Points and thresholds explained
Last reviewed 2026-06-28
Some New Zealand immigration categories use points or thresholds. This lesson explains, in simple terms, how that kind of published rule works, and what the Skilled Migrant Category's actual published point values are. It is educational background only. It does not calculate anyone's eligibility, and the published numbers change over time, so the official pages are the authoritative source.
What a points-based rule is
A points-based rule gives a number of points for published attributes (for example a recognised qualification, skilled employment, or income compared to a published amount), and compares the total to a published threshold. The published threshold is a number set and changed by Immigration New Zealand.
The points are a published, mechanical way to add up attributes. A total at or above the published threshold is one published factor; on its own, it is not a decision. Applications are checked against the full published rules, which include more than just the points total.
The Skilled Migrant Category’s published point values
As published by Immigration New Zealand (verified against the official page on 2026-06-28), the Skilled Migrant Category resident visa uses a 6-point structure:
- ONE skills source, worth up to 6 points. Points come from whichever single source scores highest, not from adding several together: a recognised qualification, New Zealand registration in a profession or trade, or skilled employment income measured against the 2025 median wage (NZ$35/hour). Roughly: a bachelor’s degree, or income at or above 1.5 times the median wage, or a registration needing about 2 years to obtain, each score 3 points; higher qualification levels, higher income multiples, and registrations needing more years score progressively more, up to 6 points at a doctorate, income at 3 times the median wage, or a registration needing 6 or more years.
- Skilled work experience in New Zealand, worth up to 3 points, on a sliding scale: 1 year of experience within the last 2 years scores 1 point, 2 years within the last 4 years scores 2 points, and 3 years within the last 5 years scores 3 points.
- The published threshold is 6 points, combining the skills source and the New Zealand work experience score.
A published applicant must also have a skilled job, or a job offer, with an accredited employer; the points structure above sits alongside that requirement, not instead of it. These are the exact figures our self-check tool totals. They are Immigration New Zealand’s published numbers, not our estimate, and INZ can change them at any time.
How the self-check tool uses this
The self-check tool mirrors a published points or checks structure. You enter your own attributes, and the tool adds them up against the published threshold. The result is your own total, based on what you entered. It is not a decision about your eligibility, it does not cover every published requirement, and it does not predict an outcome.
That is the main purpose of the tool. It gives you the published arithmetic so you can do the sum yourself, the same way you could on the official website. It never does the sum and then tells you what it means for your situation.
Reading thresholds carefully
Two things to remember when you read any published threshold:
- Thresholds change. A number that is current today may be different next month. Always check the current figure on the official page.
- A threshold is one gate, not the whole path. Meeting a published points threshold is one published requirement among several. The published rules for the category set out the rest.
For help understanding how the published rules apply to your own situation, a Licensed Immigration Adviser is the right person to help.