In Focus

More points for NZ crew: the revised 5% Uplift explained

International productions chasing an extra 5% rebate now have more reason to employ New Zealand crew.

Published on:

September 2, 2026

If production rebates, qualifying spend and points tests aren’t exactly your normal lunch-time conversation, here’s the bit worth knowing:

NZ crew now carry more weight.

The rules for the additional 5% Uplift available to qualifying international productions have been revised. More points are now available for employing New Zealand crew, more crew roles can contribute, and paid attachments and internships are worth more too.

For crew, that matters because these productions need to collect enough points to qualify for the extra rebate - and hiring and developing New Zealand crew can now help them get there faster.
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First: what is the 5% Uplift?

International productions filming in New Zealand can receive a 20% rebate on eligible New Zealand production spending.

If a production has at least NZ$20 million in eligible New Zealand spend, it can apply for an additional 5% Uplift, taking the rebate to 25%.

But that extra 5% isn’t automatic.

Productions have to earn enough points under a test covering things like:

employing New Zealand cast and crew
carrying out production work here
creating training and development opportunities
promoting New Zealand
meeting other qualifying criteria

Think of it as a points board.

Get enough points and the production can unlock the extra 5%.

And the points board has just changed.
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The big change: NZ crew are worth more

Productions now need 30 out of 90 available points to qualify for the Uplift.

Previously, they needed 40 out of 85.

More importantly for crew, several of the criteria involving New Zealand workers are now worth more points.
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A predominantly Kiwi crew now earns triple the points

If 80% or more of the production’s crew are New Zealand citizens or permanent residents, the production can now earn:

3 points

Previously, the same crew percentage earned:

1 point

That means having a predominantly New Zealand crew now makes a considerably bigger contribution towards securing the Uplift.
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Your individual job might count too

Productions can also earn points by employing New Zealanders in particular senior and specialist roles.

Some senior positions, including Director, Producer, Executive Producer, Showrunner and Writer are now worth 4 points each, with up to three positions able to count.

That means these roles can contribute as much as:

12 points

Previously, the maximum was 9.

There is also a much wider group of crew positions that can now earn 1 point each, with up to 10 positions able to count.

And this is where plenty of Guild members may recognise their own job:

1st and 2nd Assistant Director
Access Coordinator
Art Director
Choreographer
Colourist
Composer
Costume Designer
Director of Photography
Editor
Financial Controller
Hair
Intimacy Coordinator
Line Producer / Unit Production Manager
Make Up
Music Editor
Post-production Supervisor
Production Accountant
Production Designer
Sound Designer
Sound Editor
Sound Mixer
Special Effects Supervisor
Stunt Coordinator
Supervising Art Director
VFX Supervisor

Under the previous system, these sorts of roles were divided into two groups. Some earned 1 point, while others earned only half a point, with a maximum of 8 points available across the groups.

Now, eligible roles are worth 1 point each, with up to 10 points available.

There are some new additions too. Access Coordinator, Colourist, Intimacy Coordinator, Music Editor and Post-production Supervisor did not appear on the previous crew lists.

And if your particular role isn’t listed, NZFC can consider other crew positions on a case-by-case basis.
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Moving up can help a production earn points too

There’s another change that could be particularly useful for experienced crew wanting to step up into bigger roles.

Productions can earn points by giving experienced New Zealand screen workers an opportunity to work alongside a Head of Department or another senior crew member, building experience at a higher level or on a larger international production.

These are called attachments.

Importantly, an attachment must be:

paid
credited
a genuine development opportunity
additional to the normal crew complement - it cannot replace an existing paid crew job

Attachments are now worth 3 points, up from 2.

Productions spending $100 million or less in qualifying New Zealand production costs need at least two attachments to earn the points.

Productions spending more than $100 million need at least four.

That means developing New Zealand crew isn’t just a nice extra - it can directly help a production towards its Uplift.
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Paid internships are worth more too

Internships have also received a sizeable points boost.

Productions can now earn 3 points for providing qualifying paid internships to New Zealand citizens or permanent residents.

Previously, internships were worth just 1 point.

The requirements have also changed.

Productions spending $100 million or less now need at least two interns, while productions spending more than $100 million need at least four.

Each internship must:

include at least 100 hours of work
have a nominated supervisor
be paid at no less than the New Zealand living wage
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The quick version

Here’s what has changed for the crew-related parts of the Uplift:

80%+ New Zealand crew
1 point → 3 points

Eligible senior New Zealand roles
Maximum 9 points → 12 points

Other eligible New Zealand crew roles
Maximum 8 points → 10 points

Paid attachments
2 points → 3 points

Paid internships
1 point → 3 points
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So, does this mean international productions have to hire more Kiwi crew?

Not quite.

Productions can collect the 30 points needed for the Uplift through a number of different criteria, so there is no rule saying they must employ a particular number of New Zealand crew.

But there is now a stronger incentive built into the system.

Employing New Zealand crew, putting New Zealanders into key roles and creating genuine paid opportunities for people to step up can now make a bigger contribution towards a production securing that additional 5% rebate.

And when that 5% can be worth millions of dollars on a major international production, those points matter.

For New Zealand screen workers, that is the important part of this change:

Our crew, our skills and the opportunities created for New Zealanders now carry more weight when international productions make their case for the extra rebate.
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What about productions already underway?

Productions that already hold a current Provisional Certificate under the 2026 Criteria can choose whether to use the updated points test or remain under their existing test when they submit their final application.

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