer in New Zealand, who can provide tailored assistance suitable for your situation.
The process of Expression of Interest is done through an online list in which the applicant will provide in-depth information on his or her professional life and, based on this information, the New Zealand authorities will assess the application on the point-based system.
The applicant for the skilled migrant visa in New Zealand should present information on the applicant’s age, details on the employment in New Zealand, on the level of qualifications, the previous work experience, but also on the partner.
As presented earlier, if the applicant arrives here with the spouse, the partner must have proven English proficiency. The same requirement is imposed to the applicant, but he or she needs to have better language credentials (for instance, for the same test, IELTS, the minimum score is 6.5).
Besides this rule, he or she must meet health requirements and prove that the requirements for a good character are met (not having debts, not having criminal offences in the home country). There are other basic requirements the applicant must meet for immigration in New Zealand (such as having a salary that pays at least 1.5 times the median salary.
When can the holder of a skilled migrant visa obtain permanent residency in New Zealand?
Our immigration lawyer in New Zealand can present the process of applying for a New Zealand residence permit and can provide more details on how to obtain this document. At the end of this procedure, the person can receive the residence visa and can successfully migrate to New Zealand.
Once the formalities for visa and temporary residency are completed, the foreigner can work and live here. Provided that the person maintains the conditions of the visa, he or she can apply for permanent residency in New Zealand. This can be possible after 2 years of living and working here.
Situations that grant the right to permanent residency in New Zealand
Moving to New Zealand under this type of visa will often mean that the holder will wish to apply for NZ permanent residency, as soon as he or she meets the criteria. A foreigner is entitled, in principle, to obtain residency in New Zealand on a permanent basis under any of the following situations:
- the foreigner has a business in this country;
- the person has spent a sufficient amount of time that can allow permanent residency;
- the person has his or her tax residency here;
- the person has made certain investments in this country.
Our lawyer can offer additional information on the skilled migrant visa in New Zealand and, if you do not qualify for this type of visa, we can assess your eligibility for the other 2 types of skilled visas. An alternative for foreign nationals is to apply for the New Zealand investment visa, as opposed to the one for skilled employment. We can provide details if this option is a suitable one.
We invite you to contact our immigration lawyer in New Zealand for legal representation on the process of obtaining a skilled work visa.
