South Pacific – Qualifications Exempt from Assessment
Lists qualifications from the University of the South Pacific that are exempt from NZQA assessment for Skilled Migrant Category (SM) points purposes.
- Status
- active
- Updated
- 2026-04-29
- Also known as
- USPUniversity of the South Pacific
- Sources
- S-south-pacific
At a glance
The University of the South Pacific (USP) qualifications listed in this section are exempt from New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) assessment for Skilled Migrant Category (SM) points purposes, provided the qualification was awarded within the specified date range and is not excluded by the notes. [S-south-pacific]
USP is a regional university with its main campus in Fiji and other campuses in the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Samoa, and the Marshall Islands. [S-south-pacific]
Definition
The list applies only to qualifications awarded by the University of the South Pacific that appear in the Academic Qualifications Table below. For a qualification to be exempt from assessment and qualify for the indicated points, all of the following must be met: [S-south-pacific]
- The qualification is listed in the Academic Qualifications Table.
- The qualification was awarded from or within the year range listed in the table.
- The qualification is not excluded by the notes that follow the table. [S-south-pacific]
Academic Qualifications Table
| Qualification | Awarded from or between | Level (NZQF) | Points under SM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Agriculture | 1990 | 7 | 50 |
| Bachelor of Arts (speciality may be stated) | 1990 | 7 | 50 |
| Bachelor of Commerce | 2007 | 7 | 50 |
| Bachelor of Engineering | 2015 | 7 | 50 |
| Bachelor of Engineering Technology* | 2002–2014 | 7 | 50 |
| Bachelor of Laws | 1997 | 7 | 50 |
| Bachelor of Science (speciality may be stated) | 1990 | 7 | 50 |
| Bachelor of Technology* | 1999–2003 | 7 | 50 |
| Master of Agriculture | 1990 | 9 | 70 |
| Master of Arts (speciality will be stated) | 1990 | 9 | 70 |
| Master of Education | 2003 | 9 | 70 |
| Master of Science (speciality will be stated) | 1990 | 9 | 70 |
* The Bachelor of Technology and the Bachelor of Engineering Technology are three‑year duration technology degrees. They differ from the four‑year Bachelor of Engineering degrees. [S-south-pacific]
If an applicant believes their qualification sits higher than the level indicated, they must apply to NZQA for an International Qualifications Assessment. [S-south-pacific]
Application in decisions
An immigration officer applying Appendix 3 to a Skilled Migrant Category residence application or a work visa application under WI instructions verifies that the USP qualification meets the three conditions above. If the conditions are satisfied, the qualification is not referred to NZQA and the points shown in the table are awarded. [S-south-pacific]
Interpretation & edge cases
- NZQA referral: Any listed qualification where study was completed at an institution outside the country, including overseas campuses of the University of the South Pacific, must be referred to NZQA for assessment. All qualifications containing cross‑credited courses or papers, all honorary degrees, and all qualifications awarded after 2017 must also be referred to NZQA. [S-south-pacific]
- Original certificates: Award certificates must be provided in the original language. [S-south-pacific]
- Scope of exemption: The exemption covers only immigration points under SM instructions; it does not confer comparability to a New Zealand qualification for professional registration, salary, or employment purposes. [S-south-pacific]
- Effective date: The list is effective from 28 August 2017. [S-south-pacific]
Citations
South Korea Qualifications (Exempt from Assessment)
Lists South Korean qualifications that are exempt from NZQA assessment and their points under the Skilled Migrant Category.
Special directions
The Minister (or delegate) may give immigration officers special directions in relation to persons, visas, or documents in special circumstances, as a matter of absolute discretion.