JAKARTA - Immigration New Zealand raised income and sponsorship thresholds for several Pacific and family visa categories on Thursday, April 30, under changes first announced on April 14.
The immigration agency said the changes affect the Pacific Access Category, Samoan Quota, Parent Category Resident Visa and Parent Boost Visitor Visa.“From 30 April 2026, income and sponsorship thresholds will increase for several Pacific and family visa categories,” Immigration New Zealand said in its announcement.
The agency said the updates were part of routine annual reviews to keep thresholds aligned with “current wages, benefit settings, and living costs in New Zealand.”
For Pacific Access Category and Samoan Quota applicants with dependent children, the minimum income threshold increased from NZD $54,133.04 to NZD $55,404.96 per year. For parent visa pathways, sponsorship income thresholds were updated to reflect New Zealand’s June 2025 median wage of NZD $35 per hour, up from NZD $33.56.
Under the Parent Boost Visitor Visa, a single sponsor must now earn at least NZD $72,800 a year to sponsor one parent, rising to NZD $254,800 for six parents. With two sponsors, the threshold starts at NZD $109,200 for one parent and rises to NZD $291,200 for six parents. Sponsors must earn at least the minimum income each year and must have met that threshold for two of the past three completed New Zealand tax years before applying.
The Parent Boost Visitor Visa was originally announced on June 8, 2025, as a multiple-entry visitor visa allowing parents of New Zealand citizens and residents to visit for up to five years, with a possible second visa extending total stay to 10 years.
The income increase applies to small but high-demand family and Pacific migration routes. For 2026, Immigration New Zealand is offering up to 1,750 residence places through the Samoan Quota and Pacific Access Category, including places for citizens of Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Kiribati and Tuvalu.
The parent pathway is also capped, with INZ saying it can approve 2,500 Parent Resident Visas a year. Its latest published snapshot showed 11,831 people in the parent-visa ballot pool, while the newer Parent Boost Visitor Visa had received 708 applications, with 230 approved.