The Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) Limited Visa, Explained
The RSE Limited Visa brings citizens of 13 Pacific countries to New Zealand's horticulture and viticulture industries for a maximum of 7 months in any 11-month period — 9 months for citizens of Kiribati and Tuvalu. The scheme is capped at 20,750 visas a year, the visa costs from NZ$325, and holders cannot bring family.
Quick Facts
| Who it is for | Citizens of 13 eligible Pacific nations, for seasonal work in fruit, vegetable and wine industries |
| Maximum stay | 7 months in any 11-month period |
| Kiribati and Tuvalu | May extend by 2 additional months — 9 months total |
| Annual cap | 20,750 visas |
| Season year | 1 July to 30 June |
| Fee | From NZ$325. IVL-exempt |
| Family | Cannot bring partners or dependants |
| Onshore extension | Not available |
| Employer | Must be a Recognised Seasonal Employer; you must have the job before applying |
| Third-season returnees | Paid the minimum wage plus 10% |
| Visa type | A limited visa — this affects appeal rights |
| Modernisation | Announced 28 July 2026, not in force, staged 2027–2029 |
Settings as published by INZ, August 2026. Fees unchanged since 1 October 2024.
The 13 eligible countries
Only citizens of these countries can be recruited under the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme:
Fiji · Kiribati · Marshall Islands · Federated States of Micronesia · Nauru · Palau · Papua New Guinea · Samoa · Solomon Islands · Timor-Leste · Tonga · Tuvalu · Vanuatu
Timor-Leste was added in September 2024, taking the list from twelve to thirteen. Exceptional cases from other nations require INZ approval and are not a general route.
The scheme is a labour mobility arrangement between New Zealand and the Pacific, not a general seasonal work visa. If you are not a citizen of one of these countries, the RSE is not available to you — the routes that are include the Global Workforce Seasonal Visa, the Peak Seasonal Visa, and the working holiday schemes.
How long you can stay
The core rule is 7 months in any 11-month period. That is a rolling window, not a per-season allowance.
Citizens of Tuvalu and Kiribati residing in those countries may extend by two additional months, to nine months. The concession recognises the distance and cost of travel from those countries, and it applies to them alone.
The RSE season year runs 1 July to 30 June, which is also the period the annual cap is measured against.
The 20,750 cap, and what it means in practice
The scheme is capped at 20,750 visas a year.
Actual uptake runs below the cap. Government figures describe the scheme as bringing around 17,000 Pacific workers annually. Both numbers are accurate and they measure different things — one is the ceiling, the other is the usual outcome. Neither should be quoted as the other.
The cap is allocated to employers rather than claimed by workers: an employer holds RSE status and an Agreement to Recruit, and recruits within their allocation. There is no individual queue to join.
What the visa allows, and what it does not
| Work permitted | Fruit, vegetable and wine industry roles, with the employers named on your visa |
| Other employers | Not permitted — you cannot work for employers not listed on the visa |
| Medical insurance | Must be maintained throughout your stay |
| Partners and dependants | Cannot be brought |
| Extending onshore | Not available |
| Supporting a partner work visa | Not permitted — RSE Limited Visa holders are on the excluded list |
RSE work is deliberately narrow. It is tied to named employers, to one group of industries, and to a fixed period. Compare that with the Accredited Employer Work Visa, whose job offer cannot be for planting, maintaining, harvesting or packing crops in horticulture or viticulture — the two products are drawn to avoid overlapping.
Pay, and the returnee premium
RSE workers are paid at least the New Zealand adult minimum wage, which rises on 1 April each year. Check the current rate before relying on any figure, including on this site.
Third-season returnees are paid the minimum wage plus 10%. That premium rewards workers returning for a third season and is one of the few automatic pay uplifts in New Zealand's immigration system.
Employers must not pass recruitment costs on to workers. Cost-recovery rules covering transport, insurance and accommodation are among the areas being clarified under the modernisation programme described below.
Employer-side costs
The RSE is an employer-driven scheme. The employer's obligations and fees are:
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Recognised Seasonal Employer status | NZ$1,040 |
| Agreement to Recruit under RSE instructions | NZ$280 |
| Request for supplementary seasonal employment approval in principle | NZ$335 |
A worker must have a job with a Recognised Seasonal Employer before applying. There is no way to apply first and find work later.
The limited visa problem
This is the most under-published fact about the RSE, and it matters.
An RSE Limited Visa is a limited visa. Limited visas are granted for an express purpose, and they carry a significant restriction that is easy to miss: you cannot appeal deportation liability if the last visa you held was a limited visa.
That is INZ's own wording, and it directly affects RSE workers. The ordinary right to appeal a deportation liability to the Immigration and Protection Tribunal is not available to someone whose last visa was limited.
The practical consequence is that compliance matters more, not less, for RSE workers than for others — because the usual safety net is absent. Anyone facing a compliance issue on a limited visa should get advice from a licensed immigration adviser or a New Zealand lawyer immediately rather than after a decision. See limited visas explained and deportation liability explained.
What it costs the worker
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Visa fee | From NZ$325 |
| International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy | Exempt |
At NZ$325 the RSE Limited Visa is the cheapest work visa in the New Zealand system by a wide margin — the seasonal alternatives are priced at NZ$1,540, and the Accredited Employer Work Visa at the same. The IVL exemption reflects that citizens of several Pacific nations are IVL-exempt generally.
Medical insurance must be maintained throughout the stay, and is an additional cost.
RSE modernisation — announced, not in force
On 28 July 2026 the government announced a modernisation of the RSE scheme. It is not in force. The rollout is staged from 2027 through 2029.
What was announced:
- Graduated accreditation recognising employers with strong compliance histories
- Increased worker mobility between RSE employers, with safeguards
- Clearer cost-recovery rules covering transport, insurance and accommodation
- Enhanced accommodation standards, currently under consultation, with decisions expected by the end of September 2026
- Internet access added to prescribed accommodation standards
Nothing in that package changes the rules today. Anyone applying in 2026 applies under the current scheme. See RSE scheme modernisation.
What this page will not tell you
When the work is available in each region. No authoritative New Zealand government source publishes regional harvest months. The commonly circulated tables — kiwifruit in one region, apples in another, vintage somewhere else — are general knowledge, not verified fact, and they vary by crop, region and year. The employer offering the work is the only reliable source for when a season runs.
Whether you personally will be selected. RSE recruitment runs through employers and, in several participating countries, through national labour-sending arrangements. This site can describe the scheme; it cannot assess or influence anyone's prospects, and neither can anyone charging you a fee to do so.
Step 1: Confirm you are a citizen of a participating country
Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu or Vanuatu.
Step 2: Secure the job before you apply
You must have a job with a Recognised Seasonal Employer before applying. Recruitment normally runs through the employer and, in many countries, through a government labour-sending unit. Anyone asking you for money for an RSE job is not part of that process — employers must not pass recruitment costs to workers.
Step 3: Apply, and arrange medical insurance
Medical insurance must be maintained throughout the stay. It is a visa condition.
Step 4: Track your 7 months in 11
The window is rolling. Workers returning across seasons need to count from their previous departure, not from the start of the season year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which countries are eligible for the RSE scheme?
Thirteen: Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Timor-Leste was added in September 2024.
How long can I stay in New Zealand on an RSE visa?
A maximum of seven months in any 11-month period. Citizens of Tuvalu and Kiribati residing in those countries may extend by two additional months, to nine.
How much does the RSE Limited Visa cost?
From NZ$325, and it is exempt from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy. Employers pay separately: NZ$1,040 for Recognised Seasonal Employer status and NZ$280 for an Agreement to Recruit.
How many RSE visas are available each year?
The annual cap is 20,750. Actual uptake runs lower — government figures describe the scheme as bringing around 17,000 Pacific workers a year.
Can I bring my family on an RSE visa?
No. RSE Limited Visa holders cannot bring partners or dependants, and cannot support a partner work visa.
Can I extend my RSE visa while in New Zealand?
No. Onshore extensions are not available. The only extension is the two additional months for citizens of Tuvalu and Kiribati residing in those countries.
What work can I do on an RSE visa?
Fruit, vegetable and wine industry roles, with the employers named on your visa. You cannot work for employers who are not listed on it.
Do returning RSE workers get paid more?
Third-season returnees are paid the minimum wage plus 10%. The minimum wage itself rises on 1 April each year, so check the current rate rather than relying on a figure quoted online.
When does the RSE season run?
The RSE season year runs from 1 July to 30 June. When work is actually available in a given region depends on the crop and the year, and no New Zealand government source publishes regional harvest months — ask the employer.
