New Zealand - flag New Zealand - Work Skills & Ancestry - Skilled Visa (Points Based)

New Zealand offers numerous opportunities to skilled migrants, particularly in industries and regions where there are skill shortages and low growth. The Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) has been designed to give priority to meeting the needs of both New Zealand and the skilled migrants intending to migrate there.

To apply under this category you must meet certain requirements set in place by the New Zealand Immigration Service (NZIS). You must be aged between 20 and 55 years of age, and meet requirements for health, character and English language proficiency to be considered eligible.

Applications are assessed using a points system, designed to identify which applicants have the most to offer. Points are awarded on the basis of the type of employment you will undertake, qualifications, work experience, age, or if you already have close family in New Zealand. Applicants are awarded bonus points if they are to be employed in an identified area of future growth or absolute skills shortage. Further bonus points may also be awarded if you are to take up employment in a region outside Auckland, and for qualifications gained in New Zealand over at least 2 years.

It was designed to minimise the risk of a mismatch between the skills migrants bring and the skills New Zealand needs. Migration under this category follows a step-by-step application process, from the initial assessment of eligibility to the settlement stage in New Zealand.

To be eligible for a visa to New Zealand under this category you must:

  • Be under 56 years of age
  • Meet the health, character and English language requirements
  • Be able to meet the threshold of 100 points in the points system to lodge an expression of interest

If your application is successful you will receive:

  • A residence visa allowing you to enter New Zealand. It must be activated within 12 months of the date of issue, and cannot be renewed or extended. If you do not travel to New Zealand within the specified timeframe, the visa will expire and you will have to reapply for residence; and
  • A residence permit will be issued to you on your arrival to New Zealand allowing you to remain in the country indefinitely.

While the New Zealand Immigration Service (NZIS) looks favourably on those who already have a job offer in New Zealand in a skilled profession, it is not a pre-requisite.

If you do not qualify for this visa, you may be still be eligible for a Work to Residence visa.

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Ask Philip Gamble whether you (or your children) have a claim to British nationality.

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Learn more about these routes to British Nationality:

WhatPassport.com is a specialist UK Nationality and British Citizenship site offering an online search and assessment. Claims to hold a British Passport can be complex and the site offers a quick, simple search to give you the answers. While many people qualify for the UK Ancestry Visa based on holding a Commonwealth passport with a UK born grandmother or grandfather, we have found that if you have a grandparent born in the UK, or if your mother is British or your father is British, then there are several scenarios where you can claim British Nationality and the right to hold a British Passport. This stems from Britain’s collection of British Colonies, British Protectorates and British Protected States in the middle of last century and the Nationality rules concerning what are now the countries of the Commonwealth.

WhatPassport.com is a subsidiary of Sable International.

Sable International offers a range of services relating to UK and Australian immigration. For over 20 years, we have been helping people with their UK and Australian visa applications. We assist with applications for Ancestry visas, spouse visas, work visas, Tier 1 visas, UK working holiday visas, UK dependant visas, Tier 4 visas, UK Visitor visas, sponsorship visas or UK permanent residency or indefinite leave to remain. We also specialise in UK visa extensions. If you’ve overstayed your visa, our Overstayer Status Trace service can assist to regularise your visa status.