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.

Featured series

Three guided reading paths — start at part one and follow them through.

01 5 guides Job-Hunting Series From job channels and accredited employers to CVs, interviews and workplace culture — the full hunt, in order.

1. 1. Finding a Job in New Zealand: Seek, Trade Me & AEWV Employers (2026)
2. 2. AEWV Job-Hunting Checklist: Job Check, Job Change & Scams (2026)
3. 3. The New Zealand CV and Cover Letter: A Migrant's Guide (2026)
4. 4. New Zealand Job Interview Culture and Salary Negotiation (2026)
5. 5. New Zealand Workplace Culture: A Guide for New Migrants (2026)

→ 02 5 guides Family Visas Partner and family visas end to end: options, work rights, children's schooling, residence and SMC points.

1. 1. NZ Family Visa Options: Partners, Children & Parents (2026)
2. 2. NZ Partner Work Visas & Free Schooling for Children: Rules Explained
3. 3. Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa: Rules & Evidence (2026)
4. 4. NZ Parent Visas Compared: Parent Resident, Parent Boost & Retirement
5. 5. SMC Partner Points: What Exists and What Was Abolished

→ 03 6 guides Settling In Your first weeks on the ground: IRD number, bank account, licence, renting and healthcare — in the right order.

1. 1. First 30 Days in New Zealand: The Correct Order of Setup Tasks
2. 2. IRD Number NZ: How to Apply & the 4-Year Migrant Exemption (2026)
3. 3. Open a NZ Bank Account from Overseas: Migrant Banking Guide (2026)
4. 4. Convert Overseas Driver Licence in NZ: China Test Path vs HK Exempt
5. 5. Renting in New Zealand: Bond, Tenancy Types & Your Rights (2026)
6. 6. NZ Healthcare Guide: GP Enrolment, Costs, ED and ACC Cover

→

Browse by journey stage

Jump to the stage you are at, or scroll through them in order.

01 Choose your path Points, Green List and study pathways 17 guides 02 Apply for the visa Work, family and investor visas 12 guides 03 Find a job Channels, CVs, interviews and pay 5 guides 04 Before you fly Budgets, packing and pets 3 guides 05 Settle in The first 30 days and setup 7 guides 06 Put down roots PR, citizenship and workplace culture 3 guides

Choose your path

17 guides

Green List Residence Pathway NZ: Tier 1 vs Tier 2 (2026) New NZ Green List residence pathway: Tier 1 (Straight to Residence) vs Tier 2 (Work to Residence) — requirements, wage rules, how to check your tier. Updated 2026-09-02 SMC Points Changes 2026: New Qualification & Experience Tables New From 24 August 2026: SMC qualification and NZ work experience points rise, CPA Australia members can claim 6, English test validity extends to 5 years. Updated 2026-09-02 Work to Residence Visa NZ: Requirements & Timeline (2026) New Work to Residence visa requirements in 2026: 24 months of NZ work, wage rules, and how it compares to Straight to Residence — with decision logic. Updated 2026-09-02 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 under the rules in effect from 24 August 2026. Updated 2026-08-31 SMC New Pathways 2026: Two New Residence Routes from 24 August From 24 August 2026, SMC adds Skilled Work Experience and Trades and Technician pathways to the 6-point system. Requirements, Amber/Red lists, evidence rules. Updated 2026-08-18 SMC Wage Threshold Lock 2026: One Threshold, 5-Month Grace Period From 24 August 2026, most SMC applicants only meet the wage threshold in effect when their skilled work experience began. Lock window, grace period, examples. Updated 2026-08-18 Choosing a NZ University: Major First, Then School, Then City Choose a NZ university in 4 steps: reverse from your residence goal, filter by accredited programme, weigh city jobs vs costs, time your once-only PSWV. Updated 2026-08-09 NZ Qualifications Framework (NZQCF): 10 Levels Explained for Migrants NZQCF's 10 levels mapped: certificates, diplomas, bachelor's, honours, master's, PhD — and how levels drive SMC points, Green List and post-study work. Updated 2026-08-09 New Zealand at a Glance: Geography, Cities, Jobs & Economy Essential facts for future migrants: geography and climate, the six main cities, major employers, and how New Zealand's economy is structured. Updated 2026-08-05 New Zealand's 8 Universities: Rankings, Strengths & Fees All eight New Zealand universities compared: QS 2026 standing, signature subjects, campus cities, and what international students actually pay per year. Updated 2026-08-05 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 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 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 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 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

Apply for the visa

12 guides

New Zealand Visa Fees Overview: SMC, AEWV, PRV and More New Current application fees for NZ's main visas — SMC, Green List, AEWV, PRV, student and visitor visas — plus the hidden costs beyond the fee. Updated 2026-09-10 NZ Family Visa Options: Partners, Children & Parents (2026) New Every NZ family visa on one page: partner residence and work visas, the $58,240 income line for free schooling, and parent options — all with official sources. Updated 2026-09-02 Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa: Rules & Evidence (2026) New Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa: the 12-month living-together rule, sponsor limits, NZD $5,360 onshore fee, and the relationship evidence checklist. Updated 2026-09-02 Work to Residence Visa NZ: Requirements, Fees & How to Apply (2026) New Work to Residence visa requirements: the 24-month rule, $35.00 median wage threshold, NZD $6,450 fee, and the wage rule change on 24 August 2026. Updated 2026-09-02 New Zealand Work Visa Types: AEWV, WTR & Open Visas (2026) NZ work visas compared: AEWV limits, Work to Residence pathways, April 2026 open work visa rules, China Working Holiday Visa (1,000 places) and quotas. Updated 2026-08-15 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 2026-08-15 Retired NZ Visas: 2021 Resident Visa, Critical Purpose & LTSSL What happened to the 2021 Resident Visa, Critical Purpose visas and the LTSSL: final processing numbers and today's replacement pathways. Updated 2026-08-15 NZ Active Investor Plus Visa: Growth vs Balanced Categories Explained NZ Active Investor Plus Visa: Growth (NZ$5M/3 yrs, 21 days in NZ) vs Balanced (NZ$10M/5 yrs, 105 days), acceptable investments, QDII exclusion, PRV path. Updated 2026-08-09 NZ Parent Visas Compared: Parent Resident, Parent Boost & Retirement NZ parent visas compared: Parent Resident ballot (2,500 places, sponsor income test), Parent Boost 5-year visitor visa, and Parent Retirement (NZ$1M). Updated 2026-08-09 NZ Partner Work Visas & Free Schooling for Children: Rules Explained Partner work visa open work rights ($28/$35/$52.50 tiers), April 2026 rules, and free schooling for workers' children as domestic students (NZ$58,240 test). Updated 2026-08-09 NZ Visa Health Requirements: Self-Check, Condition List & Medicals INZ health rules self-check: the NZ$81,000 cost threshold, residence decline-condition list, temporary visa rules, medical waivers, TB X-ray rules for China. Updated 2026-08-09 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

Find a job

5 guides

New Zealand Job Interview Culture and Salary Negotiation (2026) New How NZ job interviews run: phone screens, panels and video calls, the STAR method, what employers assess, and negotiating pay after the offer. Updated 2026-09-06 The New Zealand CV and Cover Letter: A Migrant's Guide (2026) New How to write a NZ-style CV and cover letter: no photo, age or marital status, a 2-page ATS-friendly layout, stating your work rights, and tailoring to each ad. Updated 2026-09-03 AEWV Job-Hunting Checklist: Job Check, Job Change & Scams (2026) New AEWV job-hunting handbook: current rules after the March 2025 reforms, reading a job check, changing employers with a Job Change, and scam red flags. Updated 2026-09-01 Finding a Job in New Zealand: Seek, Trade Me & AEWV Employers (2026) How to find a job in New Zealand: Seek, Trade Me, LinkedIn and recruiter tactics, verifying accredited employers on INZ's list, job checks and visa timing. Updated 2026-08-30 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

Before you fly

3 guides

Bringing Pets to New Zealand: No Direct Route from Mainland China Mainland China is not MPI-approved: pets must first live 6 months in an approved country (e.g. Singapore). Rabies vaccine, RNATT, permit, 10-day quarantine. Updated 2026-08-09 NZ Pre-Departure Checklist: Money, Forex, Housing, Luggage, NZTD A checklist from 60 days out to arrival day: pre-arrival bank accounts, forex and the NZ$10,000 cash declaration line, luggage red lines, and the NZTD. Updated 2026-08-09 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

Settle in

7 guides

First 30 Days in New Zealand: The Correct Order of Setup Tasks The new-arrival checklist for NZ: SIM card, bank account, IRD number (45% tax without it), tenancy bond, GP enrolment, transport cards and licence conversion. Updated 2026-08-15 IRD Number NZ: How to Apply & the 4-Year Migrant Exemption (2026) New arrivals can get an IRD number in 2 working days; skip it and you pay 45% tax. Covers tax residency and the 4-year overseas income exemption. Updated 2026-08-15 Open a NZ Bank Account from Overseas: Migrant Banking Guide (2026) Open a NZ bank account up to 90 days before arrival, activate in branch with passport and visa. Bank comparison, deposit protection and tax basics. Updated 2026-08-15 Renting in New Zealand: Bond, Tenancy Types & Your Rights (2026) Renting in NZ as a new migrant: the 4-week bond cap, tenancy types, healthy homes standards and notice periods explained. Updated 2026-08-15 Convert Overseas Driver Licence in NZ: China Test Path vs HK Exempt A Chinese licence with translation works 12 months; conversion needs a theory test (in Chinese, 32/35) plus a practical test. HK licences are test-exempt. Updated 2026-08-09 NZ Healthcare Guide: GP Enrolment, Costs, ED and ACC Cover Who qualifies for NZ public healthcare (2+ year work visas count), GP enrolment and fees, specialist referrals, ED rules, and ACC accident cover for everyone. Updated 2026-08-09 NZ School System & Enrolment Zones: A Guide for Migrant Families NZ schooling explained: compulsory ages 6–16, Year 1–13 structure, state vs integrated vs private, zoning and out-of-zone ballots, NCEA, and who studies free. Updated 2026-08-09

Put down roots

3 guides

New Zealand Workplace Culture: A Guide for New Migrants (2026) New Kiwi workplace culture for newcomers: indirect communication, flat hierarchy, work-life boundaries, smoko and small talk — plus your legal minimums. Updated 2026-09-05 NZ Resident Visa vs PRV vs Citizenship: What's the Difference? NZ resident visa, permanent resident visa (PRV) and citizenship compared: travel conditions, the 184-day rule, the 1,350-day presence test and common mistakes. Updated 2026-08-28 RV to PRV to Citizenship: NZ Timeline, Conditions & Fees (2026) NZ resident visa to citizenship timeline: the 2-year PRV rule, 5 commitment options, the 184-day rule, the 240/1,350-day presence test, fees and timelines. Updated 2026-08-28