Professionals who can demonstrate an exceptionally high capacity for a successful settlement qualify for permanent residence in New Zealand under the SMC policy.
The Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa will allow you to live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely, and your partner and children will be allowed to join you.
You must
If you meet the three core requirements of the SMC, you can submit an Expression of Interest, EOI, and will subsequently be invited to apply for your Resident Visa if Immigration New Zealand accepts your EOI.
You must have 6 points to be eligible for the Points-based pathway.
You can claim up to 6 points from either your:
If you cannot claim all 6 points from one of these categories, you may be able to claim an additional 1 to 3 points from skilled work experience in New Zealand.
These work experience points can be combined with the points you claim from your qualification, income, or occupational registration to reach 6 points.
This pathway is for migrants who have gained their skills through work experience rather than through a formal qualification (such as a university degree, diploma, or trade certificate).
To be eligible, you must have at least 5 years of directly relevant work experience, including at least 2 years of skilled work experience in New Zealand.
This pathway is for migrants working in eligible trades or technician roles who have developed their skills through a combination of qualifications and work experience.
To be eligible, you must have a relevant qualification and at least 4 years of post-qualification work experience, including at least 18 months of skilled work experience in New Zealand.
Use our Self-Assessment | Points Guide to check for yourself whether you fulfil the key requirements of the SMC policy, and find out how working with us can boost your chances of success.
Your employment must be with an accredited employer (an employer approved by Immigration New Zealand to employ workers on the Accredited Employer Work Visa, AEWV), and either full-time and permanent, for a fixed term of at least 12 months, or a contract for services of at least 6 months.
This will depend on three aspects:
You can claim
The good news is that you can improve your points score!
If your current points score is three, four, or five, you can increase it by providing evidence of your work experience in New Zealand.
Each year of work experience in New Zealand earns you one point, with a maximum of three points for three years of work experience.
Our Licensed Immigration Advisers will provide you and your Job Search Consultant with visa-specific guidelines to ensure that your job hunt takes off in the right direction and you only target and apply for roles that will align with immigration requirements.
Working with our Job Search Professional, starting well before your arrival in New Zealand, will significantly improve your chances on the New Zealand job market.
If your New Zealand employer requires advice before they can offer you a job, our Licensed Immigration Advisers will be available to guide them.
Please note: If you are 56 years or older and have already reached the age limit of the Skilled Migrant Category, one of New Zealand's other visa policies might be an option for you.
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At first, Maj kindly explained the whole process and what to expect. I was coached and introduced to New Zealand job market by their Job Search team, and getting assistance until I got a job in the country. The Visa team would also follow me up on my pending documents, so I never felt left out. Truly recommended for those seeking out an option to live in New Zealand. Big thanks from me and my whole family for things NZIC did for us..!
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