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Cooks, technicians, ICT staff: which new NZ residence door suits Bangladeshis?

Visa guide · 2026-10-10 · 5 min read

Whether you cook in a New Zealand restaurant kitchen, repair equipment as a technician or handle IT support calls, 24 August 2026 is a date worth circling. From then, Immigration New Zealand adds two new pathways to residence alongside the existing Skilled Migrant Category (SMC). Each one is built for a different kind of worker, and each comes with its own conditions. This guide walks Bangladeshi workers through them, one step at a time.

Why New Zealand is opening new routes

The old SMC leaned heavily on qualifications and points. It did not always recognise migrants who had proved themselves at work over many years. Immigration New Zealand has also seen some occupations misused, with inflated job titles or roles described as skilled when they were not. Its response has two parts: new pathways based on real work history, and closer checks on the roles linked to past misuse.

Door one: Skilled Work Experience

This route is for people already in skilled work at ANZSCO levels 1–3. ANZSCO is the occupation classification Australia and New Zealand use, and the lower level numbers mean the more skilled jobs. You need five years' relevant experience in total, with at least two of those years in New Zealand, paid at 1.1 times the SMC median wage. On this route, your employment record and payslips speak louder than your certificates.

Door two: Trades and Technician

This route is for tradespeople and technicians holding a Level 4+ qualification. You need four years of experience since qualifying, and 1.5 years of it must be in New Zealand at the median wage. It makes room for people who are formally trained but do not hold a degree, a group the old SMC often left behind.

If your trade certificate comes from Bangladesh, for example from the Bangladesh Technical Education Board, keep the original together with a certified English translation. Some trades in New Zealand also need occupational registration, so find out early whether yours is one of them.

Red list and amber list: look up your occupation first

Not every job gets equal access. Immigration New Zealand has placed some occupations on two watch lists, based on past misuse. The table shows how each situation plays out.

Because some food service roles sit on the amber list, cooks and kitchen staff should check carefully where their own occupation falls. The lists will be reviewed regularly, so a role that is borderline today could move. Employers in flagged occupations are wise to get contracts and pay in order well before any residence application.

Smaller changes with a big effect

• The wage target stops moving. You only need to meet the SMC median wage that applied when you started building skilled experience, not a higher figure at the time you apply. A five-month grace period covers people who take a little time to move into skilled work after their visa is granted.
• Postgraduate points get stricter. Points for a Level 8 or 9 qualification generally need a bachelor's degree as well. The main exception is a New Zealand master's claimed for 5 points. Claiming 6 points for a New Zealand master's needs 30+ weeks of full-time study in New Zealand and a bachelor's degree.
• English results last longer for some. If you hold recognised New Zealand occupational registration, your English test results now stay valid for five years.
• Accountants gain a door. CPA Australia members who can do Qualified Statutory Accountant work in New Zealand become eligible for the SMC.
• A safety net from 2027. If you are up to 12 more months short of skilled experience, you will be able to extend your Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV, the main employer-linked work visa) instead of restarting your residence clock.

Your to-do list before 24 August

1. Look up your occupation and check whether it sits on the red or amber list.
2. Compare your pay history with the median wage that applied when your skilled work began.
3. Ask your employer early for payslips, a written job description and proof of your qualifications.
4. Arrange certified English translations of any Bangla documents, and be ready to get a Police Clearance Certificate from Bangladesh Police if character evidence is requested.
5. Never pay a dalal or anyone offering to fix your job title or occupation for money.

These changes were first flagged in September 2025 and set out in more detail in March 2026. With the date now confirmed, the preparation window is open. You can read the official details on the Immigration New Zealand website.

#residence pathways #new zealand #skilled migrant category #amber list #trades and technician #bangladeshi workers