01
One pathway became three
The points route is still there, but two new ones opened beside it: a Skilled Work Experience pathway that does not use points at all, and a Trades and Technician pathway built around a qualification plus experience.
Immigration New Zealand · In force since 24 August 2026
The Skilled Migrant Category changed. Where do you stand?
On 24 August 2026 one residence pathway became three, a single wage threshold replaced the old two-rate model, and every unsubmitted draft EOI was deleted. Here is what moved, which pathway is open to you, and who the new rules shut out.
Free, 15 pages, PDF. Read it in 15 minutes.
- 3
- residence pathways where there was one
- 6
- Red List occupations locked out of both new routes
- 14
- Amber List occupations limited to one new route
- 0
- unsubmitted draft EOIs survived the switchover
Four things moved at once
What changed on 24 August 2026
Immigration New Zealand announced the reform in September 2025 and published the operational detail across March and June 2026. All of it took effect on the same day.
02
The points rules moved
You still need 6 points and a skilled job or job offer. What changed is how you earn them: a New Zealand qualification is now worth a point more than the same qualification from overseas, and less New Zealand work experience is needed for the same points.
03
One wage threshold, not two
The old split between a lower work-experience rate and a higher residence rate is gone. A single threshold applies, and the rate that counts is generally the one in force when you started accruing skilled work experience, not the rate on the day you apply.
04
Draft EOIs were deleted
The Expression of Interest form was replaced on the day. An EOI you had already submitted is still assessed under the old rules. An unsubmitted draft was deleted and cannot be recovered, so it has to be started again on the new form.
Three routes, not one
Which pathway is yours?
You only need to qualify under one. The wage figures below are the rates in effect from 9 March 2026 and are updated annually, so check the current rate before you lodge.
The existing route
Points-based pathway
- How you qualify
- 6 points plus a skilled job or job offer
- Work experience
- Depends on the points you claim
- Wage threshold
- No change on 24 August 2026
- Qualification
- Points-dependent, none required
- Occupation lists
- Open to Red List and Amber List occupations
New
Skilled Work Experience pathway
- How you qualify
- Work experience alone, no points claimed
- Work experience
- About 5 years, being 3 relevant plus 2 in New Zealand
- Wage threshold
- 1.1x the threshold, NZD $38.50/hr from 9 March 2026
- Qualification
- None required
- Occupation lists
- Red List excluded. Amber List eligible on stricter terms
New
Trades and Technician pathway
- How you qualify
- A relevant qualification plus post-qualification experience
- Work experience
- About 4 years post-qualification, being 2.5 relevant plus 1.5 in New Zealand
- Wage threshold
- 1.0x the threshold, NZD $35.00/hr from 9 March 2026
- Qualification
- NZQCF Level 4 or comparable, or higher
- Occupation lists
- Red List and Amber List both excluded
The "about 5 years" and "about 4 years" figures are how Immigration New Zealand summarises the combined requirements. The operational wording is more precise, so read the full guide or talk to an adviser before counting your own experience against them.
Check this first
Three things that catch people out
Most of the surprises since 24 August come from the same three places. All of them turn on your ANZSCO code or your EOI, not on your job title.
The Red List shuts both new doors
Six occupations are excluded from both new pathways: Beauty Therapist; Hair or Beauty Salon Manager; Hairdresser; Hospitality, Retail and Service Manager nec; Massage Therapist; and Retail Manager (General). If your ANZSCO code is one of those, the Points-based route is the only one open to you.
The Amber List is eligible, but on harder terms
Fourteen occupations, including Chef, Cafe or Restaurant Manager, Baker, Office Manager and ICT Customer Support Officer, can use the Skilled Work Experience pathway only. That route asks for at least 5 years of relevant New Zealand experience, including 2 years paid at 1.2x the threshold, which is NZD $42.00 an hour from 9 March 2026.
A deleted draft EOI is gone for good
Unsubmitted drafts were deleted on 24 August 2026 and cannot be restored. You start again on the new form under the new rules. For a number of profiles the new settings are actually more favourable, so it is worth mapping your position before you rebuild the EOI rather than reproducing the old one.
Free download
Get The SMC Changes Guide 2026
Fifteen pages on what changed on 24 August and what it means for you. Enter your details and we will email it straight to you.
- All three pathways compared side by side, with the experience, wage and qualification each one asks for
- The full points tables: qualifications, New Zealand work experience and income
- Every Red List and Amber List occupation with its ANZSCO code, and what each list means for you
- The wage thresholds, how to tell which rate applies to you, and the 5-month grace period
- What happened to Expressions of Interest, and what to do if your draft was deleted
- A four-step checklist to work out where you stand, and the five mistakes we see most often
Common questions
Questions we are hearing since 24 August
Do the 24 August 2026 SMC changes affect an EOI I already submitted?
No. An Expression of Interest submitted before 24 August 2026 is assessed under the rules that applied at the time. The change affects unsubmitted drafts, which were deleted on that day and cannot be recovered, and every EOI started since.
My draft EOI was deleted. What are my options now?
You start again on the new form, under the new rules. That is not automatically a worse position: the new settings favour some profiles more than the old ones did, particularly people with a New Zealand qualification or with New Zealand work experience of between one and two years. Which pathway suits you is the thing worth checking before you rebuild the EOI.
Do I still need 6 points for the Skilled Migrant Category?
For the Points-based pathway, yes. The 6-point threshold and the skilled job or job offer requirement did not change on 24 August 2026. The two new pathways do not use points at all, so if you qualify through one of those the points question does not arise.
What is the SMC wage threshold from 24 August 2026?
A single threshold replaced the previous two-rate model, applied as a multiplier. The rates in effect from 9 March 2026 are NZD $35.00 an hour at 1.0x, NZD $38.50 at 1.1x, and NZD $42.00 at 1.2x. These are indexed annually, so confirm the current figure on immigration.govt.nz before relying on it.
Which occupations are shut out of the new pathways?
Six Red List occupations are excluded from both new pathways and can only use the Points-based route. Fourteen Amber List occupations can use the Skilled Work Experience pathway only, on stricter terms, and are excluded from Trades and Technician. Both lists are set by ANZSCO code, so the answer turns on your code rather than your job title.
Is a first call with ProVisas free?
Yes. The 15-minute discovery call is free and carries no obligation. It is a conversation about your situation so we can match you with the right IAA-licensed adviser, not an eligibility assessment on the call itself.
Go deeper
The full detail, pathway by pathway
This page is the short version. Our guides cover each change in full, with the Immigration New Zealand sources linked throughout.