Skilled Migrant Category resident visa

What the SMC resident visa is

INZ says applicants must be 55 or younger, be working for or have a job offer from an accredited employer, meet the requirements of one of the SMC pathways, and speak and understand English. The visa lets you live, work and study in New Zealand, and you can include your partner and dependent children aged 24 or younger.

The three SMC pathways

INZ sets out three pathways, each recognising a different mix of skills and experience:

• Points-based pathway: 6 points, claimed from a qualification, income or occupational registration, with up to 3 further points possible from skilled work experience in New Zealand.
• Skilled Work Experience pathway: at least 5 years of directly relevant work experience, including at least 2 years of skilled work experience in New Zealand.
• Trades and Technician pathway: 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. INZ publishes the list of eligible occupations.

Expression of interest and invitation

The SMC starts with an expression of interest (EOI). INZ says that if your EOI is accepted, you are invited to apply for the resident visa. Only then is the full application prepared and lodged.

The Green List: another skilled route

INZ's Green List is a list of jobs New Zealand needs people for, grouped into tiers. INZ says a Tier 1 job can lead to a Straight to Residence Visa, and a Tier 2 job to a Work to Residence Visa after 24 months of relevant work experience in New Zealand, with the qualification, registration and pay requirements for the job met.

Documents typically involved

INZ tells each applicant exactly what it needs. These are the kinds of documents usually involved:

• Your job offer or employment agreement with an accredited employer
• Evidence for the pathway you apply under: qualification, income, occupational registration or work experience
• Evidence of skilled work experience in New Zealand, where the pathway relies on it
• Evidence of English, as INZ requires for skilled residence
• Identity, health and character documents for you and anyone included

The process, step by step

1. Check the pathway. Which of the three SMC pathways, or the Green List, matches your job and experience.
2. Expression of interest. Your EOI is submitted to INZ.
3. Invitation. If the EOI is accepted, INZ invites you to apply.
4. Application. The resident visa application and its evidence are prepared and lodged.
5. INZ assesses it. INZ may ask for more information before it decides.

Fees and processing times change, so we do not quote them. Check the current figures on INZ's fee finder and processing times.

How we help

Our Licensed Immigration Adviser can talk through your situation, explain the requirements that apply, help you gather and organise the evidence, and review the application for consistency before it is lodged. Every decision is Immigration New Zealand's to make, and we never promise an outcome.

Immigration adviceAsk about this visa

Skilled Migrant Category: questions