Master prompt
Personal statement for SMC Resident Visa (six-point system)
Personal statement for the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa under SM1 — six-point system, accredited-employer-job evidence, settlement plan, partner and dependant inclusion.
New ZealandSMCResident VisaSM1Six-point systemINZ 1198Settlement
Draft a Personal Statement for [CLIENT_NAME]'s INZ 1198 Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa application under Operations Manual chapter SM1.
CONTEXT — SM1 SIX-POINT SYSTEM (post-2023 reform)
The Expression of Interest (EOI) under the old SM has been replaced.
Applicants now meet a single six-point threshold across five pillars
(applicants do not need points in every pillar — minimum 6 total):
Pillar A — Occupational Registration (NZ)
• 3 points — full registration with relevant NZ professional body
(Engineering NZ, Medical Council, Nursing Council, etc.)
• 0 — no registration
Pillar B — Recognised Qualification
• 3 — Doctorate (NZQA Level 10) OR Master's (Level 9)
• 2 — Bachelor's with Honours (Level 8) OR Bachelor's Level 7
• 0 — below Level 7
(NZQA IQA required for non-NZ qualifications)
Pillar C — Income
• 3 — base salary ≥ 3x median wage (NZD 197.34/hr equiv as at 2026)
• 2 — ≥ 2x median wage
• 1 — ≥ 1.5x median wage
• 0 — below 1.5x median wage
Pillar D — NZ Work Experience (in skilled employment, ANZSCO 1-3)
• 3 — 6+ years
• 2 — 3-5 years (or 2 years if combined with another pillar)
• 1 — 1 year
• 0 — under 1 year of NZ skilled work
Pillar E — Skilled Employment in NZ
(NB: this pillar is OFFER + ACCREDITED + at skill level — used to
qualify the application; doesn't add to points beyond the gate)
[SIX_POINT_BREAKDOWN] is the proposed scoring for [CLIENT_NAME].
§1 — RECIPIENT + SUBJECT
Recipient: "Immigration New Zealand — Skilled Migrant Resident Branch"
Subject: "Personal statement — SMC Resident Visa application (INZ 1198) —
[CLIENT_NAME] (age [AGE], [HOME_CITY])"
§2 — OPENING (60-80 words)
"I, [CLIENT_NAME], age [AGE], of [HOME_CITY], India (currently on
[CURRENT_NZ_VISA]), am applying for a Resident Visa under the Skilled
Migrant Category. This personal statement sets out the basis for the
six-point assessment under SM1, my settlement plan, and the unwinding
of my obligations in India. None — single applicant are included as
secondary applicants."
§3 — OCCUPATIONAL REGISTRATION (Pillar A) (60-100 words)
If NZ professional registration applies and is held:
- Name of registering body (Engineering NZ / Medical Council NZ /
Nursing Council NZ / Teaching Council / NZ Law Society etc.)
- Registration number + grade (e.g. CPEng / RN / RTC)
- Date of registration in NZ
- 3 points claimed
If not applicable (most engineering / IT / business roles do not
require NZ registration):
"Occupational registration is not required for the offered role
([ANZSCO_CODE]). 0 points claimed under Pillar A."
§4 — QUALIFICATIONS (Pillar B) (120-180 words)
Walk [QUALIFICATIONS]:
- List qualifications in descending NZQA level
- For non-NZ qualifications, cite NZQA International Qualifications
Assessment (IQA) reference + comparable NZ qualification level
- For NZ qualifications, cite the provider + level + completion date
Cite the highest qualification's points value (3 for Level 9-10, 2
for Level 7-8). State the points claimed under Pillar B.
If qualifications were obtained in English-medium institutions in
India (most are), confirm this fact — it supports English-language
sufficiency for skilled-migrant assessment.
§5 — INCOME (Pillar C) (100-150 words)
From [JOB_OFFER]:
- Base annual salary (NZD)
- Current median wage threshold (NZD 31.61/hr × 40 × 52 = NZD ~65,752
as at 2026-02 — verify current published rate)
- 1.5x = ~ NZD 98,628 / yr
- 2x = ~ NZD 131,504 / yr
- 3x = ~ NZD 197,256 / yr
State which bracket [CLIENT_NAME]'s offer falls into. Cite payslips +
employment agreement + accredited-employer status (the offered job
MUST be with an accredited employer for SMC eligibility).
State points claimed under Pillar C.
§6 — NZ WORK EXPERIENCE (Pillar D) (120-180 words)
Walk [EMPLOYMENT_HISTORY] — focus on the NZ portion:
- Total months / years in NZ in ANZSCO 1-3 roles
- Each NZ role: employer + dates + ANZSCO code + skill level
- Continuous employment evidence (payslips + IRD records + employment
agreements)
Note: only ANZSCO Skill Level 1-3 work in NZ counts. Time on a student
visa or on a partner visa working in skill level 4-5 does not count
for Pillar D.
State points claimed under Pillar D.
§7 — SKILLED EMPLOYMENT IN NZ (Pillar E gate) (80-120 words)
Confirm:
- Current employment OR firm offer of employment with accredited
employer [employer name] — accreditation reference
- Role: [role title] — ANZSCO [code] — Skill Level [1-3]
- Pay at / above median wage threshold
- Permanent or fixed-term ≥ 24 months
- Worksite in NZ
This pillar is the gate, not a score-contributor. If not met, the
application is ineligible regardless of points elsewhere.
§8 — SIX-POINT TOTAL + ELIGIBILITY STATEMENT (40-60 words)
"Summing the scores from Pillars A-D and confirming the gate at
Pillar E, I claim a total of [X] points (threshold: 6). I therefore
respectfully submit that I meet the SM1 threshold for SMC Resident
Visa grant."
§9 — PARTNER AND DEPENDANTS INCLUSION (120-180 words)
From None — single applicant:
- Each secondary applicant: full legal name + DOB + relationship +
current NZ visa (if held)
- Partner: evidence of partnership genuine + stable (F2.10) — date
relationship began, cohabitation history, joint financial accounts,
shared address bond / lease, photos with timestamps
- Dependent child: birth certificate, school enrolment if in NZ,
proof both parents consent (if shared custody)
State: "All secondary applicants are included in this application and
have completed their own INZ 1198 (Family Section) declarations."
§10 — SETTLEMENT PLAN (NZ TIES) (200-260 words)
[NZ_TIES_AND_SETTLEMENT] is the spine. Detail:
(a) Housing
Current rental — address, term, monthly rent — and plans for
home purchase if applicable. If renting longer-term: confirm
stable tenancy.
(b) Children's education
Schools enrolled at — name, decile / Equity Index band, terms
enrolled. Plans for further education (Year 13 + university).
(c) Community
Specific named connections: religious / cultural / professional /
sport associations. Avoid generic claims; name one or two
organisations with applicant's role / membership length.
(d) Financial integration
KiwiSaver since [date], IRD number registered, NZ-based emergency
fund. NZ driver licence held (note: if converted from Indian licence,
confirm conversion + theory + practical completed under NZTA rules
for non-condition-restricted full licence).
(e) Health
Family enrolled with a named GP / PHO. Mental health, ongoing
condition management if relevant (declarable per A4 but does NOT
automatically bar — many residence applicants have managed
conditions).
§11 — UNWINDING INDIA TIES (100-150 words)
This is the symmetric paragraph to ties-to-home in temporary visa SOPs.
For SMC, you want to evidence the SHIFT of life centre to NZ.
From [INDIA_TIES_DISPOSITION]:
- Property — sold / rented out / retained-with-plan
- Bank accounts — Resident Indian accounts closed or converted to
NRO/NRE per FEMA
- Investments — MFs / shares converted to NRO holding
- Parents — visiting NZ on multi-entry visitor / planning Parent
Resident Visa application (if eligible under PRV criteria)
- Civic — Aadhaar status, voter roll de-registration plan
Note: Indian Citizenship Act s.9 — Indian citizenship is NOT lost on
NZ residence (only on NZ naturalisation). Confirm OCI not yet relevant
unless citizenship is the eventual goal.
§12 — UNDERTAKINGS + CLOSING (60-90 words)
- Confirm truth + completeness of information
- Confirm intent to reside in NZ as a primary place of residence
- Confirm understanding of PRV criteria after 2 years of residence
(commitment to NZ + presence + character + health)
- Confirm s.158 / s.158A awareness
Sign + date + place.
OUTPUT FORMAT
- 1,100-1,300 words, formal first person
- §3 to §8 are the load-bearing six-point section — these are read by
the officer first
- §10 is the load-bearing settlement section — read second
- Cross-reference document index letters for every numeric claim
End with: "DRAFT — for IAA-licensed immigration adviser review. Verify against current INZ Operations Manual before submission."Unlock the vault to see the full prompt