Guides

New Zealand immigration guides

Every guide is written against Immigration New Zealand's official pages and shows the date its data was last verified.

7 SMC Application Mistakes That Cost Months Common SMC errors: mixing point categories, stale test results, wrong ANZSCO codes, wage-threshold gaps and evidence mistakes. Updated 2026-08-03 Green List Tier 1 vs Tier 2: Fast Paths to NZ Residence Tier 1 (Straight to Residence) vs Tier 2 (Work to Residence): requirements, timelines, wage rules, and how to check your occupation's tier. Updated 2026-08-03 New Zealand vs Australia PR Points: Two Systems Compared NZ's 6-point SMC vs Australia's points-tested skilled visas: points logic, occupation lists, English requirements, and which profile suits which. Updated 2026-08-03 NZ Visa Processing Times: SMC, Green List, AEWV (Aug 2026) Current INZ processing times for SMC, Straight to Residence, Work to Residence and AEWV, plus how to avoid the common delay factors. Updated 2026-08-03 NZ's 6-Point SMC System, Explained With 3 Worked Examples How the SMC 6-point system works: skill categories, NZ work experience points, and three examples with current wage figures. Updated 2026-08-03 NZQA and the IQA: Getting Your Overseas Qualification Recognised When you need an International Qualification Assessment (IQA), how the NZQA process works, what LQEA-exempt means, and how the outcome changes your SMC points. Updated 2026-08-03 PTE vs IELTS for New Zealand Immigration: Which Is Easier? PTE Academic vs IELTS for NZ visas: format, scoring, the July 2025 Pearson concordance, and what SMC actually requires (PTE 58 / IELTS 6.5). Updated 2026-08-03 SMC Partner Points: What Exists and What Was Abolished Old guides promise partner bonus points — under the 6-point system they're gone. What your partner actually affects: English rules and visa inclusion. Updated 2026-08-03 SMC Salary Threshold: Median Wage Rules for 2026 NZ's immigration median wage is $35.00/hour from 9 March 2026. What it means for SMC job thresholds, income points and salary-to-hourly conversion. Updated 2026-08-03 Take-Home Pay in New Zealand: Tax, ACC Levy and a Worked Example How NZ income tax brackets (2025–26), the ACC earners' levy (1.67%) and KiwiSaver affect your paycheck — with a full worked example at the median wage. Updated 2026-08-03 The Real Cost of Moving to New Zealand: A Practical Budget Visa fees, English tests, flights, shipping, rental bonds and first-month costs for moving to New Zealand, with realistic ranges and sources. Updated 2026-08-03 What a Master's in New Zealand Costs — and the PR Payoff Tuition ranges for NZ Master's degrees, living costs, the Post Study Work Visa, and how a NZ Master's becomes 5 SMC points plus local experience. Updated 2026-08-03 What Is an ANZSCO Code — and How to Find Yours ANZSCO codes set your wage threshold and Green List eligibility. What the 6-digit codes and skill levels 1–5 mean, and how to find yours. Updated 2026-08-03 Work to Residence vs Straight to Residence Compared Straight to Residence lets you apply now; Work to Residence needs 24 months of NZ work first. Requirements, timelines and decision logic. Updated 2026-08-03