A significant part of all applications (approx. 35% according to NZIS Statistics) is lodged under this in December 2003 newly introduced category.

This new Skilled Migrant Category is based upon a points system awarding points for age (min. age 20 years, max. age 55 years), qualification, work experience, NZ-offer of employment. It also awards bonus points for special circumstances (e.g. offer of employment in areas of absolute shortage and/or outside the Auckland region, etc.). 

Applicants who are able to score a minimum of 100 points can register their interest, the so-called ‘Expression of Interest’ (EOI) with the NZIS. All EOIs are entered into a pool and applications will be selected from this pool on a regular basis (at present fortnightly). Before the pool drawing the NZIS announces the passmark and only those EOIs that meet that mark will be selected. Succesful applicants will then receive a written letter inviting them to lodge an application for permanent residence. Unselected EOIs will remain in the pool for a total of 3 months and are drawn during that period only if They meet the passmark.

The selected EOIs are divided into two groups: 

Group 1 :- Consists of applicants with an NZ-offer of employment on-hand, current work permit holders and/or applicants who completed their studies in NZ. Once their second application has been checked and found in order inline with the initial EOI, They will be rewarded with the status of permanent residence. This is based on the fact that this group has already demonstrated an ‘ability to settle’ and will pose only a minor risk to the NZ taxpayer and social system. They are expected to integrate into NZ society without any problems and to do well on a professional basis. 

Group 2 :- Are applicants who are not in the possession of an NZ-offer of employment or haven’t completed their studies in NZ and therefore are yet to prove their ‘ability to settle’. Applicants from this group (who will generally score less points than group 1 due to missing job offer and/or applicable bonus points) are invited to a face-to-face interview in which They would have to demonstrate their settling abilities. Each case will be assessed on its own merits by the NZIS. Decisive factors for a positive interview outcome are qualification, professional and personal skills, work experience and a commanding knowledge of the English language. Successful applicants will be issued with a 2-year Work-to-Residence permit. This has to be regarded as a 2-year probationary period which can be converted into permanent residence. A main criteria for the award of residence status is whether the applicant has pursued regular, professional employment during this 2-year period.

Minimum Requirements to Register an Expression of Interest : -

A minimum of 3-years of study/vocational-professional training which is considered to be equivalent to NZ-standard. Please note that most qualifications need to be reevaluated and require an assessment by the NZ Qualification Authority (NZQA) in Wellington. For details, please click here.  
Additionally (and if English is not your first language), all applicants must demonstrate a sufficient knowledge of the English language by means of passing the IELTS-Test.
In order to maximize your overall score, a successful EOI should preferably include an NZ-offer of employment.  

Special conditions may apply which are too manifold and complex to discuss here, so please your nearest OM International for details.  

As with the ‘old’ General Skills Category, the new Skilled Migrant Category produces a significant number of unsuccessful EOIs simply due to insufficient knowledge and preparation by the applicant. The reasons range from formal mistakes, language barriers, legal barriers/inexperience of the NZIS law to incomplete information supplied by some authorities.

Skilled Migrant Category : -

FACTORS	POINTS
Skilled employment:
Current skilled employment in New Zealand for 12 months or more	60
Offer of skilled employment in New Zealand or current skilled employment in New Zealand for less than 12 months	50
Bonus points for employment or offer of employment in:
An identified future growth area, identified cluster, area of absolute skills shortage	5
> Region outside Auckland	10
Partner employment or offer of employment	10
Work experience:
2 years	10
4 years	15
6 years	20
8 years	25
10 years	30
Additional bonus points if work experience in New Zealand :
2 years	5
4 years	10
6 years or more	15
Additional bonus points for work experience in an identified future growth area, identified cluster or area of absolute skills shortage:
2 to 5 years	5
6 years or more	10
Qualifications See Here >>
Recognised basic qualification (e.g. trade qualification, diploma, bachelors degree, bachelors degree with Honours) Recognised post-graduate qualification (Masters degree, Doctorate)	50   55
Bonus points for:
> Recognised New Zealand qualification (and at least two years study in NZ) Qualification in an identified future growth area, cluster or area of absolute skill shortage	10   5
Partner qualifications	10
Age (20 to 55 years)
20-29 30-39	30 25
40-44	20
45-49	10
50-55	5

Skilled employment

Skilled employment is work that requires you to use significant specialist, technical or management expertise.  You may have gained this expertise through completing a recognised qualification or through work experience. Through skilled employment They can link skilled and experienced people with employment opportunities that They have identified are necessary for our growth as a nation.  They also recognise that the people who feel They are making a positive contribution to their new home find it easier to settle.

How skilled employment works
These are the points available for skilled employment:

 

Skilled employment	Points
> You are currently working in skilled employment in New Zealand and have been for 12 months or more	60
> You have an offer of skilled employment in New Zealand or you are currently working in skilled employment in New Zealand and have been for less than 12 months	50

To qualify for the points you must show us that the employment is relevant to:

• your recognised qualification. To be relevant, the major subject area must directly apply to the employment offered. Want to see the wording of the policy?  Go directly to the Operations Manual or
• expertise that you have gained through relevant work experience in which this expertise is key.  To be relevant, the work experience must directly apply to your offer of, or current, skilled employment. Want to see the wording of the policy?  Go directly to the Operations Manual. 

You will only qualify for points:

• for genuine full time employment in which you earn salary or wages or hold a contract position.  Positions paid by commission or retainer do not gain points.
• for ongoing employment
• where your employer has a history of good work practices such as meeting all New Zealand immigration and employment laws
• for employment that meets all New Zealand immigration and employment laws and policies.

Additionally if your occupation is one that requires >> Occupational Registration New Zealand, you need to prove that you have either full or provisional registration .

Categories of skilled employment
Generally, They consider employment in these Major Groups of the New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations as skilled employment:

• Major Group 1: Legislators, administrators and managers
• Major Group 2: Professionals
• Major Group 3: Technicians and associate professionals, as listed below:

 

Technicians and associate professionals:
Physical Science Technician	Agricultural Inspector
Quantity Surveyor	Quality Inspector
Quantity Surveyor’s Technician	Life Science Technician
Clerk of Works	Medical Laboratory Technician
Other Civil Engineering Technician	Agricultural Technician
Electrical Engineering Technician	Forest Technician
Telecommunications Technician	Dispensing Optician
Computer Systems Technicians	Dental Therapist
Other Electronics Engineering   >     Technician	Physiotherapist
Avionics Technician	Occupational Therapist
Mechanical Engineering Technician	Osteopath
Chemical Engineering Technician	Chiropractor
Other Engineering Technician	Orthotist/Prosthetist
Non Destructive Testing Technician	Podiatrist
Computer Programmer	Valuer
Computer Support Technician	Social Worker
Medical Radiation Technologist	Case Worker
Other Medical Equipment Controller	Probation Worker
Sonographer	Employment Programme Teaching      Associate Professional
Ships’ Engineer	Reporter
Ships’ Officer (Deck) including Master	Editor
Launch Master	Sub-Editor
Other Ships’ Deck Officer and Pilot	Graphic Designer
Aircraft Pilot and Flight Crew	Fashion Designer
Flying Instructor	Interior Designer
Helicopter Pilot	Singing and Music Teacher
Air Traffic Controller	Dancing Teacher and/or  Choreographer
Safety Inspector	Artistic Director
Meat Inspector	Acclimatisation Field Officer
Noxious Weeds/Pest Inspector	National Park Ranger
Health Inspector

• Major Group 7: Trades workers.

Unless They decide that a special case exists, They do not recognise the following Major Groups of the New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations as skilled employment:

• Major Group 3: Technicians and associate professionals, except those occupations listed above
• Major Group 4: Clerks
• Major Group 5: Service and Sales workers
• Major Group 6: Agriculture and Fishery workers
• Major Group 8: Plant and machine operators and assemblers
• Major Group 9: Elementary occupations.

They may decide a special case exists where:

• your skills would contribute to New Zealand’s growth and capacity
  or
• you have, for example, an international reputation and record of excellence in a particular occupation or field.

Work experience
 
Work experience is the significant specialist, technical or management expertise you have gained through working in your occupation. They award points for work experience that has given you transferable skills that will help you settle in and contribute to New Zealand. 

Points available for work experience: Years’ experience	Points
2 years	10
4 years	15
6 years	20
8 years	25
10 years	30

You may qualify for points if your work experience:

• is relevant to your
• is relevant to your current or offered skilled employment.

If you are not currently working in, or have an offer of, skilled employment in New Zealand, your work experience can only qualify for points if it was gained in a comparable labour market.  They recognise the following countries as having a comparable labour market to New Zealand:

They also consider work experience in a comparable labour market to be experience gained for employers that are based in the above countries.  To qualify for points:

• you must have gained your work experience working for a commercial entity domiciled in one of the above countries
  or 
• you have gained your work experience lawfully in a country not listed above but you are a citizen or resident of one of the above countries.

Calculating work experience
Work experience is calculated on complete, full time weeks of 30 hours.  This applies even if you worked more than 30 hours per week.  For example, fifty-two 60-hour weeks will count as one year’s work experience.

If you worked part time - less than 30 hours per week - They will award points according to the hours equating to full time work.  For example, four years of working a 15-hour week will count as two years’ full time work experience.

To be invited to apply for residence under the Skilled Migrant Category, you must qualify for points for either work experience or recognised qualifications.

Recognised qualifications See Here