New ZealandWork and qualifications

Skilled migrant visa in New Zealand

A resident visa for foreign specialists who already work, or have received a job offer, in a skilled occupation with an accredited New Zealand employer. The visa gives the right to live, work and study in the country with no limit of time and opens a route to permanent residence.

Threshold

The fee is from NZD 6,450.

Processing time

Once the invitation is received you have 4 months to lodge the full application.

Work

The right to live, work and study in New Zealand with no limit of time.

Residence

Under the section 49 condition you may not be out of work for more than 3 months.

Source: Immigration New Zealand — Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa

Who can apply and how to reach 6 skilled resident points

The visa is open to those who already work, or have an offer of skilled work, with an accredited employer and can reach at least 6 skilled resident points by one of three routes, adding points for work experience in New Zealand where needed.

By occupational registration in New Zealand

6 points — if registration requires 6 or more years of experience or training
5 points — if it requires 5 or more years of experience or training
4 points — if it requires 4 or more years of experience or training
3 points — if it requires 2 or more years of experience or training

By qualification

6 points — a doctoral degree (NZQF level 10)
5 points — a master's degree (level 9)
4 points — a bachelor's degree with honours or a postgraduate diploma (level 8)
3 points — a level 8 postgraduate certificate or a level 7 bachelor's degree

By income from current employment or a job offer

6 points — pay from NZD 105.00 an hour (three times the 2025 median wage)
4 points — pay from NZD 70.00 an hour (twice the median)
3 points — pay from NZD 52.50 an hour (1.5 times the median)

Plus skilled work experience in New Zealand

3 points — 3 years of skilled work over the last 5 years
2 points — 2 years over the last 4 years
1 point — 1 year over the last 2 years
A maximum of 3 points from this source; they are added where the points from registration, qualification or income fall short

What it costs

Fee for the Skilled Migrant Category resident visa	6 450 NZD

Documents to gather

The Expression of Interest (EOI) requires no documents. The full list is needed once an invitation to apply for the visa has arrived.

A passport or certificate of identity, 1 photograph to the prescribed standard
Results of a medical examination and a chest x-ray (for applicants aged 15 and over; for children the conditions depend on age)
Police certificates from your countries of citizenship and from countries where you have spent 12 months or more over the last 10 years, no more than 6 months old at lodgement
Evidence of the points you claim — for occupational registration, qualification, income or work experience in New Zealand
Evidence of English language ability
Confirmation of employment or of a job offer from an accredited employer stating the hours, the term, the position and the pay
Translations of all documents that are not in English
For a partner and children — documents evidencing the relationship (marriage and birth certificates), proof of identity, police certificates, medical documents and evidence of English where required

How the process runs

The process runs in two stages: first a free Expression of Interest, then the full application after an invitation.

1
Lodge an Expression of Interest
The EOI is lodged online, with no fee and no documents — only details of how the applicant and the family members included in the application meet the requirements.
2
Receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA)
If there are enough points, Immigration New Zealand says so immediately after the EOI is lodged and sends the invitation by email.
3
Gather the documents
You prepare evidence of the points, employment, English, health and character against the visa's list of requirements.
4
Lodge the application and pay the fee
4 months from the date of the invitation
The application is lodged online through the link in the invitation. If you do not meet the 4-month deadline, a new EOI has to be lodged.
5
Receive the decision and the visa
On approval an eVisa is issued. If the application was lodged from abroad, you have to enter New Zealand within 12 months of the date the visa was granted.

Who you can bring with you

A partner and children aged 24 and under can be included in the application.

Partner

Evidence of a genuine relationship is needed (for example a marriage certificate). A partner aged 16 and over has to evidence English or pay for English lessons in New Zealand.

Children aged 24 and under

Evidence of the relationship is needed. Children aged 16 and over evidence English on the same basis as a partner. Children aged 10 and under need only a medical examination, children aged 11–14 a medical examination and a chest x-ray, and those aged 15 and over the same as adults.

A partner and children who already hold a visa granted on the basis of their relationship with the applicant

If they already hold, or have lodged, a temporary visa (work, student, visitor) on the basis of their relationship with the applicant, they have to be included in the residence application.

Renewal and the grace period

The resident visa is granted with no limit on the period of residence and does not need to be renewed. But the travel conditions expire 2 years after first entry into New Zealand on this visa — or after the visa is granted, if the applicant is already in the country. To leave and enter freely again, you have to renew the travel conditions or obtain a Permanent Resident Visa. A Permanent Resident Visa can be obtained after 2 consecutive years holding the resident visa. Some visas carry additional conditions under section 49 of the Immigration Act 2009 — under those you may not be without skilled employment for more than 3 months in a row, or the visa may be cancelled.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	Skilled migrant visa	Active investor visa	New Zealand permanent residence
Visa term	A resident visa with no limit on the period of residence	This is a resident visa with no limit of time: you live, work and study in the country	Open-ended, as long as the visa is held in a current passport
Money	The fee is from NZD 6,450	Growth category — an investment of at least NZD 5,000,000 for a term of 36 months	The fee is from NZD 315
Work	The right to live, work and study in New Zealand with no limit of time	The right to live in New Zealand with no limit of time	The right to live, work and study in New Zealand

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

After holding the resident visa for 2 years you can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa.

Frequently asked questions about Skilled migrant visa

Who can apply for the Skilled Migrant Category resident visa?

The applicant has to be no older than 55 at lodgement, to work or hold a job offer in a skilled occupation with an accredited employer, to reach at least 6 skilled resident points, to have English language ability, to be in good health and to be of good character.

What does the visa cost and how much time is there to lodge after the invitation?

The fee is from 6,450 New Zealand dollars. The Expression of Interest (EOI) is free. After the invitation you have 4 months to lodge the full application and pay the fee, otherwise a new EOI has to be lodged.

Can you move with a partner and children?

Yes, a partner and children aged 24 and under can be included in the application where a genuine relationship is evidenced. A partner and children aged 16 and over have to evidence English or pay for English lessons in New Zealand.

What happens after 2 years holding this visa?

After 2 consecutive years holding the resident visa you can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa, which removes the limit on travel conditions and allows you to leave and enter New Zealand with no time limit. Citizenship is available to most applicants after 5 years of residence as a resident, without any need to obtain a Permanent Resident Visa.

How does this visa differ from residence under the Green List of occupations?

If the occupation is on Tier 1 of the Green List of occupations in demand, you apply for the Straight to Residence Visa instead of this one; if it is on Tier 2, you first obtain a Work to Residence Visa. Neither Green List programme requires 6 skilled resident points under this visa's general points system.

What changes for this visa from 24 August 2026?

From that date two new pathways are added to the current points system (the Points-based pathway): a Skilled Work Experience pathway for candidates with 3 or more years of experience in an occupation at ANZSCO skill level 1–3 plus a further 2 years of such work in New Zealand, and a Trades and Technician pathway for trades occupations with a level 4 or higher qualification, 2.5 years of relevant experience and a further 1.5 years of work in New Zealand. Within the points system itself the points for qualifications and the requirements on work experience in the country change.

Other ways to move to New Zealand

Every route in one list — migration programmes: New Zealand.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.