NZ & Australia Are Sweetening Skilled Migration: What’s New, What’s Next (2025)

Information only — not immigration advice. Always check official sites or a licensed adviser.

Snapshot: Where incentives are heading

Governments in New Zealand and Australia are tightening quality controls while rewarding in-demand skills, higher earnings, and regional commitment. Policy levers now centre on: salary thresholds, occupation lists (including new trades), faster residence pathways, and regional schemes.

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New Zealand — What favours migrants now

1) High earners & registered professionals

• Skilled Migrant Category (SMC): six-point system; income multiples of the median wage can supply points (1.5× / 2× / 3×) [1].
• Wage settings: AEWV and skilled residence thresholds update 18 Aug 2025 to the new median wage NZD 33.56/hr [2].

2) Qualified trades & core skilled roles

• Green List: direct Straight to Residence (Tier 1) or Work to Residence (Tier 2); 2025 expansion adds 10 trade occupations to WTR [3].

3) Essential/sector pathways & regional/seasonal work

• Sector Agreements & exemptions: certain roles get lower wage settings and Work-to-Residence after 24 months with accredited employers [4].
• Care & Transport pathways to residence continue under defined criteria [5].
• Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE): capped, short-term work in horticulture/viticulture — an entry route, not a residence pathway [6].

NZ pay context (quick benchmarks)

• Median wage (policy anchor): NZD 33.56/hr (~NZD 69.8k/year at 40 hrs) [2].
• Typical averages vary by sector (e.g., Manufacturing ~NZD 40.02/hr; Accommodation/Food ~NZD 29.74/hr) [7].

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Australia — What favours migrants now

1) High-income specialists

• Skills in Demand (SID) – Specialist Skills stream: must meet SSIT (income threshold), rising to AUD 141,210 for nominations 1 Jul 2025–30 Jun 2026; targeted fast processing [8].

2) Core skilled workers

• SID – Core Skills stream: requires occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List and pay at/above the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) (AUD 76,515 from 1 Jul 2025) [9].
• Home Affairs targets ~21-day median processing for decision-ready Core cases [10].

3) Regional incentives & labour agreements

• Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs): regional compacts that widen occupations and allow concessions (age, English, salary) to meet local shortages [11].
• Regional visas (491/494) and designated postcode incentives drive settlement outside Sydney/Melbourne/Brisbane [12].

Australia pay context (quick benchmarks)

• Average full-time ordinary-time earnings: AUD 2,010/week in May 2025 (~AUD 104k/year) [13].
• Threshold anchors: TSMIT/CSIT AUD 76,515 (from 1 Jul 2025) [14].

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Historical shifts & near-term trendlines

• NZ: Since 2022’s “Immigration Rebalance,” policy ties eligibility to median-wage-indexed thresholds, adds Green List fast tracks, and maintains sector agreements. Aug 2025 brings fresh wage updates and more trades on WTR [1][2][3][4].
• AU: The old TSS is being replaced by the Skills in Demand framework (Specialist/Core), with salary floors indexed (TSMIT/CSIT) and a stronger regional push via DAMAs. Thresholds stepped up from AUD 53,900 (pre-2023) to AUD 70,000 (2023), AUD 73,150 (2024/25), and AUD 76,515 (2025/26) [8][9].

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Average salary levels — why they matter

• Thresholds (NZ median wage, AU CSIT/TSMIT, AU SSIT) set the minimums for many employer-sponsored pathways and often influence visa length, pathway to PR, and points [1][2][8][9].
• Sector averages can be above or below these floors; candidates should benchmark offers against both policy thresholds and market rates to stay competitive [7][13].

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Why a written job offer is pivotal

Most skilled pathways now hinge on an employer nomination or job offer:

• Australia: nomination lodgement (with salary meeting CSIT/TSMIT/market rate) precedes your visa application [10].
• New Zealand: SMC and Green List routes generally expect a skilled job or job offer meeting wage/registration settings [1].

Bottom line: the right written offer — aligned to wage thresholds and an eligible occupation — is often the key that unlocks the visa door.

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Free first step: no-cost CV check (jobs only)

I’m 100% job-focused (not an immigration adviser). If you want help winning interviews and offers, email your CV for a no-cost assessment: tate@employmentforimmigration.nz. I also provide insider knowledge that helps clients map roles, employers, and outreach strategies that result in a high rate of employer responses, so you can approach the market with a competitive, employer-ready profile and job-finding strategy that works.

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Compliance note (not immigration advice):
This article is general information. Only licensed immigration advisers/lawyers can give immigration advice. Please confirm eligibility and rules on the official Immigration New Zealand and Australian Department of Home Affairs websites, or with a licensed professional. If needed, I may introduce you to an experienced and friendly immigration agent in NZ / AUS.

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References

[1] https://www.newzealandshores.com/residence-via-employment/skilled-migrant-category-resident-visa
[2] https://www.immigration.govt.nz/work/requirements-for-work-visas/wage-rates-for-work-visas
[3] https://www.newzealandshores.com/news/wage-threshold-update-2025
[4] https://www.workingin-newzealand.com/news/inz-changes-to-green-list-wage-thresholds
[5] https://greenstoneimmigration.co.nz/skilled-residence-visa-wage-thresholds-to-increase-this-august
[6] https://www.mbie.govt.nz/immigration-and-tourism/immigration/recognised-seasonal-employer-rse-scheme
[7] https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/labour-market-statistics-march-2025-quarter
[8] https://eiglaw.com/austalia-skilled-visa-income-increase
[9] https://www.ey.com/en_gl/tax-alerts/australia-planning-for-1-july-2025
[10] https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/working-in-australia/skilled-occupation-lists
[11] https://www.australiavisa.com/other-visas/dama-designated-area-migration-agreements
[12] https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-and-support/regional-migration
[13] https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/earnings-and-working-conditions/average-weekly-earnings-australia/latest-release
[14] https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/employing-and-sponsoring/sponsoring-workers/employer-sponsored-visas/temporary-skill-shortage-visa