{"id":170,"date":"2024-11-07T15:47:53","date_gmt":"2024-11-07T15:47:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eventsnotification.com\/blog\/?p=170"},"modified":"2025-11-07T16:53:51","modified_gmt":"2025-11-07T16:53:51","slug":"newzeland-pr-points-calculator","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eventsnotification.com\/blog\/newzeland-pr-points-calculator\/","title":{"rendered":"New Zealand Skilled Migrant Category Visa 2026: A Simple Guide to the Points System"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Thinking about building a new life in New Zealand? You\u2019re not alone. With its peaceful lifestyle, career opportunities, and family-friendly environment, New Zealand continues to be one of the most desired countries for skilled professionals to settle in.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re planning to apply for permanent residency (PR), the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Resident Visa is one of the most common ways to get there. But before you start your journey, it\u2019s important to understand how the points system works.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_77 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-white ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/eventsnotification.com\/blog\/newzeland-pr-points-calculator\/#%F0%9F%8C%8F_What_Is_the_Skilled_Migrant_Category_Visa\" >\ud83c\udf0f What Is the Skilled Migrant Category Visa?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/eventsnotification.com\/blog\/newzeland-pr-points-calculator\/#%F0%9F%8E%AF_How_the_Points_System_Works\" >\ud83c\udfaf How the Points System Works<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/eventsnotification.com\/blog\/newzeland-pr-points-calculator\/#%F0%9F%8E%93_Points_for_Educational_Qualifications\" >\ud83c\udf93 Points for Educational Qualifications<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/eventsnotification.com\/blog\/newzeland-pr-points-calculator\/#%F0%9F%92%B0_Points_for_Income_in_New_Zealand\" >\ud83d\udcb0 Points for Income in New Zealand<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/eventsnotification.com\/blog\/newzeland-pr-points-calculator\/#%F0%9F%A7%BE_Points_for_Occupational_Registration\" >\ud83e\uddfe Points for Occupational Registration<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/eventsnotification.com\/blog\/newzeland-pr-points-calculator\/#%F0%9F%91%94_Skilled_Work_Experience_in_New_Zealand\" >\ud83d\udc54 Skilled Work Experience in New Zealand<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/eventsnotification.com\/blog\/newzeland-pr-points-calculator\/#%E2%9C%85_Eligibility_Criteria\" >\u2705 Eligibility Criteria<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/eventsnotification.com\/blog\/newzeland-pr-points-calculator\/#%F0%9F%8C%9F_Benefits_of_New_Zealand_PR\" >\ud83c\udf1f Benefits of New Zealand PR<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/eventsnotification.com\/blog\/newzeland-pr-points-calculator\/#New_Zealand_SMC_PR_Points_Calculator\" >New Zealand SMC PR Points Calculator<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%8C%8F_What_Is_the_Skilled_Migrant_Category_Visa\"><\/span><strong>\ud83c\udf0f What Is the Skilled Migrant Category Visa?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Resident Visa is a program managed by Immigration New Zealand (INZ). It\u2019s designed to bring in skilled workers who can fill roles that are in demand and help the country\u2019s economy grow.<\/p>\n<p>Every year, the New Zealand government invites thousands of skilled migrants to apply for residency \u2014 currently aiming for about 26,000 immigrants per year under this category.<\/p>\n<p>The visa is based on a points system, which determines if you\u2019re eligible to apply for residence. The more points you have, the stronger your chances of getting invited.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%8E%AF_How_the_Points_System_Works\"><\/span>\ud83c\udfaf How the Points System Works<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To apply for this visa, you\u2019ll need to score at least 6 points.<\/p>\n<p>You can earn points from one of three main areas:<br \/>\n1. Your qualification (degree or higher education)<br \/>\n2. Your income in New Zealand<br \/>\n3. Your occupational registration (for professions that need it)<\/p>\n<p>You can also gain extra points for work experience in New Zealand, up to 3 points.<\/p>\n<p>However, you can\u2019t mix points from different areas. You must reach the required 6 points within one category.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%8E%93_Points_for_Educational_Qualifications\"><\/span>\ud83c\udf93 Points for Educational Qualifications<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If you\u2019ve completed higher education, you may qualify for points under NZQA (New Zealand Qualifications Authority) recognition.<\/p>\n<p>Level 7 \u2013 Bachelor\u2019s Degree: 3 points<br \/>\nLevel 8 \u2013 Postgraduate Certificate\/Diploma or Bachelor\u2019s Honours: 3\u20134 points<br \/>\nLevel 9 \u2013 Master\u2019s Degree: 5 points<br \/>\nLevel 10 \u2013 Doctoral Degree (PhD): 6 points<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%92%B0_Points_for_Income_in_New_Zealand\"><\/span>\ud83d\udcb0 Points for Income in New Zealand<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If you\u2019re working or have a job offer in New Zealand, your income can also help you qualify.<\/p>\n<p>1.5x median wage (NZD $44.49\/hr): 3 points<br \/>\n2x median wage (NZD $59.32\/hr): 4 points<br \/>\n3x median wage (NZD $88.98\/hr): 6 points<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%A7%BE_Points_for_Occupational_Registration\"><\/span>\ud83e\uddfe Points for Occupational Registration<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>For certain professions like healthcare, teaching, or engineering, occupational registration is required in New Zealand. The number of years of training or experience needed determines your points.<\/p>\n<p>2+ years of training\/experience: 3 points<br \/>\n4+ years: 4 points<br \/>\n5+ years: 5 points<br \/>\n6+ years: 6 points<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%91%94_Skilled_Work_Experience_in_New_Zealand\"><\/span>\ud83d\udc54 Skilled Work Experience in New Zealand<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Each year of work experience in New Zealand adds one point, up to 3 points.<\/p>\n<p>1 year (in last 2 years): 1 point<br \/>\n2 years (in last 4 years): 2 points<br \/>\n3 years (in last 5 years): 3 points<\/p>\n<p>\ud83d\udde3\ufe0f English Language Requirement<br \/>\nYou must show English proficiency through IELTS or PTE Academic.<\/p>\n<p>Competent: IELTS 6.0 \/ PTE 50<br \/>\nProficient: IELTS 7.0 \/ PTE 65<br \/>\nSuperior: IELTS 8.0 \/ PTE 79<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%9C%85_Eligibility_Criteria\"><\/span>\u2705 Eligibility Criteria<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>&#8211; Under 55 years old<br \/>\n&#8211; Hold a Bachelor\u2019s degree or higher<br \/>\n&#8211; 6\u20138 years of work experience<br \/>\n&#8211; Meet English language requirements<br \/>\n&#8211; Be in good health and character<br \/>\n&#8211; Have a skilled job offer or work for a recognized employer<br \/>\n&#8211; Earn at least 1.5x the median wage<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%8C%9F_Benefits_of_New_Zealand_PR\"><\/span>\ud83c\udf1f Benefits of New Zealand PR<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>&#8211; Live, work, and study in New Zealand without restrictions<br \/>\n&#8211; Access public healthcare and social benefits<br \/>\n&#8211; Free education for children at public schools and universities<br \/>\n&#8211; Sponsor family members<br \/>\n&#8211; Apply for citizenship after required stay<br \/>\n&#8211; Children born in New Zealand become citizens automatically<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2708\ufe0f Final Thoughts<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The New Zealand Skilled Migrant Category Visa offers a fair and clear pathway to permanent residency. With a straightforward 6-point system, it\u2019s easier than ever for skilled professionals to build a new life in one of the world\u2019s most peaceful and progressive countries.<\/p>\n<p>Stay tuned to EventsNotification.com for the latest immigration updates and visa news<\/p>\n<div id=\"nz-pr-calculator\" style=\"max-width: 500px; padding: 20px; border: 1px solid #ddd; border-radius: 8px; background: #fafcff; font-family: sans-serif;\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"New_Zealand_SMC_PR_Points_Calculator\"><\/span>New Zealand SMC PR Points Calculator<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<form id=\"prCalcForm\"><!-- Step 1: Main Points Category --><label><b>Choose your highest qualification, NZ registration, or income (points NOT cumulative):<\/b><\/label><\/p>\n<p><select style=\"width: 100%; padding: 6px; margin: 8px 0;\" required=\"\"><option value=\"\">Select an option<\/option><optgroup label=\"Educational Qualifications\"><option value=\"qualification-3\">Level 7 &#8211; Bachelor\u2019s Degree (3 points)<\/option><option value=\"qualification-3\">Level 8 &#8211; Postgraduate Certificate (3 points)<\/option><option value=\"qualification-4\">Level 8 &#8211; Bachelor\u2019s Honors Degree (4 points)<\/option><option value=\"qualification-4\">Level 8 &#8211; Postgraduate Diploma (4 points)<\/option><option value=\"qualification-5\">Level 9 &#8211; Master\u2019s Degree (5 points)<\/option><option value=\"qualification-6\">Level 10 &#8211; Doctoral Degree (6 points)<\/option><\/optgroup><br \/>\n<\/select><\/p>\n<p><select style=\"width: 100%; padding: 6px; margin: 8px 0;\" required=\"\"><optgroup label=\"New Zealand Income (per hour)\"><option value=\"income-3\">1.5 \u00d7 median wage (NZD $44.49+) (3 points)<\/option><option value=\"income-4\">2 \u00d7 median wage (NZD $59.32+) (4 points)<\/option><option value=\"income-6\">3 \u00d7 median wage (NZD $88.98+) (6 points)<\/option><\/optgroup><br \/>\n<\/select><\/p>\n<p><select style=\"width: 100%; padding: 6px; margin: 8px 0;\" required=\"\"><optgroup label=\"NZ Occupational Registration\"><option value=\"reg-3\">Registration requires 2+ yrs experience\/training (3 points)<\/option><option value=\"reg-4\">Registration requires 4+ yrs experience\/training (4 points)<\/option><option value=\"reg-5\">Registration requires 5+ yrs experience\/training (5 points)<\/option><option value=\"reg-6\">Registration requires 6+ yrs experience\/training (6 points)<\/option><option value=\"reg-6\"><\/option><\/optgroup><br \/>\n<\/select><\/p>\n<p><!-- Step 2: NZ Skilled Work Experience --><label><b>Years of skilled NZ work experience in recent years:<\/b><\/label><br \/>\n<select id=\"workExp\" style=\"width: 100%; padding: 6px; margin: 8px 0;\" required=\"\"><option value=\"0\">None (0 points)<\/option><option value=\"1\">1 year in last 2 years (1 point)<\/option><option value=\"2\">2 years in last 4 years (2 points)<\/option><option value=\"3\">3 years in last 5 years (3 points)<\/option><\/select><!-- Step 3: English --><label><b>English language test result:<\/b><\/label><br \/>\n<select id=\"engTest\" style=\"width: 100%; padding: 6px; margin: 8px 0;\" required=\"\"><option value=\"\">Select<\/option><option value=\"pass\">IELTS: min 6 each \/ PTE: min 50 each (Meets requirements)<\/option><option value=\"fail\">Below minimum requirements<\/option><\/select><label><input id=\"jobOffer\" required=\"\" type=\"checkbox\" \/><br \/>\nI have a job offer from an accredited employer in New Zealand<\/label><\/p>\n<p><button style=\"background: #0076d1; color: #fff; border: none; padding: 10px 20px; border-radius: 4px; cursor: pointer;\" type=\"button\">Calculate<\/button><\/p>\n<\/form>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Thinking about building a new life in New Zealand? You\u2019re not alone. With its peaceful lifestyle, career opportunities, and family-friendly environment, New Zealand continues to<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":402,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[12],"class_list":["post-170","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"aioseo_notices":[],"authors":[{"term_id":12,"user_id":1,"is_guest":0,"slug":"events-notification","display_name":"Events Notification","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/eventsnotification.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/events-notification-high-resolution-logo-1-1.png","url2x":"https:\/\/eventsnotification.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/events-notification-high-resolution-logo-1-1.png"},"author_category":"1","first_name":"Events","last_name":"Notification","user_url":"","job_title":"","description":"<p data-start=\"77\" data-end=\"441\">Events Notification is a global events discovery platform that helps professionals find, track, and explore conferences across every major industry. Our blog delivers clear, useful insights on events, trends, and opportunities to help readers stay ahead in their fields\u00a0 from tech and business to travel and general topics.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"443\" data-end=\"485\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"><\/p>"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eventsnotification.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/170","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eventsnotification.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eventsnotification.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eventsnotification.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eventsnotification.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=170"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/eventsnotification.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/170\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":401,"href":"https:\/\/eventsnotification.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/170\/revisions\/401"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eventsnotification.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/402"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eventsnotification.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=170"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eventsnotification.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=170"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eventsnotification.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=170"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eventsnotification.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=170"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}