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SMC Salary Threshold: Median Wage Rules for 2026
Updated: 2026-08-03 · Data verified: 2026-08-03
The single most important number in New Zealand skilled migration is the immigration median wage. It sets the floor for what counts as a “skilled job”, it defines the income points tiers, and it changes every year. Here is where it stands and how to use it.
The current number: $35.00/hour
From 9 March 2026, the immigration median wage is NZD $35.00/hour (based on June 2025 Stats NZ data), up from $33.56. Every threshold indexed to the median wage moved with it — SMC job requirements, income points tiers, Green List pay requirements, and partner support thresholds.
| Threshold | Before 9 Mar 2026 | From 9 Mar 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Median wage (1×) | $33.56 | $35.00 |
| 1.5× median | $50.34 | $52.50 |
| 2× median | $67.12 | $70.00 |
| 3× median | $100.68 | $105.00 |
Where the threshold bites
1. Is your job “skilled”? For the SMC, a job with an accredited employer must pay at or above:
- $35.00/hour if the role is ANZSCO skill level 1–3
- $52.50/hour (1.5×) if the role is ANZSCO level 4–5
2. Income points. 3 points at 1.5×, 4 points at 2×, 6 points at 3×. If you are anywhere near a boundary, the annual March adjustment can move you up or down a tier without your pay changing at all.
3. Work experience points. Experience only counts if it was paid at the relevant threshold throughout the claimed period. The protective rule: if the median wage rose mid-period, you are fine as long as you met the rate when the period started and stayed in the same job. Change jobs, and the new rate applies from the change.
Salary to hourly: the conversion that trips people up
INZ assesses your hourly rate, even if you are salaried. The formula:
hourly rate = annual salary ÷ contracted weekly hours ÷ 52
Examples at a 40-hour week:
| Annual salary | Hourly | Clears |
|---|---|---|
| $72,800 | $35.00 | 1× (level 1–3 skilled job) |
| $109,200 | $52.50 | 1.5× (3 income points) |
| $145,600 | $70.00 | 2× (4 income points) |
| $218,400 | $105.00 | 3× (6 income points) |
Contracted hours matter: the same $72,800 salary is $35.00/hour at 40 hours but only $33.65/hour at 41.5 hours — below the floor. Check your employment agreement, not your payslip average.
Planning around the annual adjustment
The median wage is adjusted roughly every 12 months (the last two rounds took effect in March). If you are 6–12 months from applying:
- leave headroom above the threshold you need — a pay rate sitting exactly at the current floor can drop below the new one in March
- if you are claiming income points, watch the multiplier, not just your dollar figure
- re-verify the current threshold before lodging; our SMC calculator always uses the latest verified figure with its verification date shown
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current immigration median wage?
- NZD $35.00 per hour, effective 9 March 2026 (up from $33.56). It is adjusted annually, usually in the first quarter of the year, based on Stats NZ data.
- I earn an annual salary. How do I convert it to an hourly rate?
- Divide your annual salary by your weekly contracted hours, then by 52. For a 40-hour week: $80,000 a year ÷ 40 ÷ 52 = $38.46/hour. INZ uses your contracted hours, not the hours you actually work.
- Does the threshold apply when I claim work experience points?
- Yes. ANZSCO level 1–3 experience must have been paid at or above the median wage; level 4–5 experience at 1.5× or above. If the median wage rose during your experience, you only needed to meet the rate in effect when you started that period — unless you changed jobs.
- What are the income-points thresholds in dollar terms?
- At the $35.00 median wage: 1.5× = $52.50/hour (3 points), 2× = $70.00/hour (4 points), 3× = $105.00/hour (6 points).