The "Skilled Migrant Category" is a pathway to residence for people holding skilled job offers from New Zealand employers. It does this by awarding "points" to education, work experience, job offers, and the personal attributes of the applicant. Those "points" are then compared against a fortnightly "Pass Mark".
The Pass Mark can change depending on what annual targets the Government sets. This can be due to how many applicants have already been approved that year and how many applicants are achieving certain "points" in the current draw. This so-called "SMC" or "Points System" is the most often used pathway to residence.
The Skilled Migrant Category is being reviewed by the government and changes are expected around mid-2023.