skilled-migrant-visa-category

Skilled Migrant Visa Category

Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Resident Visa

The Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa is for people with the right skills and qualifications to help New Zealand’s economy. It isn’t available to those who are self-employed.

Points-Based System

The Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Resident Visa uses a points-based system to determine your eligibility. Under the new simplified system, you must score at least 6 points to qualify for residence. Meeting this threshold means your Expression of Interest (EOI) will be selected from the pool, and you’ll receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA). 

You can earn 3 to 6 points from one of the following key skill indicators:

New Zealand occupational registration
A qualification (Bachelor’s degree or higher)
Income (at least 1.5 times the New Zealand median wage)

Additionally, you can claim 1 point for each year of skilled work in New Zealand, up to a maximum of 3 points, which can be added to the points from your chosen skill indicator.

Eligibility Criteria

You will need to complete any one of the following:

You must be 55 years of age or under
You must meet the English language requirements
You must meet the health & character requirements
You must have a skilled job or a skilled job offer with an accredited employer

Benefits

You will need to complete any one of the following:

This visa enables you to live, work & study in New Zealand.
Your partner and dependent children aged 24 years & below can be included in your residence visa application
This visa allows you to stay in New Zealand indefinitely

common mistakes

The process of getting a Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa can be complicated and applicants making costly mistakes is not uncommon. Some of the common mistakes applicants make are claiming points for unrecognized qualifications, unskilled work experience or claiming certain points but not meeting those requirements.
For example, if you are claiming points for your qualifications, they need to be either on the List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment or have been assessed by NZQA. Similarly, if you are claiming points for work experience, it must be in the same field as your job/ job offer. In case you don’t have a job or a job offer, your work experience needs to be in a comparable labour market or at skill level 1, 2 or 3 of the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO).

These are just a basic requirement or information you need for a Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa In New Zealand. For more details, please get in touch with our Licensed Immigration Adviser at VISABOX.

Want to apply for a Residence Visa in New Zealand?

Coordinate with a Licensed Immigration Expert at Visa Box to start your journey with confidence.