Key points
- Skilled residence: overall 58 for the principal applicant
- No per-skill minimum for PTE
- Results under 2 years old, taken at a test centre
PTE for New Zealand
PTE for New Zealand: the scores Immigration New Zealand asks for
Immigration New Zealand accepts PTE Academic and reads the overall score. The Skilled Migrant Category and the other skilled residence visas need 58 for the principal applicant and 36 for family members; the Accredited Employer Work Visa needs 29 for jobs at skill level 3 to 5. Results must be under 2 years old and taken at a centre.
PTE Academic scores Immigration New Zealand asks for
Immigration New Zealand reads the PTE Academic overall score for these visas; it sets no separate per-skill minimum for PTE. Each row was checked on immigration.govt.nz.
| Visa | PTE Academic | Who needs it | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa | PTE AcademicOverall 58 or more | Who needs itPrincipal applicant | SourceImmigration New Zealand, skilled residence English requirements | Checked21 Oct 2026 |
| Straight to Residence, Work to Residence, Transport Work to Residence, Care Workforce Work to Residence | PTE AcademicOverall 58 or more | Who needs itPrincipal applicant | SourceImmigration New Zealand, skilled residence English requirements | Checked21 Oct 2026 |
| Skilled residence visas, family members | PTE AcademicOverall 36 or more | Who needs itPartner, and dependent children aged 16 or over | SourceImmigration New Zealand, skilled residence English requirements | Checked21 Oct 2026 |
| Accredited Employer Work Visa | PTE AcademicOverall 29 or more | Who needs itPrincipal applicant in a job at skill level 3 to 5; none at skill level 1 or 2 | SourceImmigration New Zealand, AEWV English requirements | Checked21 Oct 2026 |
| Student visas and university admission | PTE AcademicSet by the education provider | Who needs itCheck the offer of place and the programme page | SourcePearson, PTE in New Zealand | Checked21 Oct 2026 |
How Immigration New Zealand reads a PTE result
Skilled residence needs a PTE Academic overall of 58, with no per-skill floor, from a recent test at a centre.
For the skilled residence visas, including the Skilled Migrant Category, the principal applicant needs a PTE Academic overall score of 58 or more. Immigration New Zealand sets no per-skill floor for PTE, so a low skill does not fail the requirement on its own as long as the overall reaches 58. Under Pearson’s July 2025 concordance, 58 sits in the band aligned with IELTS 6.5.
Partners and dependent children aged 16 or over need an overall 36, and can meet it by paying for English lessons instead of sitting a test. The Accredited Employer Work Visa asks for an overall 29 when the job is at skill level 3 to 5; jobs at skill level 1 or 2 have no English requirement for that visa.
In every case the result must be no more than 2 years old when you apply and must come from a test taken in person at a centre.
Other ways to meet the English requirement
Some passport holders and graduates can skip the test; if no exemption fits, PTE Academic is the simplest evidence.
Immigration New Zealand also accepts some applicants without a test. For the skilled residence visas these include citizens of Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States who have spent at least five years working or studying in one of those countries, Australia or New Zealand.
They also include holders of a bachelor’s degree comparable to New Zealand level 7, or a postgraduate qualification at level 8 or above, gained in one of those six countries after the required period of study. Check the exact wording on the Immigration New Zealand page before relying on an exemption; if it does not fit, PTE Academic is the simplest evidence.
Key points
- Some passport holders with five years in an English-speaking country
- Some degrees gained in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK or the US
- Otherwise, a PTE Academic overall score
Studying in New Zealand
Your university or polytechnic sets the PTE entry score, and the figure often changes by programme.
For a place at a university or polytechnic, the provider sets the English entry score in its offer. The University of Auckland’s general undergraduate requirement, for example, is PTE Academic 50 overall with no communicative score below 42, and some programmes ask for more.
Read the programme page for the year you will start, then plan the test so the result is in before the application deadline. The accepted universities page explains how to read a requirement written in IELTS terms.
Key points
- The provider sets the entry score
- Requirements often vary by programme
- Check the page for your intake year
Planning for 58 or a university score
Immigration New Zealand reads the overall, so tasks that feed several skills usually give the quickest gains.
Start with one complete scored mock. The free full mock test gives an overall and four skill scores, and the score calculator shows the IELTS equivalent. Book when a mock clears the target with a few points to spare.
Because Immigration New Zealand reads the overall, the quickest gains usually come from the tasks that feed more than one skill, such as Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence and Write From Dictation. The test is the same PTE Academic described on the PTE Academic page.
Key points
- Measure the overall with a full mock
- Work on tasks that feed several skills
- Book with a margin above the target
Rules that decide whether a result counts
What Immigration New Zealand and Pearson say about the test itself.
| Rule | What applies | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Validity | What appliesNo more than 2 years old at the time you apply. | SourceImmigration New Zealand | Checked21 Oct 2026 |
| Where you sit it | What appliesIn person at a test centre. Tests taken remotely, such as at-home tests, are not accepted. | SourceImmigration New Zealand | Checked21 Oct 2026 |
| Which PTE | What appliesPTE Academic. Immigration New Zealand names only PTE Academic; PTE Core is not listed. | SourceImmigration New Zealand; Pearson | Checked21 Oct 2026 |
| Acceptance | What appliesPearson says PTE Academic is accepted by Immigration New Zealand and by every New Zealand university. | SourcePearson, PTE in New Zealand | Checked21 Oct 2026 |
| University example | What appliesUniversity of Auckland, general undergraduate entry: overall 50 with no communicative score below 42. Some programmes ask for more. | SourceUniversity of Auckland | Checked21 Oct 2026 |
Related
- PTE AcademicThe test Immigration New Zealand accepts
- Free PTE mock testOne complete scored mock, no card
- PTE score calculatorOverall, skills and IELTS equivalent
- PTE accepted universitiesMinimum scores by country, sourced
- PTE 65 planSix weeks to 65 overall
- PTE fees and bookingFees, rescheduling and refunds
- PTE for Australian visasPer-skill minimums for Australian visas
- PTE resultsTiming, checking, sending and rescoring
Frequently asked questions
What PTE score do I need for the Skilled Migrant Category?
An overall 58 or more for the principal applicant, per Immigration New Zealand. There is no separate per-skill minimum for PTE, the result must be under 2 years old and the test must be taken at a centre.
Does New Zealand accept PTE Academic?
Yes. Immigration New Zealand accepts PTE Academic for residence and work visas, and Pearson says it is accepted for all New Zealand student and migration visas and by every New Zealand university.
Does Immigration New Zealand accept PTE taken at home?
No. Immigration New Zealand requires the test to be taken in person at a test centre and does not accept tests taken remotely, such as at home.
What PTE score do I need for the Accredited Employer Work Visa?
An overall 29 or more when the job is at skill level 3 to 5. Jobs at skill level 1 or 2 have no English requirement for the Accredited Employer Work Visa.
What PTE score does my partner need for New Zealand residence?
An overall 36 or more for a partner or dependent child aged 16 or over on a skilled residence application. They can also meet the requirement by paying for English lessons.