How many points will you need for your Expression of Interest (EOI) to be selected?

Please note that all selections have currently been deferred due to the Covid pandemic.

But this does not mean that you cannot work on your immigration to New Zealand now: A number of clients have recently obtained visas to come to New Zealand!

Our advice for now:

Attend our Immigration and Job Hunt webinar to learn what it takes to migrate to New Zealand while the borders are still closed to many.

You can start working with our unique Fusion Service program now!

To find out how you can start your immigration journey now, send us your Free Assessment form.

Pre-Covid: The New Zealand Residence Programme - How many points do you need for your EOI to be selected?

The information provided on this page reflects pre-Covid conditions. We will update this page as soon as the circumstances change again.

Please read on, if you would like to understand how the points system works and how you can maximise your chances for your Expression of Interest to be selected.

What will it take for your EOI to be successful?

Our short answer used to be: You will probably need a minimum of 160 points, but this can change from one fortnightly selection to another.

The growing worldwide interest in Immigration to New Zealand exceeds New Zealand's capacities for accepting migrants by far and the competition among skilled migrants is strong.
Only candidates who can demonstrate an exceptionally high level of settlement capacity will now qualify to become permanent residents.

Rather than the minimum of 100 points stipulated in the SMC policy, you now need at least 160 points for your Expression of Interest to be selected, and for you to get a chance to subsequently be invited to apply for a Resident Visa.

In practice this means that candidates who cannot not claim at least 160 points in their EOI will remain in the pool for 6 months before their EOI will ultimately be rejected.



What will it typically take for you to be eligible for a points score of at least 160?

To gain a better understanding, you might want to take a closer look at the most recent selection of Expressions of Interest under the Skilled Migrant Category, published by Immigration New Zealand on 18 March 2020:  

Most recent EOI Selection - 18 March 2020:

684 Expressions of Interest have been selected for the next step (preliminary verification), all had a total of 160 or more points. The latest selection details show that of those 684 successfully selected Expressions of Interest, 615 candidates had a job offer in New Zealand, and only 69 candidates were able to reach the necessary points score of 160 points without having to claim points for a job offer in New Zealand.


615 Successful EOIs with a Job Offer in New Zealand

69 Successful EOIs without a Job Offer in New Zealand


These numbers confirm what we experience in our practice: Most candidates will need a job offer for their EOI to be successful.

You need a New Zealand job offer to claim enough points for your EOI to be successful.

As we have shown, by far the majority of successful candidates were claiming points for a job offer in New Zealand in their EOIs.

A job in New Zealand will be one of the most powerful tools for the success of your residence process:

  • An offer of skilled employment will entitle you to 50 points. This could already lift you over the 160 points threshold for your EOI.
  • If your job is located outside of Auckland, in an area of absolute skill shortage and/or providing a high salary, you can claim up to 60 additional points.
  • A skilled job in New Zealand will entitle you to up to 110 points in addition to your points for your qualification and skilled work experience, with a potential of 20 additional points if your partner has a job too.

You can claim 50-110 points if you have a job offer in New Zealand!

It is realistic to assume that a job offer will very likely catapult you way over the 160 points minimum score.


So what can you do to improve your chances?

Our unique Fusion Service has been specifically developed to assist migrants with both aspects of their immigration process: their visa application and their job search.

While our Licensed Immigration Advisers will ensure that you will claim the maximum points score achievable for you in your EOI, our Job Search Professionals will provide you with their local knowledge of the  job market, job search techniques used and job search etiquette appropriate in New Zealand.
Working with our unique Fusion Service will ultimately enable you to claim those important extra points in your Expression of Interest.

What can you do now?

A lot of valuable work can be done now!  

Meet our Principal Licensed Immigration Adviser Dr. Carsten Hallwass in a live forum and get the chance to ask your visa and job search related questions.

Register your interest in our Immigration and Job Hunt Webinar now by completing our Free Assessment form.

Now is a good time to start your migration to New Zealand!

Read more about character:

Read more Visa FAQ's:

Which Visa is Right for You?

Read more about the Points System:

Read more about health:

Read more about Critical Workers:

The Skill Shortage Lists

Do you want to migrate to New Zealand?

Base your move on solid grounds: Ask us for a Free Assessment first!