Immigration Update- September 2026

Immigration Update - September 2026

As New Zealand’s general election approaches, proposed immigration policies have been announced. We have pulled together and provided a neutral summary of what is intended or has been announced by each political party ahead of the elections.

ACT

ACT have proposed the following immigration policy changes:

• A new Rural Workforce Visa for dairy, sheep and cattle, and general farm work that will fit within the current accreditation policy. Visas approved under this policy will not be tied to a region and will have a clear pathway to residence.
• The removal of the Permanent Resident Visa and extension of resident visa’s travel conditions to 5 years. Resident visa holders would need to be in New Zealand for 730 days within any rolling 5 year travel condition period. An exemption would apply to Active Investor Plus Category resident visas and would not affect existing holders of Permanent Resident Visas.
• Indefinite deportation liability for residence class visa holders for offences carrying sentences of 10 years or more.
• Set expiries and frequent reviews of Accredited Employer Work Visa Green List categories.
• Five-year welfare stand-down for all residence class visa holders, including jobseeker support, accommodation supplement and income-tested benefits.
• Set an infrastructure surcharge on temporary work visas of $6 per day.
• Extend English language requirements to all AEWV workers that work at any ANZSCO level.
• Bolster overstayer enforcement, with platform employers required to verify and report work rights. Employers who “facilitate overstaying” will lose their accreditation.

Greens

The Greens have proposed the following immigration policy changes:

• Create residence pathways for migrants who have settled long-term, including for people living in Aotearoa whose visas have expired.
• Remove Acceptable Standards of Health requirements.
• Allow migrant work visa holders to switch employers and remove the 12 month Maximum Period of Stay- stand-down period.
• Restore birthright citizenship and remove income barriers to sponsoring a parent visa.
• Implement Māori aspirations for an immigration system based on Te Tiriti, including devolving resources and decision-making to hapū and iwi to strengthen traditional whanaungatanga connections. Provide Te Tiriti education to new migrants and refugees.
• Progressively increase the refugee quota to 5,000 by 2029, increase funding for refugee resettlement programmes and create a humanitarian visa for family of New Zealanders in conflict zones.
• Resource Immigration New Zealand to clear tier 1 and tier 2 family reunification categories and process asylum claims quickly, and stop the unjust detention and electronic monitoring of asylum seekers.

Labour

Labour have proposed the following immigration policy changes:

• Double the period it takes to obtain a Permanent Resident Visa from two years of holding a resident visa to four, with an orientation and civic education programme provided by community education providers.
• Offer children born to undocumented parents a citizenship pathway if they have lived here continuously for 10 years.
• To review financial criteria for parent visa categories.
• Intention to allow migrants to move between accredited employers after three months of employment, as well as review English language rules.
• Reinstate humanitarian appeals against deportation for migrants that have their appeal rights proposed to be taken away under the Immigration (Enhanced Risk Management) Amendment Bill.

National

We could not find any significant immigration policy statements released by National as at 28 September 2026.

NZ First

NZ First have proposed the following immigration policy changes:

• Change birthright citizenship requirements, so that only the children of citizens will be automatically entitled to New Zealand citizenship at birth.
• Remove the ability to seeks asylum while in New Zealand on a working-class visa.
• Remove the ability of asylum claimants to apply for a visa of another category.
• Double the required period to qualify for citizenship from five years to a minimum of ten years.
• Increase the qualifying period for permanent residence from two to five years.
• Increase the application cost of applying for New Zealand citizenship and permanent residence.
• Implement a 10-year welfare stand-down period for all visa holders.
• Extension of deportation liability to cover any offence for which any term of imprisonment is available as a sentence. Deportation will be automatic for a number of crimes including violent, sexual, fraud, organised crime, money laundering, and migrant exploitation.
• Hold a referendum on the introduction of a legislated annual cap of 20,000 resident visas a year.
• A 24-month amnesty for overstayers, with no restrictions on applications to return if they self-deport within the 24-month period. Overstayers who remain beyond the amnesty period will be permanently ineligible to apply for any visa in future. Overstayers of Pacific origin will instead receive a 24-month amnesty period to apply for a valid visa which will allow them to remain in the country legally.
• Student visa holders will be required to leave New Zealand before applying for another visa. Work rights will not be granted to international students by default but will need to be applied for.
• Limit voting and superannuation to citizens only.

Te Pāti Māori

We could not find any significant immigration policy statements released by Te Pāti Māori as at 28 September 2026.

The Opportunity Party

We could not find any significant immigration policy statements released by The Opportunity Party as at 28 September 2026. The Opportunity Party have indicated a need for a revised a long term population/immigration strategy.

Moving forward

As migrants, HR professionals, and practitioners alike take stock of the ever-changing landscape, clarity and purpose is more essential than ever. Our team are always ready to help, and we take pride in our ability to offer bespoke advice and tailored guidance.

Disclaimer: We remind you that while this article provides commentary on employment law, health and safety and immigration topics, it should not be used as a substitute for legal or professional advice for specific situations. Please seek legal advice from your lawyer for any questions specific to your workplace.