Posted 20/08/2026
Skilled Migrant Category Changes : What is happening on 24 August 2026
Immigration New Zealand implements the final Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) instructions on 24 August 2026, under Amendment Circular 2026-16. From that date the SMC is structured around three distinct pathways to residence: the Points-based pathway, the Skilled Work Experience pathway and the Trades and Technician pathway. Which of the three you can use depends on your occupation’s list status, your wage, and where your work experience was gained.
The changes reward applicants who understand the settings and prepare early. We have assessed hundreds of skilled migrants against the new instructions since they were announced, and this guide sets out the key requirements for you.
| Not sure which pathway fits you? Get a free eligibility assessment at www.newzealandshores.com or email [email protected] |
The three SMC pathways from 24 August 2026
Every SMC application must satisfy one of the three pathways. All three share the same skilled employment foundation: full-time work of at least 30 guaranteed hours per week, with an accredited employer, permanent or on a fixed term of at least 12 months, and genuine.
| Requirement | Points-based | Skilled Work Experience | Trades & Technician |
| Wage floor | Median wage (1.5x for ANZSCO 4-5) | 1.1x median wage
1.2x median wage for Amber list |
Median wage |
| Core test | 6 points (income, qualification or NZ registration, plus NZ experience) | 5 years experience: 3 yrs relevant + 2 yrs NZ skilled work | Level 4+ qualification + 4 yrs post-qualification experience |
| NZ experience needed | Yes if combining for points (1 to 3 yrs) | At least 2 years (last 4 years) | At least 18 months (last 3 years) |
| Overseas experience | Not counted for points | Up to 3 years (NZ-only if Amber List) | Up to 2.5 years, any country |
| Open to | All occupations, including Red List | ANZSCO 1-3, not Red List | Trades & Technician List (Appendix 23) only |
Wage thresholds: the $35/hour median wage and its multipliers
The SMC wage threshold from 9 March 2026 is $35.00 per hour, which is the median wage. Each pathway applies a different multiplier to that figure. Note that you may be eligible with a lower rate if the median wage in place when you started counting your work experience was under $35/h.
| Setting | Multiplier | Rate from 9 March 2026 |
| Points-based pathway, ANZSCO skill level 1-3 | 1.0x | $35.00/hour |
| Trades and Technician pathway | 1.0x | $35.00/hour |
| Skilled Work Experience pathway | 1.1x | $38.50/hour |
| Skilled Work Experience, Amber List occupation | 1.2x | $42.00/hour |
| Points-based, ANZSCO 4-5 or not in ANZSCO | 1.5x | $52.50/hour |
| Income points: 3 points | 1.5x | $52.50/hour |
| Income points: 4 points | 2x | $70.00/hour |
| Income points: 6 points | 3x | $105.00/hour |
The lock-in rule most applicants miss
The threshold that applies is the one in effect when you began accruing the New Zealand skilled work experience that counts toward your pathway, or when you were invited to apply if no experience is required. If your work visa was granted in the five months before you began accruing that experience, the threshold at visa grant applies instead. You keep that locked-in rate provided your pay never drops below it and your experience still falls inside the look-back window, which is counted backwards from the day you lodge your residence application.
The 6 points system on the Points-based pathway
You need 6 points, from one skill category alone or one skill category combined with New Zealand skilled work experience. The three skill categories are income, qualification, and New Zealand registration, licensing or certification.
| Points source | Examples | Points |
| Qualification | Doctoral degree (Level 10); NZ master’s plus bachelor’s | 6 |
| Qualification | NZ master’s alone; overseas master’s plus bachelor’s; NZ bachelor’s (Level 7) | 5 |
| Qualification | Overseas bachelor’s degree (Level 7) | 4 |
| Income | 3x threshold ($105.00/hr) | 6 |
| Income | 2x threshold ($70.00/hr) | 4 |
| Income | 1.5x threshold ($52.50/hr) | 3 |
| NZ registration | Full registration on the points schedule (varies by occupation) | 3 to 6 |
| NZ skilled work experience | 2 years / 1.5 years / 1 year (recent) | 3 / 2 / 1 |
Your occupation list decides which pathways you can use
- Red List (Appendix 22): Points-based pathway only.
- Amber List (Appendix 21): Points-based or Skilled Work Experience, with the 1.2x wage rate and NZ-only relevant experience.
- Trades and Technician List (Appendix 23): all three pathways are available.
- Not on any list, ANZSCO skill level 1 to 3: Points-based or Skilled Work Experience.
- Not on any list, ANZSCO skill level 4 to 5 or not in ANZSCO: Points-based only, and only if paid at least 1.5x the threshold ($52.50/hour).
If no SMC pathway fits, separate Work to Residence categories may: Straight to Residence for Green List Tier 1 occupations, Green List Work to Residence for Tier 2 after 24 months of NZ work, and the Care Workforce and Transport sector agreements. New Zealand Shores assesses all of these alongside SMC in every eligibility assessment at www.newzealandshores.com.
Universal requirements on every pathway
- The principal applicant must be aged 55 or younger when the residence application is made.
- English language: the principal applicant must meet the minimum standard of English (for example IELTS 6.5 overall or an accepted alternative, or qualifying citizenship/education exemptions).
- Health and character requirements apply to everyone included in the application.
- The skilled employment must be with an accredited employer whose accreditation is not suspended when the application is made or decided.
Mid-application on 24 August 2026? what actually happens
Residence applications are assessed under the instructions in force on the day they are lodged. A complete SMC application submitted before 24 August 2026 is assessed under the outgoing rules; anything lodged from that date is assessed under the new three-pathway structure. For some applicants the new settings are more generous (the Trades and Technician pathway did not previously exist); for others, list status or the Amber wage settings make the old rules preferable.
If you are within reach of eligibility under either set of instructions, the lodgement date is a strategic decision. Working with a licensed adviser reduces the risk of rejection on technical grounds, and New Zealand Shores prepares and lodges applications so they are ready before deadlines like this one. Email [email protected] with your situation.
How New Zealand Shores helps
- Free eligibility assessment against all three SMC pathways, plus the Green List, Care Workforce and other Work to Residence routes.
- Points scoring and evidence planning: qualifications, IQA requirements, registration and income evidence.
- Wage threshold and lock-in analysis, including whether an earlier threshold still applies to your case.
- Full preparation and lodgement of your residence application by a Licensed Immigration Adviser.
- Job search support for applicants who still need skilled employment with an accredited employer.
Frequently asked questions
What is changing in the Skilled Migrant Category on 24 August 2026?
Immigration New Zealand implements Amendment Circular 2026-16 on 24 August 2026, restructuring the Skilled Migrant Category around three pathways: the Points-based pathway, the Skilled Work Experience pathway and the new Trades and Technician pathway. Your occupation’s list status (Red List, Amber List, Trades and Technician List, or unlisted) now determines which pathways are open to you.
How many points do I need for the Skilled Migrant Category in 2026?
The Points-based pathway requires 6 points. You can reach 6 points from a single skill category alone (income, qualification or New Zealand registration), or by combining one skill category worth 3 to 6 points with 1 to 3 points from New Zealand skilled work experience. For example, a New Zealand bachelor’s degree (5 points) plus one year of NZ skilled work experience (1 point) meets the requirement. New Zealand Shores can score your profile as part of a free eligibility assessment.
What is the SMC wage threshold in 2026?
From 9 March 2026 the SMC wage threshold (the median wage) is $35.00 per hour. The Skilled Work Experience pathway requires 1.1 times that rate ($38.50), or 1.2 times ($42.00) for Amber List occupations. The Trades and Technician pathway uses the base $35.00 rate. Income points on the Points-based pathway start at 1.5 times ($52.50, 3 points), then 2 times ($70.00, 4 points) and 3 times ($105.00, 6 points).
My job pays less than $35 an hour. Am I locked out of SMC?
Not necessarily. The threshold that applies to you is the one in effect when you began accruing the New Zealand skilled work experience that counts toward your pathway, provided you have stayed at or above that rate and apply within the look-back window. If you started accruing qualifying NZ experience before 9 March 2026, an earlier, a lower threshold may still apply to you. This timing rule is one of the most misunderstood parts of the new instructions, and exactly the kind of detail a licensed adviser should check before lodging an application..
What happens if my occupation is on the Red List or Amber List?
Red List occupations can only use the Points-based pathway. Amber List occupations can use the Points-based pathway or the Skilled Work Experience pathway, but with harder Amber settings: the wage requirement rises to 1.2 times the threshold and the three years of directly relevant experience must have been gained in New Zealand. Occupations not on any list at ANZSCO skill level 1 to 3 can use the Points-based or Skilled Work Experience pathways.
Who qualifies for the new Trades and Technician pathway?
The Trades and Technician pathway is only available for occupations on the Trades and Technician List. You need skilled employment paying at least median wage, a Level 4 or higher qualification recognised on the NZQCF that is relevant to your role, and four years of work experience gained after that qualification: at least 2 years and 6 months directly relevant experience from any country, plus at least 18 months of additional New Zealand skilled work experience completed in the last three years.
I am mid-application. Do the 24 August 2026 changes affect me?
Applications already lodged are assessed under the instructions in force when they were made, so a complete application submitted before 24 August 2026 is generally assessed under the current rules. If you are still preparing, your application will be assessed under the new three-pathway structure. If you are close to eligible under either set of rules, timing your lodgement correctly matters; New Zealand Shores can review your position and advise whether to lodge now or wait.
Does my overseas work experience count under the new rules?
Partly, depending on the pathway. The Skilled Work Experience pathway accepts up to three years of directly relevant experience from any country (unless your occupation is on the Amber List, where it must all be from New Zealand), but always requires at least two further years of New Zealand skilled work experience. The Trades and Technician pathway similarly accepts overseas experience for the directly relevant component but requires 18 months in New Zealand. Points-based applicants can only claim points for New Zealand skilled work experience.