Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has confirmed the final details of significant changes to the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa and several work-to-residence pathways.
The updated immigration settings will take effect on 24 August 2026 and are designed to simplify wage requirements, clarify qualification rules and strengthen checks around genuine skilled employment.
The Skilled Migrant Category, commonly known as the SMC, is New Zealand’s main residence pathway for skilled migrants. The Government initially announced the reforms in September 2025 as part of its efforts to help employers attract and retain skilled workers while supporting long-term economic growth.
Key Changes at a Glance
| Area | Main change |
| SMC wage thresholds | Most applicants will only need to meet one applicable wage threshold |
| Work-to-residence visas | Wage rules will be aligned with the updated SMC settings |
| Qualification evidence | Additional evidence will be required for some Level 8 and Level 9 qualifications |
| Overseas trade qualifications | The 120-credit requirement will be removed |
| New Zealand trade qualifications | Applicants must have at least 120 credits, which may come from multiple linked qualifications |
| Self-employment | Self-employed work cannot be counted as directly relevant experience under the two new pathways |
| Genuine employment | Stronger rules will apply to employment offers used for skilled residence applications |
New Skilled Migrant Residence Pathways
The reforms introduce two additional residence pathways for eligible skilled migrants:
- The Trades and Technician pathway
- The Skilled Work Experience pathway
The changes also aim to better recognise the value of qualifications completed in New Zealand and simplify some of the existing Skilled Migrant Category requirements.
Skilled Migrant Category Wage Threshold Rules
From 24 August 2026, most Skilled Migrant Category applicants will generally need to meet only one SMC wage threshold.
Under the previous approach, applicants could be required to meet one wage rate while gaining skilled work experience and a higher rate when applying for residence.
Under the new rules, applicants will still need to satisfy a wage threshold when applying for residence. However, the applicable threshold will generally be the rate that was in effect when they began accumulating their skilled work experience.
This means applicants will not normally need to meet the newer SMC wage threshold in force when they are invited to apply for residence.
The change is intended to provide greater certainty, particularly for migrants completing a required period of skilled employment before becoming eligible for residence.
Five-Month Grace Period for Wage Threshold Increases
A new grace period will apply when the SMC wage threshold increases after a work visa has been granted but before the migrant begins employment.
When a migrant starts qualifying for skilled work within five months of receiving their work visa, the wage threshold that applied on the visa approval date can be used.
This will apply even when the required wage threshold has increased before the person starts work.
The five-month rule is intended to protect migrants from being disadvantaged by a wage threshold change during the period between receiving a visa and beginning employment.
Work-to-Residence Wage Rules Will Also Change
INZ is aligning the wage settings for several work-to-residence pathways with the updated Skilled Migrant Category rules.
The changes will apply to the:
- Work to Residence Visa
- Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa
- Transport Work to Residence Visa
Applicants may use the relevant wage rate that applied to their occupation when their work visa was granted to begin counting qualifying work experience in New Zealand.
To use this rate, the applicant must have started earning at least the required amount within five months of their work visa being approved. They must also complete their qualifying employment within the maximum permitted period.
For example, Work to Residence Visa applicants must continue to complete at least 24 months of eligible New Zealand work experience within the 30 months immediately before applying for residence.
Higher Wage Rate May Not Be Required at the Residence Stage
Applicants will not need to meet a higher wage rate at the time of their residence application merely because the rate for their occupation increased after they started working.
Instead, they must continue to earn at least the wage rate that applied when they first began accumulating qualifying New Zealand work experience in acceptable employment.
This change should make it easier for applicants and employers to understand the wage requirements that will apply throughout the residence process.
Qualification Evidence Requirements Clarified
INZ has also clarified the evidence applicants must provide when claiming Skilled Migrant Category points for qualifications.
Applicants claiming points for a Level 8 or Level 9 qualification must generally also hold a supporting bachelor’s degree or an equivalent undergraduate qualification.
This requirement does not apply to applicants claiming five points for a New Zealand master’s degree.
Applicants affected by the rule must provide evidence of both qualifications. Evidence for the supporting bachelor’s degree must include:
- The qualification certificate
- The academic transcript
For overseas qualifications, an International Qualification Assessment, or IQA, will generally be required unless the qualification appears on the List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment.
An IQA will not be required for the supporting bachelor’s degree.
Skilled Migrant Qualification Points Updated
The List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment has been updated to reflect the revised SMC points system.
The changes include:
| Qualification | Updated SMC points |
| Bachelor’s degree | 4 points |
| Master’s degree | Unchanged |
| Doctoral degree | Unchanged |
| Washington Accord-accredited qualification | 4 points |
| Sydney Accord-accredited qualification | 4 points |
Bachelor’s degrees previously received three points. Washington Accord and Sydney Accord-accredited qualifications will also increase from three to four points.
Trades and Technician Pathway Qualification Requirements
Applicants applying through the new Trades and Technician pathway must hold a relevant qualification at Level 4 or above on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework.
Different requirements will apply depending on whether the qualification was gained in New Zealand or overseas.
New Zealand Qualifications
A relevant New Zealand qualification must contain at least 120 credits.
INZ considers credits to be a consistent and objective way of confirming whether a New Zealand qualification meets the requirements of the pathway.
The 120 credits may come from more than one qualification when a lower-level qualification was a prerequisite for a higher-level qualification.
For example, an applicant may hold:
- A Level 4 qualification containing at least 40 Level 4 credits
- A Level 3 qualification containing 80 credits that was required before completing the Level 4 qualification
The credits from both qualifications may be combined to satisfy the 120-credit requirement.
Overseas Qualifications
The 120-credit requirement will not apply to relevant overseas trade and technician qualifications.
However, applicants must obtain an IQA confirming that the overseas qualification is comparable to at least Level 4 on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework.
Although an IQA does not specifically state the total number of qualification credits, the New Zealand Qualifications Authority considers the credit value when assessing the qualification.
Self-Employment Cannot Be Used as Relevant Work Experience
Applicants under the Trades and Technician pathway and Skilled Work Experience pathway must provide evidence of directly relevant employment experience.
The new pathways require a high standard of documentation, including records that can be independently verified.
Although tax documents may show that a person was self-employed in a particular occupation, INZ may not be able to independently confirm the nature, duties or skill level of the work performed.
For this reason, self-employment evidence cannot be used to satisfy the directly relevant work experience requirements under the two new pathways.
Applicants relying on work experience will therefore need to demonstrate qualifying experience gained through verifiable employment.
Stronger Genuine Employment Requirements
Immigration instructions are also being updated to provide a clearer definition of genuine employment for skilled residence applications.
The revised requirements will apply across skilled residence visas, including the:
- Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
- Work to Residence Visa
- Straight to Residence Visa
Employment offers used to support an application must be available and ongoing. There must also be a genuine need for the role to be based in New Zealand.
The new skilled residence instructions broadly align with the genuine employment assessment already used for the Accredited Employer Work Visa.
INZ has indicated that the changes should not affect most skilled residence applicants whose employment is legitimate.
However, the updated rules will give immigration officers clearer grounds to decline applications where there are serious concerns that the employment or job offer is not genuine.
What the Changes Mean for Applicants
The final Skilled Migrant Category changes provide greater certainty for applicants who need to complete a period of skilled employment before applying for residence.
The simplified wage rules should reduce the risk of migrants becoming ineligible solely because a wage threshold increased after they began qualifying for employment.
At the same time, applicants will need to pay close attention to the new qualification evidence, work experience and genuine employment requirements.
Anyone planning to apply under the updated rules should retain clear evidence of:
- Their work visa approval date
- Their employment start date
- The wage rate applied when their visa was granted
- Their salary and employment history
- Qualification certificates and academic transcripts
- Independently verifiable employment records
When Will the New Rules Take Effect?
The confirmed Skilled Migrant Category and work-to-residence changes will take effect on 24 August 2026.
Applicants intending to use one of the new residence pathways should review the final requirements carefully and ensure that their qualifications, employment and work experience meet the applicable immigration instructions.