SMC New Zealand qualification bonus points tied to degree level and duration

Policy effect

From July 25, 2011, SMC bonus points for New Zealand qualifications used new qualification-level and study-duration criteria. A recognised New Zealand level 7 bachelor degree requiring at least two years of full-time study in New Zealand earned 10 points, with study over four semesters and at least 16 months. A recognised postgraduate level 8, 9 or 10 qualification requiring at least one year of full-time New Zealand study earned 10 points; a postgraduate level 9 or 10 qualification requiring at least two years earned 15. Qualifications gained with New Zealand Aid Programme funding remained ineligible for bonus points. The preceding rule awarded five points for two years of qualifying full-time New Zealand study, five for a recognised basic New Zealand level 4–8 qualification, and ten for a recognised New Zealand postgraduate level 9 or 10 qualification. These preceding bonus provisions remained available where the qualification was gained before July 25, 2011 or the applicant had commenced the course towards the recognised New Zealand qualification on July 24, as worded in the archived instruction; the old provisions allowed bonus points for both a basic and a postgraduate qualification. For the two-year full-time-study assessment, the retained definition covered tertiary undergraduates enrolled in at least three papers per semester, tertiary postgraduates with at least 100 credits per calendar year or a workload of at least 20 hours weekly, and private-training-establishment students with at least 20 hours weekly attendance. This is separate from the ordinary recognised-qualification points scale.

Conditions and exceptions

Validated condition or limit: A recognised New Zealand level 7 bachelor degree requiring at least two years of full-time study in New Zealand earned 10 points, with study over four semesters and at least 16 months.; A recognised postgraduate level 8, 9 or 10 qualification requiring at least one year of full-time New Zealand study earned 10 points; a postgraduate level 9 or 10 qualification requiring at least two years earned 15.; These preceding bonus provisions remained available where the qualification was gained before July 25, 2011 or the applicant had commenced the course towards the recognised New Zealand qualification on July 24, as worded in the archived instruction; For the two-year full-time-study assessment, the retained definition covered tertiary undergraduates enrolled in at least three papers per semester, tertiary postgraduates with at least 100 credits per calendar year or a workload of at least…

Official source excerpt

Quoted verbatim from the official source below. Ellipses indicate omitted text.

SM15.5 Bonus points for New Zealand qualifications (25/07/2011) SM15.5 Bonus points for New Zealand qualifications (25/07/2011) A recognised New Zealand bachelor degree (level seven on the NZQF) (see SM14.5 ) requiring a minimum of two years of full-time study in New Zealand qualifies for 10 points, providing the full-time study was over four semesters during a period of at least 16 months. A recognised post-graduate New Zealand qualification requiring a minimum of one year of full-time study in New Zealand (levels eight, nine, or 10 on the NZQF) (see SM14.5) qualifies for 10 points. A recognised post-graduate New Zealand qualification requiring a minimum of two years of full-time study in New Zealand (level nine or ten on the NZQF) (see SM14.5) qualifies for 15 points. Qualifications gained with New Zealand Aid Programme funding will not qualify for bonus points. Despite (a), (b), and (c) above, the principal applicant will be eligible for New Zealand qualification bonus points under SM15.5.1 if they: gained the qualification before 25 July 2011; or had commenced a course of study towards a recognised New Zealand qualification on 24 July 2011. SM15.5.1 Bonus points for New Zealand qualifications commenced in or completed before 25 July 2011 Two years of full-time study in New Zealand towards a recognised New Zealand qualification qualifies for five points, providing the full-time study was over four semesters during a period of at least 16 months. A recognised basic New Zealand qualification from level four up to and including level eight on the NZQF qualifies for five points. A recognised post-graduate New Zealand qualification that is at level nine or ten on the NZQF qualifies for 10 points. Note: Applicants who hold a recognised basic New Zealand qualification and a recognised post-graduate New Zealand qualification are entitled to claim bonus points for both qualifications. SM15.5.5 Definition of 'full-time study' for the purpose of the Skilled Migrant Category For the purposes of awarding bonus points for two years of full-time study in New Zealand towards a recognised New Zealand qualification under the SMC, study undertaken in New Zealand is defined as full-time where: an undergraduate student at a tertiary education institution was enrolled in at least three papers per semester; or a post-graduate student at a tertiary education institution was enrolled in either a course of study: that resulted in at least 100 credits per calendar year; or with a workload of at least 20 hours per week; or a student at a private training establishment was enrolled in a course of study that required attendance for a minimum of 20 hours per week. Effective 25/07/2011 PREVIOUS IMMIGRATION INSTRUCTIONS SM15.5 Bonus points for New Zealand qualifications (26/03/2012) SM15.5 Bonus points for New Zealand qualifications (07/11/2011) SM15.5 Bonus points for New Zealand qualifications (07/02/2011) SM15.5 Bonus points for New Zealand qualifications (29/11/2010) … Bonus points for New Zealand qualifications (25/07/2011) SM15.5 Bonus points for New Zealand qualifications (25/07/2011) A recognised New Zealand bachelor degree (level seven on the NZQF) (see SM14.5 ) requiring a minimum of two years of full-time study in New Zealand qualifies for 10 points, providing the full-time study was over four semesters during a period of at least 16 months. A recognised post-graduate New Zealand qualification requiring a minimum of one year of full-time study in New Zealand (levels eight, nine, or 10 on the NZQF) (see SM14.5) qualifies for 10 points. A recognised post-graduate New Zealand qualification requiring a minimum of two years of full-time study in New Zealand (level nine or ten on the NZQF) (see SM14.5) qualifies for 15 points. Qualifications gained with New Zealand Aid Programme funding will not qualify for bonus points. Despite (a), (b), and (c) above, the principal applicant will be eligible for New Zealand qualification bonus points under SM15.5.1 if they: gained the qualification before 25 July 2011; or had commenced a course of study towards a recognised New Zealand qualification on 24 July 2011. SM15.5.1 Bonus points for New Zealand qualifications commenced in or completed before 25 July 2011 Two years of full-time study in New Zealand towards a recognised New Zealand qualification qualifies for five points, providing the full-time study was over four semesters during a period of at least 16 months. A recognised basic New Zealand qualification from level four up to and including level eight on the NZQF qualifies for five points. A recognised post-graduate New Zealand qualification that is at level nine or ten on the NZQF qualifies for 10 points. Note: Applicants who hold a recognised basic New Zealand qualification and a recognised post-graduate New Zealand qualification are entitled to claim bonus points for both qualifications. SM15.5.5 Definition of 'full-time study' for the purpose of the Skilled Migrant Category For the purposes of awarding bonus points for two years of full-time study in New Zealand towards a recognised New Zealand qualification under the SMC, study undertaken in New Zealand is defined as full-time where: an undergraduate student at a tertiary education institution was enrolled in at least three papers per semester; or a post-graduate student at a tertiary education institution was enrolled in either a course of study: that resulted in at least 100 credits per calendar year; or with a workload of at least 20 hours per week; or a student at a private training establishment was enrolled in a course of study that required attendance for a minimum of 20 hours per week. Effective 25/07/2011 PREVIOUS IMMIGRATION INSTRUCTIONS SM15.5 Bonus points for New Zealand qualifications (26/03/2012) SM15.5 Bonus points for New Zealand qualifications (07/11/2011) SM15.5 Bonus points for New Zealand qualifications (07/02/2011) SM15.5 Bonus points for New Zealand qualifications (29/11/2010) SM15.5 B …

Review method

Source-based draft with independent Gemini 3.8 Flash verification

Other New Zealand changes operative in 2011

• 2011-04-04Visiting academics: specified short academic activities excluded from work requirements
• 2011-04-18SSE work visa applicants required to demonstrate genuine intention to work for an approved employer
• 2011-07-25Expansion of acceptable investments for migrant investor categories to include registered bank bonds/equities, residential property developments, and finance-company bonds
• 2011-07-25Investor 1 annual physical-presence requirement reduced from 73 to 44 days
• 2011-07-25SMC job-search visa barred for onshore recent Study-to-Work visa holders
• 2011-07-25SMC recognised-qualification points redistributed by qualification level