From 30 April 2026, the income and sponsorship thresholds for several Pacific and family visas will increase. The changes affect the Pacific Access Category, Samoan Quota, Parent Category Resident Visa and Parent Boost Visitor Visa.
The update also clarifies how the skilled work experience and wage rules apply to the Work to Residence Visa (WTR).
01. Income thresholds for several visas change from 30 April
The changes cover the income and sponsorship requirements for Pacific and family visas. Applicants and sponsors should check their application date carefully, and whether the new thresholds apply to their own income or their sponsor's income.
02. Parent Category Resident Visa
The income threshold for Parent Category Resident Visa sponsors will be updated to be based on the June 2025 median wage of NZD 35.00 per hour; the previous benchmark was NZD 33.56 per hour.
The new sponsor income requirements increased on 30 April 2026. Applicants who have already submitted an application are not affected by this change.
Sponsors must meet the income requirement in any 2 of the 12-month periods in the 3 years before the EOI is selected. The requirement starts at 1.5 times the New Zealand median wage to sponsor 1 parent, and increases by 0.5 times the median wage for each additional parent.
Table 1: Minimum income for one sponsor
| Effective date | Median wage (NZD) | 1 parent | 2 parents | 3 parents | 4 parents | 5 parents | 6 parents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From 30 April 2026 | 72,800 | 109,200 | 145,600 | 182,000 | 218,400 | 254,800 | 291,200 |
| 28 February 2025 – 29 April 2026 | 69,804.80 | 104,707.20 | 139,609.60 | 174,512 | 209,414.40 | 244,316.80 | 279,219.20 |
| 28 February 2024 – 27 February 2025 | 65,748.80 | 98,623.20 | 131,497.60 | 164,372 | 197,246.40 | 230,120.80 | 262,995.20 |
| May 2023 – 27 February 2024 | 61,692.80 | 92,539.20 | 123,385.60 | 154,232 | 185,078.40 | 215,924.80 | 246,771.20 |
| January 2022 – April 2023 | 57,740.80 | 86,611.20 | 115,481.60 | 144,352 | 173,222.40 | 202,092.80 | 230,963.20 |
| January – December 2021 | 56,160 | 84,240 | 112,320 | 140,400 | 168,480 | 196,560 | 224,640 |
| January – December 2020 | 53,040 | 79,560 | 106,080 | 132,600 | 159,120 | 185,640 | 212,160 |
Table 2: Minimum income for two sponsors
| Effective date | Median wage (NZD) | 1 parent | 2 parents | 3 parents | 4 parents | 5 parents | 6 parents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From 30 April 2026 | 72,800 | 145,600 | 182,000 | 218,400 | 254,800 | 291,200 | 327,600 |
| 28 February 2025 – 29 April 2026 | 69,804.80 | 139,609.60 | 174,512 | 209,414.40 | 244,316.80 | 279,219.20 | 314,121.60 |
| 28 February 2024 – 27 February 2025 | 65,748.80 | 131,497.60 | 164,372 | 197,246.40 | 230,120.80 | 262,995.20 | 295,869.60 |
| May 2023 – 27 February 2024 | 61,692.80 | 123,385.60 | 154,232 | 185,078.40 | 215,924.80 | 246,771.20 | 277,617.60 |
| January 2022 – April 2023 | 57,740.80 | 115,481.60 | 144,352 | 173,222.40 | 202,092.80 | 230,963.20 | 259,833.60 |
| January – December 2021 | 56,160 | 112,320 | 140,400 | 168,480 | 196,560 | 224,640 | 252,720 |
| January – December 2020 | 53,040 | 106,080 | 132,600 | 159,120 | 185,640 | 212,160 | 238,680 |
03. Parent Boost Visitor Visa
For Parent Boost Visitor Visa applications, the income thresholds for both applicants and sponsors will increase. The changes apply to applications submitted on or after 30 April 2026.
Table 3: Minimum annual income for one sponsor
| Parents sponsored | Minimum annual income (NZD) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 72,800 |
| 2 | 109,200 |
| 3 | 145,600 |
| 4 | 182,000 |
| 5 | 218,400 |
| 6 | 254,800 |
Table 4: Minimum annual income for two sponsors
| Parents sponsored | Minimum annual income (NZD) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 109,200 |
| 2 | 145,600 |
| 3 | 182,000 |
| 4 | 218,400 |
| 5 | 254,800 |
| 6 | 291,200 |
Income requirements explained
- Sponsors must meet at least the minimum income requirement each year.
- Sponsors must have met the minimum income requirement in at least 2 of the 3 New Zealand financial years before the application.
Applicants can also support their stay in New Zealand with their own funds. The New Zealand financial year runs from 1 April to 31 March the following year.
| Option | Single applicant | With partner |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant's annual income | NZD 33,663.24 per year | NZD 51,182.56 per year |
| Personal savings | NZD 170,000 | NZD 260,000 |
These amounts are based on NZ Superannuation: the income amount matches the annual pension, and the savings amount is equivalent to 5 years of the pension.
04. Pacific Access Category and Samoan Quota
For new applicants with dependent children, the minimum salary for a New Zealand job offer changes to NZD 55,404.96, up from NZD 54,133.04.
05. Work to Residence Visa
Update, 24 August 2026: for WTR resident visa applications made from that date, if the wage rate for the occupation rises after the applicant starts work, they do not need to meet the higher rate when applying; they must keep earning at least the rate that applied when they first started gaining work experience. The points and scenarios below about meeting the wage threshold at the time of application apply to applications made before 24 August 2026. See New Zealand SMC and WTR changes 2026.
When you apply for a WTR resident visa, INZ looks back over a continuous 30-month period from your application date. Within that period, you must have at least 24 months of qualifying skilled work experience in New Zealand.
You must meet the wage threshold that applied during your skilled work experience, and you must also meet the wage threshold that applies at the time you apply for the resident visa.
06. What work experience counts
Only qualifying work counts towards work experience, which means:
- full-time work;
- a Green List Tier 2 occupation, or an occupation paid at twice the median wage; and
- pay at or above the required wage threshold.
Statutory leave taken during this work, such as annual leave, bereavement leave or parental leave, can also count as work experience. If an occupation is removed from the Green List after you start work, qualifying time already gained in that role still counts towards the 24-month requirement.
Special case for applications made before 29 September 2023
If you applied for a work visa or Critical Purpose Visitor Visa before 29 September 2023 and no specific hourly rate was set for the role, the relevant median wage rules apply when you apply for the resident visa.
How the 24 months are counted
The 24 months of work experience can be counted from 29 September 2021 or later. When you start gaining work experience, you must at the same time hold a qualifying visa, be in qualifying work and be paid at or above the required wage threshold.
07. How the WTR wage threshold is assessed
The wage threshold used for counting work experience is the hourly rate set for the role; if no hourly rate is set, the median wage at the time is used.
If the median wage later increases, work experience already under way can continue to count as long as your pay has not dropped and you remain in the same role. However, when you apply for the Residence Visa you must still meet the wage requirement that applies at the time of application.
08. Changing jobs or a break in work
Changing jobs
If you change jobs during the 24-month period, your pay in the new job must meet the hourly rate set for that role at the time you change jobs; if no hourly rate is set, it must meet the median wage at that time. Periods paid below the threshold do not count; if your pay later rises back to the threshold, you can continue counting from the date you meet it again.
Breaks in work experience
Work experience stops counting when your work visa expires, you are no longer in qualifying work, your pay after a job change is below the applicable threshold, or your pay falls below the required threshold. Qualifying time already gained does not automatically lapse; once you meet the requirements again, you can start counting again.
09. Five WTR scenarios
Scenario 1: 24 months of work but no pay rise
An applicant started as a Slaughterer on 17 August 2024 at NZD 31.61 per hour and worked continuously for 24 months in the same role with the same employer. By the time they apply for a resident visa on 17 August 2026, the median wage has become NZD 35.00. Even though they have completed 24 months of experience, they must be paid at least NZD 35.00 per hour in their current or a new role when they apply, so if their original pay is below the threshold at the time of application, they do not meet the employment requirement.
Scenario 2: More than 30 months of work but no pay rise
An applicant started as a Corrections Officer on 27 February 2024 at NZD 29.66 per hour. On 17 June 2024 the median wage rose to NZD 31.61; because they stayed in the same role and their pay did not drop, their work experience could continue to count. If they apply for WTR on 17 December 2026, only the 30 months before the application can be counted – 17 June 2024 to 17 December 2026. The experience in that window counts and meets the 24-month requirement. However, under the rules when this article was published, their pay at the time of application must also meet the threshold that applies then, and they are still paid NZD 29.66 per hour, so they do not meet the application requirements.
Scenario 3: Changing employers during the 24 months
An applicant started as a Loader Operator on 20 February 2024, when the wage threshold was NZD 34.11. When they changed employers on 25 February 2025, the threshold was NZD 36.35; to keep counting experience, they had to be paid at least NZD 36.35. When they apply for a resident visa on 20 February 2026, the threshold is NZD 40.25, so at the time of application they must be paid at least NZD 40.25 or have a job offer that meets that wage threshold.
Scenario 4: A break in work
An applicant started as a special education teacher on 9 December 2023 at NZD 27.76 per hour. They stopped working on 9 December 2024 and took 6 months off, then returned to work on 9 June 2025 at NZD 31.61 and worked continuously for 12 months. The first 12-month period and the second 12-month period can be combined to meet the 24-month requirement; when applying on 9 June 2026, they must meet the median wage threshold in effect at that time, NZD 35.00.
Scenario 5: A pay cut
An applicant started a Green List Tier 2 job in April 2024 and met the wage requirement. In October 2024 their pay fell below the threshold and their work experience stopped counting. In January 2025 their pay returned to the threshold, and their work experience started counting again from the date they met it again.
10. A note from Leader
The income and sponsorship conditions for parent visas, and the work experience and wage rules for WTR, all depend closely on timing. Before preparing an EOI, sponsorship documents or a WTR application, check the applicable dates, your work records, any changes in pay and the requirements in force at the time you apply.