G5.5 Spouse's or partner's qualifications (26/07/1999)

1. Principal applicants may obtain points for qualifications held by their spouse or partner if the spouse or partner is included in the application.
2. Points may be awarded for one qualification only, or for a series of qualifications accepted as being comparable with one New Zealand qualification (see G3.1(c)).
3. Points will not be awarded for qualifications assessed as being comparable with a partially completed New Zealand qualification.
4. The NZIS may award points for overseas qualifications that it accepts as being comparable with New Zealand qualifications, without obtaining further external assessment of the qualification.
5. The NZIS must base its acceptance decision on one or more of the following:
   1. information about comparability, including but not limited to the publications of the Australian National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (NOOSR);
   2. full registration of the spouse or partner by a New Zealand organisation authorised by law to give occupational registration, if registration involves assessing comparability of the overseas qualification with a New Zealand qualification that would attract points;
   3. an NZQA assessment of comparability of the overseas qualification with a New Zealand qualification (see G3.1.5).
6. If the NZIS bases its acceptance decision on subparagraph (e)(i) above and that assessment does not result in the allocation of point claimed by the principal applicant for their spouse's or partner's qualifications, immigration and visa officers must give the principal applicant the opportunity to provide further evidence to establish comparability; eg, a NZQA assessment.
7. The NZIS may, at its discretion, require principal applicants to obtain an NZQA assessment for any spouse's or partner's qualification that they submit.
8. If an NZQA assessment is in conflict with other information held, the NZQA assessment that was obtained for the spouse or partner's qualification will prevail.
9. If a spouse's or partner's qualification is in an occupation for which registration is required by law in New Zealand, they do not need to be registered in order to obtain points.

G5.5.1 Spouse's or partner's base qualification

A qualification held by the principal applicant's spouse or partner must be awarded one point, if it is a New Zealand base qualification or an overseas qualification accepted as being comparable with a New Zealand base qualification.

G5.5.5 Spouse's or partner's advanced qualification or higher

A qualification held by the principal applicant's spouse or partner must be awarded 2 points, if it is a New Zealand advanced qualification, Master's degree or doctoral degree, or it is accepted as being comparable with a New Zealand advanced qualification, Masters degree or doctoral degree.

G5.5.10 Evidence of spouse's or partner's qualification

Evidence is the same as that required for the principal applicant (see G3.20, G3.20.1, G3.20.5).

Effective 26/07/1999