The New Zealand skilled migrant visa runs on a points system, and the points work in a way that catches people out. You need six, and you have to claim them from one skill category rather than assembling them from everything you have.
That single rule is the difference between an application that works and one that does not, and it is the opposite of how the old system behaved.
How the six points actually work
Under the Skilled Migrant Category you claim your points from a single skill category. There are three:
- Occupational registration, where your profession is registered in New Zealand.
- A qualification, recognised at the relevant level.
- Income, measured against New Zealand pay.
Pick the strongest of those three and see how far it takes you. If it reaches six, you are there. If it does not, the balance has to come from skilled work experience gained in New Zealand, and not from a second category.
Read that last part carefully, because it is where the old advice misleads. A qualification worth four points plus an income worth three does not make seven. Overseas experience does not top up a short qualification. The only permitted top-up is New Zealand work experience, which means for many applicants the realistic sequence is a work visa first and residence second.
The other requirements
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Age | 55 or younger. This is a hard limit, not a scoring factor |
| Points | At least 6, from a single skill category |
| A skilled job | A skilled job or a job offer in New Zealand |
| English | An acceptable standard of English |
| Health and character | Both assessed, and both able to end an application on their own |
The age limit is worth stating plainly because it is absolute. At 56 there is no version of this route available, whatever your points would have been, and no discretion to apply for.
Two new pathways, both of which widen the door
New Zealand added two pathways in 2026, and unusually for immigration news in the last two years, both make residence easier rather than harder:
- The Skilled Work Experience Pathway, for roles at ANZSCO skill levels 1 to 3. This reaches a considerably wider set of occupations than the qualification route does.
- The Trades and Technician Pathway, aimed at specific trades.
Both reduce the work experience and wage barriers that previously shut people out. The practical consequence: if you looked at this route before and did not qualify, it is worth looking again, particularly if you are in a trade. That is rarely true of an immigration system and it is true of this one.
Getting there first: the work visa
Since the top-up points have to be earned in New Zealand, most people arrive on a work visa and apply for residence afterwards. The main route is the Accredited Employer Work Visa, and it changed in a way that has been badly under-reported.
The general median wage requirement was removed in March 2025. There is now no national salary floor on the AEWV at all: your pay has to be the market rate for that job in that region, and at or above the adult minimum wage. Immigration New Zealand sets out what changed.
The median wage still exists and still matters, just for other things. It rose to NZD 35.00 an hour on 9 March 2026 and continues to gate the advertising exemption, the five-year stay for some lower-skilled roles, and the income tests for supporting a partner and for residence pathways.
The constraint moved rather than disappeared: you need an accredited employer, and accreditation is what filters out most small employers. See our guide to the Accredited Employer Work Visa.
What to do
- Check your age first. 55 or younger, or this route is closed.
- Work out your strongest single category and how many of the six points it reaches on its own. Do not add categories together.
- If it falls short, plan for a work visa first. The only permitted top-up is New Zealand work experience.
- Check the two 2026 pathways, especially if you are in a trade or at ANZSCO skill levels 1 to 3.
- Target accredited employers. On the AEWV, accreditation is a fact about them and it decides whether they can hire you at all.
Related: New Zealand’s fast-track work visa and how other countries compare. Browse shortage jobs with visa sponsorship on our board.
Last checked September 2026. The median wage is reviewed annually and rose on 9 March 2026; the Skilled Migrant Category pathways were added during 2026. Confirm the current requirements with Immigration New Zealand before applying.
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[…] Two pathways were added in 2026 and both widen eligibility: a Skilled Work Experience Pathway for roles at ANZSCO skill levels 1 to 3, and a Trades and Technician Pathway. If you assessed this route before and did not qualify, it is worth reassessing. Detail in the Skilled Migrant Category and its six points. […]