Skilled Migrant Category

By studying a master’s degree in New Zealand, you are becoming a skilled person for the country—and you automatically gain 5 points under the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC). After graduating, you’ll be eligible for up to 3 years of Post-Study Work Visa (PSWV), allowing you to work full-time. If, during this period, you work for at least 1 year and earn NZD $31.61 per hour or more, you gain 1 additional point. This makes a master’s degree not only a high-level academic qualification but also a strategic pathway to permanent residency, aligned with New Zealand’s real labor market needs.