17th January 2024 Immigration NZ / VisasImmigration New Zealand received 519,417 visitor visa applications in 2023 and has approved 81%, or 420,727, of them.
25th September 2023 Aviation / VisasThe government has added two new aviation-based roles to the Green List, including aircraft maintenance engineer and aviation engineer specialising in avionics, aeronautical and aerospace engineering.
30th August 2023 Immigration NZ / VisasA review of the Accredited Employer Work Visa aims to determine whether Immigration New Zealand is administering the scheme appropriately.
1st August 2023 Immigration NZ / VisasImmigration New Zealand has approved close to 18,000 Accredited Employer Work Visas and 312,000 visitor visas, according to the latest immigration figures.
4th July 2023 Employment / VisasWorking holidaymakers from the UK are now able to stay in New Zealand for up to three years, benefiting employers and around 3,000 visa holders in the country.
27th June 2023 Immigration NZ / VisasAfter a surge in international visitors in 2022 contributed to visa delays, Immigration New Zealand says it has now improved its visa processing times.
23rd June 2023 Employment / VisasThe government is adjusting the duration of the Accredited Employer Work Visa from three years to five years from November.
30th May 2023 Employment / VisasBusinesses that wish to hire people on Partner of a Worker Work Visas will need to be accredited employers and pay at least the minimum wage, under changes that come into effect from tomorrow.
5th May 2023 Employment / VisasPrime Minister Chris Hipkins says New Zealand’s upgraded working holiday agreement with the UK will help support tourism and hospitality.
24th April 2023 Immigration NZ / VisasA large majority of working holiday and accredited employer work visas have been approved.
10th March 2023 Employment / VisasThree new working holiday visas between the United Kingdom and New Zealand will come into force by 1 July this year.
9th December 2022 Borders / VisasFrequent business visitors and officials and diplomats travelling to New Zealand from Pacific Island Forum Countries and Kiribati will receive improved visa conditions when travelling to New Zealand.
6th December 2022 Immigration NZ / VisasThe government has deferred changes to partner work visas from December until April 2023 to refocus on immediate skill shortages.
16th November 2022 Employment / VisasNearly half of the 36,000 working holiday visa holders approved since March this year are now in the country, says the government.
15th November 2022 Immigration NZ / VisasThe government has allocated up to 2,000 visas per year for parents of skilled migrants resettling in New Zealand.
31st October 2022 Employment / VisasThousands of working holidaymakers on their way to New Zealand will have more flexibility and extended entry rights to help plug labour shortages at Kiwi businesses.
27th October 2022 Immigration NZ / VisasWorking holidaymakers are eyeing up this spring and from autumn 2023 as desirable times to travel to the country, according to a report from Immigration New Zealand.
18th October 2022 Employment / VisasVisa processing times are not as much of a barrier to filling workforce shortages as encouraging visitors and working holidaymakers to actually embark on travel.
13th October 2022 Immigration NZ / VisasThere have been 30,430 Working Holiday Visas approved since March, with arrivals under the scheme expected to grow in the coming months, says Immigration Minister Michael Wood.
7th October 2022 Politics / VisasMcClay said the wait time for visitor visas is now so bad that INZ has removed the standard processing times from its website.
6th October 2022 T&H Minister / VisasThe tourism minister says INZ is under “a great deal of stress” coping with demand as NZ ramps up its promotion.
28th September 2022 Employment / VisasThe government says it has received around 30,500 working holiday visa applications in the past year.
8th September 2022 International Students / VisasInternational students studying in New Zealand will be able to take advantage of two new Post-Study Work Visa changes designed to help them find further work and residence after they complete their studies.
6th September 2022 Employment / VisasThe government’s first residence category for highly-skilled workers has opened this week, with the launch of the Green List Straight to Residence pathway.
22nd August 2022 Employment / VisasThe seasonal snow and adventure tourism agreement will provide access to migrant workers for $25 per hour, to be reviewed up annually.
17th August 2022 Employment / VisasMore than 85,000 people have been approved for the 2021 Resident Visa, providing more certainty for businesses and skilled migrants.
5th August 2022 Employment / VisasEmployers looking to hire the visa holders need to appear as attractive as possible amid fierce competition.
4th August 2022 Employment / VisasUnemployment figures remain near record lows at 3.3%, and BusinessNZ chief executive Kirk Hope says there is not enough flexibility in the tight labour market to address skill shortages.
28th July 2022 Employment / VisasThree new residence pathways will be introduced over the 14 months to address shortages in highly skilled areas.
27th July 2022 Immigration NZ / VisasImmigration New Zealand has received more than 103,000 applications involving 209,000 people for the 2021 Resident Visa, and of those, 37,455 have been processed.
21st July 2022 VisasThe government has created a new investor category aimed at increasing direct foreign investment in New Zealand businesses.
11th July 2022 Employment / VisasThe government needs to fix immigration delays or risk losing skilled workers with longserving staff giving up on the wait, says a tourism operator.
11th July 2022 Politics / VisasThe National Party is calling on the government to add a six-month extension to all working holiday visas that are due to expire this year.
5th July 2022 Employment / VisasThe final stage of the Accredited Employer Work Visa is now in effect, enabling migrants offshore to apply to work in New Zealand for an accredited employer.
4th July 2022 Employment / VisasChanges to the working holiday scheme with the United Kingdom will enable UK citizens up to the age of 35 to work in New Zealand for three years.
29th June 2022 Employment / VisasThe government has expanded its Working Holiday Visa programme with Spain, enabling more young people to come to the country and work for longer.
11th May 2022 Employment / VisasThe government has allowed those industries to pay a lower wage threshold of $25 per hour to migrant workers but only until April 2023.
20th April 2022 Employment / VisasAn extension of New Zealand’s Working Holiday Scheme for Singapore will enable up to 300 Singaporeans to travel to New Zealand from 5 May.
30th March 2022 Campaigns / VisasImmigration New Zealand is working on campaigns to attract working holiday visa visitors, according to Prime Minister Jacinda Arden.
22nd March 2022 Politics / VisasSorry, you do not have authorisation to view this page! If you would like to view the content on this page you will need to be a Tourism Ticker member. MORE »
15th March 2022 Backpackers / VisasDespite the WHV scheme being back on the table, it will still be a rough year ahead for the hostel and youth sector, warns NZHA chair Brett Duncan.
14th March 2022 Borders / VisasThe government reopened working holiday visa applications at 11.59pm on Sunday night as it looked to help fill workforce shortages and support tourism.
11th March 2022 Employment / VisasNearly 70,000 2021 Resident Visa applications have been received since applications first opened on 1 December 2021.
2nd March 2022 Employment / VisasA record number of applications have been received following phase 2 of the government’s one-off 2021 Resident Visa.
11th February 2022 Education / VisasThe timing of the government border reopening for international students means that a large group of them would not enrol until early 2023, says Education New Zealand.
8th February 2022 Borders / VisasThe first significant impact on the labour problem within the tourist industry could be provided by the return of working holiday makers from 13 March.
21st October 2021 VisasThe New Zealand and UK governments have committed to enhancing their working holiday agreement.
12th October 2021 Employment / VisasThe government has extended working holiday and supplementary seasonal employment work visas by six months.
1st October 2021 Borders / VisasVisitor visas will be the first to join an enhanced visa application system expected to reduce backlogs and speed approvals, says Immigration New Zealand.
1st October 2021 Education / VisasInternational student border exception visa arrival numbers have slowed since July, according to data from Immigration New Zealand.
