South Africa Technical and Vocational Qualifications (Exempt Assessment)
Lists South African technical and vocational qualifications exempt from NZQA assessment and eligible for points under the Skilled Migrant Category.
- Status
- active
- Updated
- 2026-04-29
- Sources
- S-south-africa-technical-and-vocational-qualifications
At a glance
This page details South African technical and vocational qualifications that are exempt from NZQA assessment and qualify for points under the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) if specific conditions are met. [S-south-africa-technical-and-vocational-qualifications]
Definition
A qualification is exempt and earns the indicated points and NZQF level when it matches the Technical and Vocational Qualifications Table, the awarding body is listed in the Awarding Bodies Tables (Government Departments or Institutions), the abbreviation and year range match, and the qualification is not excluded by notes. [S-south-africa-technical-and-vocational-qualifications] The table includes National Certificates, National Diplomas, National Higher Diplomas, Bachelor of Technology, and Masters Diploma in Technology, each with a specific level and points under SMC. [S-south-africa-technical-and-vocational-qualifications]
Application in decisions
Immigration officers use these tables to determine if an applicant's qualification is exempt and to allocate points. For example, a National Diploma (ND) in Civil Engineering awarded by Technikon SA between 1988 and 1995 qualifies for 40 points at Level 5. [S-south-africa-technical-and-vocational-qualifications] All qualifications awarded after 2017, those completed at overseas campuses, or those containing cross-credited papers must be referred to NZQA for an International Qualifications Assessment. [S-south-africa-technical-and-vocational-qualifications]
Interpretation & edge cases
Exemption requires exact matching of qualification name, awarding body, abbreviation, year range, and speciality. Where an applicant believes their qualification may be at a higher level than stated, they should apply to NZQA for an assessment. [S-south-africa-technical-and-vocational-qualifications] Award certificates must be provided in the original language; English translations are required for non-English documents. [S-south-africa-technical-and-vocational-qualifications] For National Diploma, National Higher Diploma, and Masters Diploma in Technology awarded 1980–1995, the speciality must be one of those listed in List A (e.g. Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Surveying). [S-south-africa-technical-and-vocational-qualifications]
Citations
South Africa – Academic Qualifications Exempt from Assessment
Lists South African academic qualifications exempt from NZQA assessment and their points under the Skilled Migrant Category.
South Africa Trade Qualifications Exempt from NZQA Assessment
Lists South African trade qualifications that may be assessed without NZQA for Skilled Migrant Category points, under specific conditions.