Understanding the SMC points pathway

New Zealand · Immigration guide

Understanding the SMC points pathway

The points-based SMC pathway requires 6 skilled resident points. You claim 3 to 6 points from one main category – qualification, occupational registration or income – and, if that category gives fewer than 6, you may add 1 to 3 points from eligible skilled work in New Zealand. The main categories are not added together.

Information checked: 27 September 2026 Check the current official source before relying on time-sensitive details

Where to start

Start with your situation, not the points table. First look at whether the relevant detail is a recognised qualification, high income, occupational registration, skilled work experience, or a trade or technician role with a matching qualification. That helps decide whether the points-based pathway is the right first page to read, or whether another SMC pathway needs to be checked before counting points.

Key points

Use one main points category

Qualification, occupational registration and income are alternative main categories. They are not added together.

Main categories provide 3 to 6 points

The amount depends on the current qualification table, eligible registration training requirement or income multiple.

New Zealand work may add 1 to 3 points

Eligible skilled work can fill a points gap, with 1, 1.5 or 2 years corresponding to 1, 2 or 3 points.

Six points are not the whole visa

Age, skilled employment with an accredited employer, health, character, English and evidence requirements still apply.

The three SMC pathways are different routes

The Points-based pathway is built around 6 skilled resident points. The Skilled Work Experience pathway is for eligible skill-level 1 to 3 work and currently requires directly relevant experience plus skilled work in New Zealand. The Trades and Technician pathway is limited to eligible roles and combines a relevant qualification with post-qualification work experience.

All three sit inside the Skilled Migrant Category, but they do not use one shared points table. A person whose strongest facts are work experience or an eligible trade may need to check one of the newer pathways before calculating points.

Comparison table: scroll sideways to read all columns. With a keyboard, focus the table and use the left and right arrow keys.

Pathway starting points in effect from 24 August 2026
Pathway	What it starts from	Main experience feature
Points-based	One main points category: qualification, occupational registration or income	Up to 3 additional points from eligible New Zealand skilled work if needed
Skilled Work Experience	Eligible skill-level 1 to 3 job or job offer and directly relevant work	At least 3 years relevant experience plus 2 years skilled work in New Zealand, with current occupation, pay and timing conditions
Trades and Technician	An eligible trade or technician role and a relevant Level 4 or higher qualification	At least 2.5 years relevant post-qualification experience plus 1.5 years skilled work in New Zealand, with current occupation, pay and timing conditions

Occupation lists, red or amber list treatment, pay thresholds and evidence rules still need checking on the current INZ page.

How the points-based pathway reaches 6 points

Choose one main skill category. Qualification, occupational registration and income cannot be stacked together. If the chosen category provides 3, 4 or 5 points, eligible New Zealand skilled work experience may provide the balance needed to reach 6.

Comparison table: scroll sideways to read all columns. With a keyboard, focus the table and use the left and right arrow keys.

Main skill categories
Category	Points available	How the amount is set
Qualification	4 to 6	The level, where it was gained and, for some New Zealand master's degrees, the study pattern and supporting bachelor's degree
Occupational registration	3 to 6	The minimum years of training or experience required to gain an eligible New Zealand registration
Income	3, 4 or 6	Pay at 1.5, 2 or 3 times the applicable SMC wage threshold

Comparison table: scroll sideways to read all columns. With a keyboard, focus the table and use the left and right arrow keys.

Additional New Zealand skilled-work points
Eligible New Zealand skilled work	Additional points
1 year	1
1.5 years	2
2 years	3

The job, hours, pay, occupation match, timing and evidence requirements all apply. Work-experience points supplement one main category; they do not replace it.

Qualification points in the current table

New Zealand and international qualifications are not always worth the same number of points. Overseas qualifications generally need an International Qualification Assessment unless an exemption applies, and some Level 8 or 9 claims also require a supporting bachelor's degree.

Comparison table: scroll sideways to read all columns. With a keyboard, focus the table and use the left and right arrow keys.

New Zealand qualifications
Highest qualification used	Points
Level 10 doctoral degree	6
Level 9 master's degree with at least 30 weeks of full-time New Zealand study and a bachelor's degree	6
Other Level 9 New Zealand master's degree	5
Level 8 honours degree, postgraduate diploma or postgraduate certificate, with a bachelor's degree	5
Level 7 bachelor's degree	5

Comparison table: scroll sideways to read all columns. With a keyboard, focus the table and use the left and right arrow keys.

International qualifications
Highest qualification used	Points
Level 10 doctoral degree	6
Level 9 master's degree, with a bachelor's degree	5
Level 8 honours degree, postgraduate diploma or postgraduate certificate, with a bachelor's degree	4
Level 7 bachelor's degree	4

Non-degree qualifications at Level 7 or below do not earn points under this table.

Occupational-registration and income points

Only registrations on INZ's eligible list can be used. Income points use the SMC wage threshold that applies to the job and relevant period, so an hourly dollar figure can change even when the 1.5, 2 and 3 times structure stays the same.

Comparison table: scroll sideways to read all columns. With a keyboard, focus the table and use the left and right arrow keys.

Eligible occupational registration
Minimum training or experience required for registration	Points
2 years	3
4 years	4
5 years	5
6 years	6

Comparison table: scroll sideways to read all columns. With a keyboard, focus the table and use the left and right arrow keys.

Income category
Pay level	Points
At least 1.5 times the applicable SMC wage threshold	3
At least 2 times the applicable threshold	4
At least 3 times the applicable threshold	6

A fictional points example

A points total only answers one part of the pathway. The underlying job, qualification and work evidence still have to meet the current definitions.

Requirements that sit outside the points total

Reaching 6 points does not by itself establish eligibility. All SMC pathways also require the current age, skilled job or job-offer, accredited-employer, health, character and English requirements to be met. If a partner or dependent child is included, relationship requirements also apply.

The expression of interest and invitation process, evidence standards, wage threshold and applicable occupation classification must still be checked on the current INZ pages.

What to check next

Check whether the question is about the SMC points pathway, Skilled Work Experience pathway, Trades and Technician pathway or another skilled residence route.
Confirm the current INZ page before relying on points, wage or work-experience details.
Keep job, pay, qualification, registration and New Zealand work-experience evidence separate so the pathway comparison stays clear.

A useful next step

Compare the skilled-residence pathways

For advice about your personal circumstances: Finding licensed immigration advice.

These links are official information about finding advice. You can also send a minimal enquiry to Ralenvo for owner review below. Submission does not send information to an adviser.

Sources and dates

Information was checked on 27 September 2026. Open the current official page before relying on a rate, threshold, eligibility setting or process that may have changed.

Understanding the Accredited Employer Work Visa

See how the employer, job and applicant requirements fit together.

Information checked: 27 September 2026

Read the guide Immigration

Work options after studying in New Zealand

Explore post-study work options and the details to understand before planning your next step.

Information checked: 27 September 2026

Read the guide KiwiSaver

Moving overseas: what happens to your KiwiSaver

Explore how an overseas move can affect KiwiSaver and why the destination matters.

Information checked: 29 September 2026

Send a secure enquiry to Ralenvo

Enter your first name, email address and broad topic. Ralenvo's owner reviews the enquiry. Submission sends nothing to an adviser. If a manual introduction is proposed, you will receive a private link naming the recipient, purpose and exact information before deciding whether to permit that transfer.

First nameEmail addressBroad topic

Do not include medical, immigration, financial or other sensitive circumstances, and do not upload documents. Ralenvo Limited, operating under the Ralenvo brand, collects and holds your first name, email address and broad topic at 13 Bathurst Crescent, Pokeno, New Zealand. Providing these details is voluntary. If you do not provide all required fields, Ralenvo cannot receive, review or respond to your enquiry. Ralenvo uses the information for owner review, to contact you about the enquiry and to consider whether a separately permissioned professional introduction may be appropriate. Initial recipients are the authorised Ralenvo operator using the encrypted owner dashboard and hosting or security providers only as needed to operate and protect it. The owner notification contains only an opaque reference and authenticated dashboard link. Nothing is sent to an adviser when you submit. You may ask to access or correct your information at privacy@ralenvo.com. Ralenvo collects your first name, email address and broad topic to review your enquiry and contact you about a possible professional introduction. Submission sends nothing to an adviser. Each transfer needs separate permission naming the recipient and exact information. Enquiry and permission records may be retained for up to seven years after the last substantive event for the lawful purposes described in the Privacy notice. Ralenvo may delete them earlier when they are no longer required. A documented legal, privacy, security or dispute hold may require particular records to be kept longer. Read the privacy notice.