Data
New Zealand immigration statistics
Figures journalists, researchers and writers can quote, every one of them computed from our own verified data rather than typed into a paragraph. Free to republish with attribution.
Based on 386 rows across 3 datasets, verified against official sources. .
Key statistics
Every statistic below is written to survive being pasted somewhere else: it names its own scope, denominator and year. Each one has its own link, so you can cite a single figure rather than the page.
- 386
NZ Visa Guide publishes 386 verified rows of New Zealand immigration data across 3 datasets — 62 INZ fee lines, 120 countries and territories, and 201 Green List roles — all checked against official sources and last verified on 2026-08-20.
#dataset-scope - 12 of 25
On 12 of the 25 New Zealand immigration application types that carry both charges, the immigration levy costs more than the visa application fee itself (2026) — Immigration New Zealand's own visa pages show only the combined total.
#levy-exceeds-fee - $27,470
The most expensive application in the New Zealand immigration system is the Active Investor Plus Category at $27,470 (2026): a $12,070 application fee plus a $15,400 immigration levy.
#most-expensive-application - $441
A standard offshore New Zealand Visitor Visa costs $441 (2026), which is three separate charges and not one: a $300 application fee, a $41 immigration levy, and the $100 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy charged per person.
#visitor-visa-true-cost - 26%
Applicants from the Pacific pay a median of 26% less than the rest of the world across the 40 New Zealand application types priced in both fee bands (2026); the widest gap is the Visitor Visa at 60% less, and 3 types cost the same in both bands.
#pacific-band-discount - $6
The New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority costs $23 through the Immigration New Zealand website but $17 through the official mobile app — a $6 difference, or 26% less, for an identical travel authority (2026).
#nzeta-channel-gap - 60 of 120
60 of the 120 countries and territories in this dataset hold New Zealand visa-waiver status (2026), meaning their citizens may travel without applying for a visitor visa first.
#visa-waiver-countries - 60 of 60
All 60 of the 60 New Zealand visa-waiver countries still require an NZeTA before travel (2026) — visa-waiver status removes the visa application, not the paperwork or the fee.
#waiver-still-needs-nzeta - 6 months
United Kingdom is the only country whose citizens may stay in New Zealand for 6 months visa-free (2026); the other 59 visa-waiver countries are limited to 3 months.
#longest-visa-free-stay - 45 of 120
New Zealand runs Working Holiday Schemes with 45 of the 120 countries and territories in this dataset (2026); the remaining 75 have no Working Holiday agreement with New Zealand at all.
#working-holiday-schemes - 0 of 45
0 of New Zealand's 45 Working Holiday Schemes are allocated by ballot (2026): all 32 capped schemes are first-come, first-served, and the 13 uncapped schemes have no allocation contest at all.
#working-holiday-no-ballots - 300×
New Zealand's Working Holiday Scheme caps vary 300× (2026), from 50 places a year for Luxembourg, Malta, and Portugal to 15,000 for United Kingdom.
#working-holiday-cap-spread - 36 months
United Kingdom holds the longest New Zealand Working Holiday visa at 36 months (2026); only 2 of the 45 schemes run longer than the standard 12 months.
#working-holiday-longest - 31 of 45
We publish no age statistic for New Zealand's Working Holiday Schemes because 31 of the 45 rows carry an age band inherited from the default immigration instruction rather than read off that country's own Immigration New Zealand page (2026) — an unverified field is excluded here, never estimated.
#working-holiday-age-unpublished - 201
New Zealand's Green List carried 201 named occupations in the Appendix 13 schedule verified for this dataset (2026): 164 Tier 1 roles offering Straight to Residence and 37 Tier 2 roles requiring the Work to Residence route.
#green-list-tiers - 7
7 Tier 1 occupation codes on New Zealand's Green List carry more than one named role (2026), and one code alone covers 8 — which is why published counts of the Green List disagree with each other depending on whether roles or occupation codes are being counted.
#green-list-role-bundling - 127 of 201
127 of the 201 roles on New Zealand's Green List sit in Health and Social Services (2026) — 63% of the entire list, spread across 11 sectors in total.
#green-list-health-concentration - 132 of 201
132 of the 201 roles on New Zealand's Green List require registration with a New Zealand professional or occupational body (2026), which is a separate process from the visa and one the visa cannot substitute for.
#green-list-registration - 168 of 201
168 of the 201 roles on New Zealand's Green List carry no explicit remuneration threshold in the schedule (2026); only 33 name a minimum pay rate the employment must meet.
#green-list-no-wage-floor
Every published New Zealand immigration fee
All 62 fee lines from INZ 1028 — Fees, Levies and Processing Times Guide (May 2026), split into the three charges Immigration New Zealand combines into a single “from $X” on its own visa pages. Band A is applying inside New Zealand, Band B is the Pacific, Band C is the rest of the world. A dash means Immigration New Zealand publishes no figure for that cell — it is never a zero and we never estimate it. “Case-dependent” is what the guide itself prints where the charge depends on the individual application.
| Application type | Class | Band A | Band B | Band C | Levy | IVL | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active Investor Plus Category | Residence | $12,070 | $6,190 | $12,070 | $15,400 | — | $27,470 |
| Business Investor Category | Residence | $11,320 | $5,610 | $11,320 | $3,570 | — | $14,890 |
| Entrepreneur Residence Category | Residence | $11,320 | $5,610 | $11,320 | $3,570 | — | $14,890 |
| Parent Retirement Category | Residence | $9,430 | $5,140 | $9,430 | $3,420 | — | $12,850 |
| Business Investor Work Visa | Temporary | $11,320 | $5,190 | $11,320 | $1,060 | — | $12,380 |
| Entrepreneur Work Visa | Temporary | $11,320 | $5,190 | $11,320 | $1,060 | — | $12,380 |
| Temporary Retirement Category Visitor Visa | Temporary | $7,750 | $4,720 | $7,750 | $41 | $100 | $7,891 |
| Approval in principle to recruit foreign crew of fishing vessels | Employer | $6,610 | — | — | — | — | $6,610 |
| Residence from Work Category | Residence | $2,920 | — | — | $3,570 | — | $6,490 |
| Skilled Residence | Residence | $2,880 | $1,860 | $2,880 | $3,570 | — | $6,450 |
| Employees of Relocating Business Category | Residence | $1,940 | $1,390 | $1,940 | $3,570 | — | $5,510 |
| Family Category | Residence | $1,940 | $1,390 | $1,940 | $3,420 | — | $5,360 |
| Employer accreditation — triangular employment | Employer | $4,060 | — | — | — | — | $4,060 |
| Dependent Child | Residence | $1,830 | $1,360 | $1,830 | $1,400 | — | $3,230 |
| Parent Boost Visitor Visa | Temporary | $1,940 | $1,390 | $1,940 | $1,060 | $100 | $3,100 |
| Entertainment Industry accreditation — first year | Employer | $2,310 | — | — | — | — | $2,310 |
| Pitcairn Islanders | Residence | $1,940 | $1,390 | $1,940 | — | — | $1,940 |
| Post Study Work Visa | Temporary | $320 | $270 | $320 | $1,350 | — | $1,670 |
| Partnership Work Visa | Temporary | $570 | $570 | $570 | $1,060 | — | $1,630 |
| Work to Residence | Temporary | $570 | $570 | $570 | $1,060 | — | $1,630 |
| Accredited Employer Work Visa | Temporary | $480 | $480 | $480 | $1,060 | — | $1,540 |
| Residence class visa granted under section 61 | Other | $1,510 | — | — | — | — | $1,510 |
| Pacific Access Category | Residence | $1,300 | $1,280 | — | — | — | $1,300 |
| Employer accreditation — high volume | Employer | $1,280 | — | — | — | — | $1,280 |
| Recognised Seasonal Employer status | Employer | $1,040 | — | — | — | — | $1,040 |
| Limited visa — student | Temporary | $485 | $270 | $485 | $265 | $100 | $850 |
| Samoan Quota Scheme | Residence | $820 | $800 | — | — | — | $820 |
| Working Holidaymaker Extension Work Visa | Temporary | $245 | — | $245 | $455 | $100 | $800 |
| Employer accreditation — standard | Employer | $775 | — | — | — | — | $775 |
| Working Holiday Scheme | Temporary | $215 | — | $215 | $455 | $100 | $770 |
| Job Check | Employer | $735 | — | — | — | — | $735 |
| Entertainment Industry accreditation — second and subsequent year | Employer | $650 | — | — | — | — | $650 |
| Temporary entry class visa granted under section 61 | Other | $640 | — | — | — | — | $640 |
| Expression of Interest under Parent Category — hard copy | Registration / EOI | $575 | $555 | $575 | — | — | $575 |
| Employer accreditation — upgrade standard to high volume | Employer | $505 | — | — | — | — | $505 |
| Limited visa — other | Temporary | $325 | $195 | $325 | $80 | $100 | $505 |
| Expression of Interest under Parent Category — online | Registration / EOI | $450 | $435 | $450 | — | — | $450 |
| Call-out fee (office opened outside normal hours) | Other | $375 | $365 | $375 | — | — | $375 |
| Request for supplementary seasonal employment approval in principle | Employer | $335 | — | — | — | — | $335 |
| Limited visa — employer | Temporary | $325 | $285 | $325 | — | — | $325 |
| Variation of conditions on a temporary entry class visa | Other | $325 | $240 | $325 | — | — | $325 |
| Variation of travel conditions on a resident visa | Residence | $320 | $260 | $320 | — | — | $320 |
| Permanent Resident Visa | Residence | $315 | $260 | $315 | — | — | $315 |
| Agreement to Recruit under RSE instructions | Employer | $280 | — | — | — | — | $280 |
| Second or subsequent resident visa | Residence | $275 | $250 | $275 | — | — | $275 |
| Other group visitor visa | Temporary | $86 | $63 | $86 | $85 | $100 | $271 |
| Special direction | Other | $260 | $255 | $260 | — | — | $260 |
| Reconsideration of employer accreditation application | Employer | $250 | — | — | — | — | $250 |
| Reconsideration of Job Check | Employer | $250 | — | — | — | — | $250 |
| Group visitor visa — Approved Destination Status (China), offshore only | Temporary | — | — | $55 | $85 | $100 | $240 |
| Transit Visa | Temporary | $235 | $195 | $235 | — | — | $235 |
| Confirmation of immigration status | Other | $225 | $170 | $225 | — | — | $225 |
| First endorsement indicating New Zealand citizenship | Other | $225 | $185 | $225 | — | — | $225 |
| Second and subsequent endorsement indicating New Zealand citizenship | Other | $225 | $140 | $225 | — | — | $225 |
| Transfer fee (visa label transferred to a new passport) | Other | $225 | $170 | $225 | — | — | $225 |
| Reconsideration of decision to decline a temporary visa | Temporary | $220 | — | — | — | — | $220 |
| Pacific Access Category registration — first year | Registration / EOI | $89 | $86 | $89 | — | — | $89 |
| Pacific Access Category registration — second and subsequent year | Registration / EOI | $89 | $49 | $89 | — | — | $89 |
| Any other residence category | Residence | $1,940 | $1,390 | $1,940 | Case-dependent | — | Case-dependent |
| Student Visa | Temporary | $485 | $270 | $485 | $265 | Case-dependent | Case-dependent |
| Visitor Visa | Temporary | $300 | $120 | $300 | $41 | Case-dependent | Case-dependent |
| Work visa — other | Temporary | $295 | $250 | $295 | $1,060 | Case-dependent | Case-dependent |
Total is the application fee for the widest-applying band plus the immigration levy plus the International Visitor Levy, where Immigration New Zealand publishes a determinate figure for each. The immigration levy is charged per application; the International Visitor Levy is charged per person. Source: INZ 1028 — Fees, Levies and Processing Times Guide. There has been no general fee increase since 1 October 2024.
Every New Zealand Working Holiday Scheme
All 45 schemes, sorted by annual places. We publish no age column: the age band was verified against each country's own Immigration New Zealand page for only a minority of these schemes, and an unverified field is left out rather than estimated. Read the allocation column carefully if you have seen this described as a lottery anywhere else.
| Country | Places a year | Duration | Allocation | Extension |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | Uncapped | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Canada | Uncapped | 23 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Denmark | Uncapped | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Finland | Uncapped | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| France | Uncapped | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Germany | Uncapped | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Ireland | Uncapped | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Italy | Uncapped | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Japan | Uncapped | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Netherlands | Uncapped | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Norway | Uncapped | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Sweden | Uncapped | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| United States | Uncapped | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| United Kingdom | 15,000 | 36 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| South Korea | 3,000 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Spain | 2,000 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Czech Republic | 1,200 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Malaysia | 1,150 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Argentina | 1,000 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| China | 1,000 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Chile | 940 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Taiwan | 600 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Hong Kong | 400 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Brazil | 300 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Singapore | 300 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Israel | 200 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Mexico | 200 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Uruguay | 200 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Vietnam | 200 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Austria | 100 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Croatia | 100 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Estonia | 100 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Hungary | 100 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Latvia | 100 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Lithuania | 100 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Peru | 100 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Philippines | 100 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Poland | 100 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Slovak Republic | 100 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Slovenia | 100 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Thailand | 100 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Turkey | 100 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Luxembourg | 50 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Malta | 50 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
| Portugal | 50 | 12 months | First-come, first-served | Yes |
Extension refers to the Working Holidaymaker Extension Work Visa, available after qualifying seasonal horticulture or viticulture work. The full Green List, which is the third dataset behind this page, is published role by role across our occupations guides rather than repeated here.
What the numbers say
The advertised price is not the price
Immigration New Zealand quotes most visas as a single figure with the word “from” in front of it. That figure is usually three charges wearing one coat: the application fee, the immigration levy, and for most visitors the conservation and tourism levy that is charged per person rather than per application. None of those behave the same way. They are refundable under different conditions, they apply to different groups of people, and only one of them scales with the size of your family.
Pull them apart across the whole fee schedule and something odd falls out, which is recorded in the statistic on the levy above: for a large minority of application types, the levy is the bigger of the two charges. It is easy to read that as a hidden surcharge. It is better read as a different product being sold under the same label, because the levy funds settlement programmes, immigration research and the regulator itself rather than the cost of assessing your particular application. Whether that is reasonable is a question for somebody else. Knowing which portion of your money is which, before you pay it, is what this page is for.
The gap between requesting an electronic travel authority through the website and requesting the identical thing through the official app is the smallest number here and probably the most immediately useful. Nothing about the authority changes. The channel changes.
The Green List is a health workforce list
People talk about the Green List as though it were a general shortage list covering the economy. It is not, and the sector concentration statistic above shows how far from general it is: well over half the roles sit in health and social services, and most of the remainder cluster into engineering and the trades. If you work outside those areas, the honest answer is usually that the Green List is not your route, and it is worth finding that out early rather than after paying for an assessment.
The list also explains why published counts of it disagree. Some sources count named roles, others count the occupation codes those roles sit under, and because several codes carry a bundle of distinct job titles the two methods cannot produce the same answer. Neither method is wrong. Quoting one number without saying which method produced it is what goes wrong. We publish roles, and we say so, and we publish how many codes carry more than one of them.
The registration statistic is the one migrants most often discover too late. For a large share of these occupations, holding the visa is not the same as being allowed to do the job. A separate New Zealand professional body has to register you, on its own timetable and against its own standards, and no visa substitutes for that step.
Working holidays are scarce without being a lottery
Almost every scheme has a hard annual ceiling, and those ceilings vary by orders of magnitude between countries. That combination produces genuine scarcity, which is why so much of the advice circulating online describes these schemes as a ballot or a lottery. Our allocation column answers that, and the answer does not vary by a single row: places go to whoever applies first, and the scheme closes when they run out. New Zealand does operate immigration ballots, but not for these.
The practical consequence is that the opening date matters more than anything about the applicant. For the smallest schemes, being ready before the window opens is close to the whole game, and no amount of preparation afterwards recovers a place that has already gone.
What is missing here, and why
Two things a reader might expect are deliberately absent. We publish no age band for the working holiday schemes, because those bands were carried over from the default instruction rather than read off each country's own page, and a plausible-looking wrong age is worse than no age. We publish no dollar threshold for Green List pay, because only some of those thresholds carry an explicit note that they were re-indexed to the current median wage, and quoting a stale wage floor on a page built to be quoted would be the worst mistake available to us.
Both gaps are recorded rather than hidden. When either is verified properly, the statistic appears here automatically, because every figure on this page is computed from the underlying data at build time instead of being typed into a sentence by hand.
How to cite this page
NZ Visa Guide, New Zealand Immigration Statistics 2026, https://www.nzvisaguide.com/statistics, accessed [date].
All statistics on this page are licensed CC BY 4.0 — free to republish with a link to this page as attribution. You do not need to ask us first. If you are writing to a deadline and need a figure broken out differently, or the underlying rows in a particular shape, get in touch and we will send it.
Read the CC BY 4.0 licence.
Methodology
Every row behind this page comes from a primary source: the Immigration New Zealand fees guide, the published visa-waiver and Working Holiday Scheme pages, and the Green List schedule in the Operational Manual. Third-party sites are never a source for a figure here.
Statistics are computed from those rows at build time rather than written into the page, and an independent script re-derives every published figure straight from the source data and fails the build if any rendered number disagrees with it. Where a value is not published by Immigration New Zealand, it is excluded from the relevant average or count and the real denominator is stated in the statistic itself. Nothing here is estimated, interpolated or rounded up from a competitor.
Full sourcing, correction and review policy: our editorial policy. For the underlying guides, start with our reference section.
NZ Visa Guide is an independent publisher. It is not Immigration New Zealand, is not affiliated with the New Zealand Government, and is not a licensed immigration adviser. This page publishes general information about published immigration rules and fees. It is not immigration advice and cannot assess an individual case.