New Zealand Skilled Migrant Category and Green List 2026: Points and Residence Routes

New Zealand's Skilled Migrant Category asks for just six points. Compare that with Australia, where the pass mark is 65 and people actually invited often have 85 or more. The catch is that New Zealand's points come from only three things: a qualification, an occupational registration, or a high salary. Then you top them up with time worked in New Zealand.

There's also a faster lane. If your job is on Tier 1 of the Green List, such as a registered nurse, a GP or many types of engineer, you can apply for residence without waiting at all. On 24 August 2026, two new Skilled Migrant pathways opened for experienced workers and tradespeople who didn't fit the points system.

This guide explains how the six points work, what changed in 2026, how the Green List tiers differ, and what it costs to go from a work visa to New Zealand residence.

In this guide

1. NZ Skilled Residence at a Glance
2. How New Zealand's Skilled Residence System Fits Together
3. The Skilled Migrant Category Points System
4. New Pathways From 24 August 2026
5. The Green List: Tier 1 and Tier 2
6. Other Eligibility Requirements
7. Costs and Timeline
8. How to Apply for the Skilled Migrant Category, Step by Step
9. Life After Residence
10. Common Mistakes and Refusal Reasons
11. Frequently Asked Questions
12. Before You Apply

NZ Skilled Residence at a Glance

How New Zealand's Skilled Residence System Fits Together

Almost everyone who gets skilled residence in New Zealand starts with a job. Most arrive on an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV), work for a period, then apply for residence through one of these routes:

• Green List Tier 1 (Straight to Residence): apply for residence right away
• Green List Tier 2 (Work to Residence): apply after 24 months in the role
• Skilled Migrant Category, points pathway: reach six points
• Skilled Migrant Category, Skilled Work Experience pathway: new from August 2026
• Skilled Migrant Category, Trades and Technician pathway: new from August 2026

Every route needs the job to be with an accredited employer, full-time (30 hours or more), and permanent or fixed-term for at least 12 months. All of them set a minimum wage tied to the immigration median wage of NZD 35.00 an hour.

The Skilled Migrant Category Points System

You claim points from one of three categories (qualification, registration or income), then add up to three points for skilled work experience in New Zealand. You can't stack points from two of the main categories.

The overseas bachelor's degree is now worth 4 points instead of 3, and the maximum work experience top-up now needs two years instead of three. Both changes took effect in August 2026. Overseas qualifications need an NZQA International Qualification Assessment unless they're on the exempt list.

What this looks like in practice

• A doctor with full New Zealand medical registration (6+ years of training) has 6 points straight away and can apply as soon as they have a qualifying job.
• An engineer from India with an overseas bachelor's gets 4 points, then needs 18 months of skilled work in New Zealand to reach 6.
• A software developer earning NZD 70 an hour gets 4 points from income and needs 18 months of New Zealand work.
• A nurse with NZ registration often qualifies through the Green List instead, which is faster.

New Pathways From 24 August 2026

Two new Skilled Migrant pathways were announced in September 2025 and opened in August 2026. They are aimed at workers who have plenty of experience but lack a degree or high salary.

Skilled Work Experience pathway

• A job at ANZSCO skill level 1 to 3, paid at least 1.1 times the wage threshold (about NZD 38.50 an hour)
• Five years of relevant experience in total, including at least two years of skilled work in New Zealand at the required pay
• Not available for skill level 4 or 5 jobs, or roles on INZ's Red List, and Amber List roles have extra checks
• Self-employment doesn't count

Trades and Technician pathway

• An eligible trades or technician occupation, paid at least the wage threshold (NZD 35.00 an hour)
• A relevant qualification at NZQCF level 4 or higher (overseas qualifications need an IQA)
• About four years of post-qualification experience, including at least 18 months working in New Zealand at the required pay

These pathways open residence to experienced tradespeople, such as electricians, plumbers and mechanics, who used to stall at 3 or 4 points, provided their occupation is on INZ's eligible list.

The Green List: Tier 1 and Tier 2

The Green List is INZ's list of hard-to-fill roles. Each listed job has specific requirements, such as a particular degree, NZ registration or a minimum pay rate.

The examples are a guide only. Requirements differ for each role, and INZ updates the list. Always check your exact job in the official Green List roles tool. Teachers, for example, must now be paid at Step 5 or higher of the relevant pay scale, up from Step 4 before March 2026.

Read the official Straight to Residence and Work to Residence visa pages for the full conditions.

Other Eligibility Requirements

For any of these residence routes you'll also need to:

• Be 55 or under when you apply
• Meet the English requirement, through citizenship of an English-speaking country, qualifying study, or an approved test no more than two years old (IELTS 6.5 overall has long been the benchmark for Skilled Migrant applicants; check the current score for your test)
• Pass a medical exam and chest X-ray (for everyone aged 15 and over in your application)
• Provide police certificates from your countries of citizenship and anywhere you've lived for 12 months or more in the last 10 years
• Show a genuine relationship with any partner you include

Partners and dependent children aged 24 or under can be included. Family members aged 16 and over who don't meet the English standard can be included if you pre-purchase English lessons.

Costs and Timeline

The Straight to Residence visa is usually the fastest, with 80% of applications decided within about 3.5 months. Skilled Migrant applications have historically taken longer, often several months after you lodge. When you add the time on an AEWV before you qualify, most people take one to three years from arrival to residence.

How to Apply for the Skilled Migrant Category, Step by Step

1. Secure a qualifying job with an accredited employer, at or above the wage threshold for your pathway.
2. Get your IQA if you're relying on an overseas qualification. Do this early, as it can take weeks.
3. Count your points or check your pathway against the rules above.
4. Submit an Expression of Interest online. There's no fee, and you can save it and come back.
5. Receive an Invitation to Apply. You then have four months to lodge your application.
6. Lodge your residence application and pay the fee through the link in your invitation.
7. Provide medicals, police certificates and English evidence, and respond to any INZ requests.
8. Receive your resident visa. If you're already in New Zealand and your work visa expires while you wait, you may get an interim visa.

For the Green List, you skip the EOI and apply directly for the Straight to Residence or Work to Residence visa once you meet the requirements.

Documents checklist

• Passport for every family member
• Employment agreement showing hours, pay and duration
• Recent payslips and IRD records proving your pay and NZ work history
• Qualification certificates, transcripts and IQA outcome
• Occupational registration certificate, if relevant
• English test results or other English evidence
• Medical and chest X-ray certificates (generally under 3 months old)
• Police certificates (generally under 6 months old)
• Relationship evidence and birth certificates for dependants

Life After Residence

A resident visa lets you live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely. Your travel conditions last two years. After holding residence for two years, you can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa, which removes travel limits. Citizenship generally becomes possible after five years of residence.

Some residents get section 49 conditions, such as not being unemployed for more than three months in the first period. Stick to them, because breaching them can affect your Permanent Resident Visa.

Common Mistakes and Refusal Reasons

• Pay falls below the threshold after a pay review, overtime change or reduced hours
• Claiming points from two categories at once, such as a degree plus income
• Employer loses accreditation or the job isn't actually full-time or ongoing
• Work experience paid below the required rate, which then doesn't count
• Expired English test, medicals or police certificates
• Missing Green List requirements, such as the wrong type of engineering degree or no NZ registration

Frequently Asked Questions

How many points do I need for New Zealand's Skilled Migrant Category?

You need six points, from a qualification, an occupational registration or your income, plus up to three points for skilled work in New Zealand. There are also two non-points pathways from August 2026 for experienced skilled workers and for trades and technicians.

What is the Green List in New Zealand?

It's an official list of hard-to-fill jobs. Tier 1 roles can apply for residence straight away through the Straight to Residence visa. Tier 2 roles can apply after 24 months of work through the Work to Residence visa. Each role has its own qualification, registration or pay requirements.

What is the wage threshold for New Zealand residence in 2026?

The base threshold is the immigration median wage of NZD 35.00 an hour, which applies from 9 March 2026. Points from income start at 1.5 times that figure, and the Skilled Work Experience pathway needs 1.1 times. Some Green List roles set their own higher rate.

Can I apply for New Zealand residence from outside the country?

Yes, if you meet the requirements without New Zealand work experience. A doctor with NZ registration or a Tier 1 Green List professional with an accredited job offer, for example, can apply from overseas. Most other applicants need to work in New Zealand first to earn experience points.

Is New Zealand residence easier than Australian PR?

For many people, yes, because a job offer and the right qualification can be enough. The trade-off is that you almost always need an accredited employer, whereas Australia's 189 visa doesn't require one. See our guide to Australia's 189, 190 and 491 skilled visas to compare.

Does the Skilled Migrant Category have an age limit?

Yes. You must be 55 or under when you apply. The same limit applies to the Straight to Residence and Work to Residence visas.

Before You Apply

• Check your exact job title in INZ's Green List roles tool and note its specific requirements.
• Order your NZQA International Qualification Assessment now if you're relying on an overseas degree.
• Work out which category gives you the most points, and how many months of New Zealand experience you still need.
• Only accept job offers from employers on INZ's accredited employer list, and never pay for a job. Our visa scams guide explains how to check.