09/09/2026
๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐จ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐.
A lot of people check the current wage threshold, look at their payslip, and decide they don't qualify under the SMC.
๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ก ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ
If your pathway requires NZ skilled work experience: the rate that applies is the one in force on the day you started building that experience. Not today's median wage. So if you started that job two years ago, it's the median wage from two years ago that matters.
If it doesn't require NZ experience: the median wage that applies is the one your invitation to apply was based on.
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ฑ๐๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฉ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ
One exception worth knowing. If your work visa was granted in the five months before you started building that experience, the median wage in force when the visa was granted is the one that applies. For anyone who started work just after a threshold increase, that can be the whole difference.
๐๐ก๐๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐
From the day your pay actually reached that rate. If you were paid less when you started, those early months don't count and you can't go back and claim the older, lower median wage.
๐๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ญ
The clock stops. It doesn't wipe out the time you've already built up, and your experience doesn't have to be one unbroken run.
โ ๏ธ๐๐ญ ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ง๐ญ
Your NZ experience only counts if it falls inside a look-back window and that window is counted from the day you submit your residence application. Not from your expression of interest. Not from your invitation to apply.
Points-based pathway:
1 year, within the last 2 years = 1 point
1 year 6 months, within the last 3 years = 2 points
2 years, within the last 4 years = 3 points
Skilled Work Experience pathway:
2 years, within the last 4 years
Trades and Technician pathway:
18 months, within the last 3 years
๐๐๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ๐ง'๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐จ๐ง๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐๐ฌ๐ญ
The work also has to be:
in NZ
at least 30 hours in every single week
work you were allowed to do at the time
a real job, not one you paid to get
a genuine match to what the job actually involves, not just the title
If you're not sure which rate or window applies to you, check before you rely on it.