NZ Pathway
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SMC Partner Points: What Exists and What Was Abolished
Updated: 2026-08-03 · Data verified: 2026-08-03
If you search “SMC partner points” you will find dozens of guides promising 10 or 20 bonus points for your partner’s qualification or job offer. That system no longer exists. It belonged to the old 160-point Skilled Migrant Category, which was replaced in October 2023. Under the current 6-point system there are no partner points at all — for anyone.
What replaced the old system
The 6-point system scores you, the principal applicant, only: 3–6 points from one skill category (registration, qualification or income) plus up to 3 points for skilled work experience in New Zealand. Your partner’s degree, job offer, or skills add zero points to that total.
This has a real planning consequence that old guides obscure: if both you and your partner are skilled, the stronger applicant should be the principal. Compare your positions separately with the SMC Points Calculator — a partner with a Master’s degree (5 points + 1 year of NZ experience) may reach 6 points faster than a partner with a Bachelor’s degree (3 points + 3 years needed).
What your partner actually needs
Being included in your application is not automatic. Your partner (and dependent children) trigger three requirements:
1. A genuine and stable relationship. You must prove the relationship with documents — marriage or birth certificates where applicable, plus evidence of a shared life: joint tenancy agreements, shared finances, correspondence, photos over time. INZ assesses de facto relationships on the same standard as marriages.
2. English. Partners and dependent children aged 16+ must either show a minimum test score or pre-purchase English lessons:
| Test | Minimum for partner/child 16+ |
|---|---|
| IELTS | 5.0 overall |
| PTE Academic | 36 overall |
| TOEFL iBT | 35 overall |
| B2 First | 154 overall |
| OET | Grade C in all 4 skills |
These are much lower than the principal applicant’s line (IELTS 6.5 / PTE 58 / TOEFL 79). If your partner cannot reach them, you pre-pay ESOL tuition instead — the amount depends on how far below the line their score falls. Check scores with our converter.
3. Health and character. Everyone included in the application is assessed: chest X-ray and medical for those 15+, police certificates for those 17+.
One rule that surprises people
If your partner or children already hold (or are applying for) temporary visas based on their relationship to you — for example, a partner of a worker work visa — INZ requires them to be included in your residence application. You cannot leave them on the temporary visa to simplify the paperwork.
Frequently asked questions
- Does my partner's qualification give me extra SMC points?
- No. Partner qualification points belonged to the old 160-point SMC system, replaced in October 2023. Under the 6-point system there are no partner points of any kind.
- Does my partner need to meet an English requirement?
- Yes, if they are included in your application and are 16 or older: IELTS 5.0, PTE 36, TOEFL 35, B2 First 154, or OET grade C in all four skills — otherwise you must pre-purchase English lessons (ESOL) for them.
- Can my partner work if I get the SMC Resident Visa?
- A resident visa lets your partner live, work and study in New Zealand without restriction. Before residence, partners of SMC applicants typically rely on partnership-based work visas tied to your work visa.
- We are not married. Can my partner still be included?
- Yes — INZ recognises genuine and stable de facto relationships, including same-sex partnerships. You will need evidence of living together and a shared life: joint leases, bank accounts, bills, photos, correspondence.