Sky Strike 3DPlayNZ Skilled Migrant Category Points Checker
You need 6 skilled resident points for the Points-based pathway. A New Zealand bachelor’s degree is worth 5 points, and one year of skilled work in New Zealand adds the sixth. An overseas bachelor’s is worth 4 and needs 18 months of skilled NZ work.
Updated · by ViralScopeHub Team
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How to use: Pick where you will claim your main points, fill in that section, then add your skilled New Zealand work experience. The total shows out of 6.
Check whether your qualification, income or occupational registration and New Zealand work experience reach the 6 skilled resident points.
How the Skilled Migrant Category points pathway works
Immigration New Zealand’s Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa has three pathways: Points-based, Skilled Work Experience and Trades and Technician. Only the points-based pathway uses a score. You need 6 skilled resident points, and you can claim them in two steps:
- 3 to 6 points from one skill category: your qualification, your New Zealand occupational registration, or your income.
- Up to 3 more points from skilled work experience in New Zealand: 1 point for one year, 2 for 18 months, 3 for two years.
Qualification points
| Qualification | New Zealand | Overseas |
|---|---|---|
| Doctoral degree (level 10) | 6 | 6 |
| Master’s degree (level 9) | 6 (30 weeks full-time study in NZ and a bachelor’s) or 5 | 5 (bachelor’s needed) |
| Honours, postgraduate diploma or certificate (level 8) | 5 (bachelor’s needed) | 4 (bachelor’s needed) |
| Bachelor’s degree (level 7) | 5 | 4 |
Overseas qualifications need an International Qualification Assessment from NZQA unless they are on the exempt list. Non-degree qualifications at level 7 or below earn no points.
Income and registration
Income points depend on your hourly rate as a multiple of the SMC wage threshold: 3× earns 6 points, 2× earns 4, 1.5× earns 3. INZ states that 3× is currently NZ$105.00 an hour; the 2× and 1.5× figures shown here are worked out from that number, so check the live threshold. Occupational registration is worth 3 points (2 years of training or experience), 4, 5 or 6 points (6 years). If you use income or registration for your main points, only work experience can add to them.
What this tool does not cover
It does not check the other pathways (they need at least 4 to 5 years of work experience with specific New Zealand periods), your job’s ANZSCO skill level, Red and Amber List rules, health, character or English requirements. Every pathway also needs a job or job offer from an accredited employer and an age of 55 or younger.
VSH take: a New Zealand bachelor’s degree plus one year of skilled work in the country reaches 6 points. An overseas bachelor’s needs 18 months of skilled New Zealand work to get there.
Sources and last update
Last updated 26 October 2026.
Estimate only. We are not responsible for decisions made using this tool. It is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Rules change, so always check the official site: Immigration New Zealand.
Examples
- NZ bachelor’s degree, no NZ work: 5 points: one short.
- NZ bachelor’s degree and 1 year of skilled NZ work: 6 points: eligible.
- Overseas bachelor’s and 1.5 years of skilled NZ work: 4 + 2 = 6 points.
- Overseas doctorate: 6 points on its own.
- Pay at 2 × the threshold and 1.5 years of skilled NZ work at that pay: 4 + 2 = 6 points.
Frequently asked questions
How many points do I need for the NZ Skilled Migrant Category?
6 skilled resident points for the Points-based pathway.
How many points is a bachelor’s degree worth?
5 points for a New Zealand bachelor’s and 4 points for an overseas bachelor’s (with an International Qualification Assessment).
Can I combine qualification and income points?
No. You claim 3 to 6 points from one category only, then add up to 3 points from skilled New Zealand work experience.
Is there a pathway without points?
Yes. The Skilled Work Experience pathway and the Trades and Technician pathway use work experience and, for trades, a qualification, rather than points.
What is the age limit?
You must be 55 or younger when you apply.
Is this the official checker?
No. It is an unofficial estimate. Use the Immigration New Zealand page for the official points check and requirements.
