Skilled Migrant Visa - Permanenly live and work in New Zealand

skilled migrant visa

The skilled migrant visa is for individuals who meet certain requirements in terms of their occupational registration, qualifications, income. If you meet these criteria, you could be eligible to apply for a skilled migrant visa to live and work in New Zealand.

What is the criteria for a Skilled Migrant Visa?

Migrants need 6 points to apply for a Skilled Migrants Visa. Migrants can claim points from their:

  • New Zealand occupational registration,
  • Qualification (Bachelor’s degree or higher), or
  • Income from a job or job offer (earning at least 1.5 times the median wage in New Zealand)

Migrants can only claim points from one of the above categories and cannot combine points from multiple categories.

However, migrants can also claim 1 point for each year of skilled work in New Zealand, up to a maximum of 3 points, and combine these points with points from the New Zealand occupational registration, qualification or income.

Find out if you're eligible to work in New Zealand

What happens if you meet the criteria?

You'll qualify to submit an Expression of Interest if you score 6 points in the abovementioned categories. However, if you don't score 6 points, you'll have to consider another visa route that allows to you to immigrate to New Zealand.

What is an EOI – expression of interest?

An expression of interest, should only be submitted because you are sure you have met the criteria and your points score will be sufficient. It represents the first stage in your application to Immigration New Zealand in applying for a skilled migrant visa for New Zealand.

The expression of interest is submitted (with your points score) to the New Zealand immigration authorities.

INZ automatically selects EOI with 6 points for verification and qualifying candidates may get an invitation to apply for a Skilled Migrant Visa.

Want to know how many points you score?

What is an invitation apply?

The EOI is the just the first part of your skilled migrant visa application to Immigration New Zealand.

It is the way Immigration New Zealand judge who they would like to issue a formal invitation to apply for residency to. In this case via the skilled migration visa route.

If you meet the criteria of 6 points you may receive an invitation to apply (to submit a full application) to Immigration New Zealand.

How long is my expression of interest valid for?

Expressions of interest are valid for a 6 month period of time.

What happens if I get an invitation to reply?

Because your expression of interest has been selected, an invitation to apply for a skilled migrant visa will be sent to you.  It will contain all the details on it that you submitted with your Expression of Interest.

These details need to be checked, updated and returned with all supporting evidence. This then constitutes your  actual application for a skilled migrant visa.

Does it mean I will qualify for a skilled migrant visa if I get an invitation to apply?

Upon submitting your skilled migrant visa application there are 3 possible outcomes:

  1. The application will be passed and consequently your skilled migrant visa issued.
  2. The application might be deferred and the principal applicant might be offered a Skilled Migrant Category job search visa. This is a temporary visa that will allow the principal applicant to come to New Zealand to search for skilled employment. It  has a validity period of 9 or 12 months but does allow you to work for any employer in New Zealand while you search for skilled employment.
  3. Your application will be turned down.

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