New Zealand has always been a choice destination for students and working professionals looking to pursue their educational and career goals there.
Thanks to its natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, world-ranked Kiwi universities and top-notch education system, the demand for getting PR and establishing a life in New Zealand is high.
To qualify for a New Zealand work and PR visa, you will need to prove your English language proficiency as part of your application.
Thankfully, you can do this with the IELTS test.
Read on to learn more about the IELTS score requirements that you need to attain to settle permanently there.
Getting a PR in New Zealand
If receiving a PR is your end goal, you’ll need to spend at least 2 years living in New Zealand before you can be considered.
However, there are multiple paths you can take to work towards permanent residency.
The first is the academic path when completing your studies in New Zealand, which allows you to progress towards a post-study work visa. valid for up to 3 years.
The second route is through the various work categories such as the skilled migrant and business categories.
To study in New Zealand
In order to study in New Zealand, you’ll have to obtain a Fee Paying Student Visa, and submit proof of an offer or confirmation of enrolment from an approved institution.
There isn’t an explicit need to prove your English proficiency for your student visa application, but it is still necessary to get enrolled in a course in a New Zealand institution.
This means that attaining an overall IELTS band score of minimum 6.0 is essential for entry to the majority of New Zealand’s universities and courses.
IELTS scores to work and attain New Zealand PR in 2024
Post Study Work Visa
If you graduated or completed an accepted qualification from a New Zealand institution, you’ll be able to apply for a post-study work visa that allows you to stay in New Zealand for 1, 2 or 3 years.
This gives you time and flexibility to work in any job and for any employer in New Zealand, and start working your way up to the 2-year mark for PR application.
There is no need to prove your English proficiency if you have already completed an eligible qualification in New Zealand and demonstrated your English language skills.
Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
Under the Skilled Migrant Category pathway, you’ll be able to live and work in New Zealand indefinitely and work your way up to a Permanent Resident Visa.
As part of your application, you’ll need to attain a minimum overall IELTS score of 6.5 from either the IELTS General Training or Academic test.
Entrepreneur Work Visa
As part of your application for the entrepreneur work visa, you will have to attain a minimum overall IELTS test score of 4.0.
You can take either the IELTS Academic or General Training test as well, to show you are a competent user of English.
Work to Residence Visa
Once you have worked in a Green List Tier 2 in-demand role in New Zealand for two years, you can apply for residence status under the Green List pathway.
In order to do so, you will need to obtain a minimum IELTS overall score of 6.5 in either the General Training or Academic test.
The visa is equivalent to a PR and allows you to:
live in New Zealand as a resident for as long as you like
leave and return to New Zealand as often as you want until your travel conditions expire (typically within two years)
access most publicly funded services
Parent Resident Visa
If you are a parent of a child who lives in New Zealand or is a New Zealand citizen who earns enough and agrees to sponsor you, you can apply to live in New Zealand permanently.
You will still need to show your English language test results, with IELTS General Training or Academic test and attain a minimum overall band score of 5.0, as well as score 4.0 or more in at least 2 of the 4 skills (Listening, reading, writing and speaking).
It is important to note that your test result must be no more than 2 years old at the time of your application.
For more details on available visas, visit New Zealand’s immigration website to identify the right one for you.
Pursue your career and PR in New Zealand with IDP
Ready to embark on your journey to work and live in New Zealand?
As co-owner of the IELTS test, IDP helps students and professionals take the first step towards achieving their desired score for IELTS.
Download the IELTS by IDP app to gain all the benefits at your fingertips, from a wealth of official IELTS preparation resources to convenient test locations.
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