What does the upcoming visa fee increase mean for migrants and Kiwi employers?

Elly Fleming

14 August 2024

New Zealand visa applicants and employers have found themselves in a race against the clock as a substantial Immigration New Zealand fee increase looms.  

Come October 1, New Zealand will see a jump in visa fees for applications across nearly all visa categories, including employer accreditation. It is yet another hurdle in what has already been a turbulent year for changes to immigration policy, and one that is likely to have a knock-on effect on visa processing times for the remainder of 2024.  

For those who have set their sights on coming to or remaining in New Zealand, this major increase in fees will come as a significant shock. 

Visa charge increases 

In many cases, application fees are nearly doubling. Immigration New Zealand has released a full table of changes to fee and levy rates, which illustrates that as of 1 October: 

• The application fee for a Skilled Residence Visa (this includes Skilled Migrant Category, Green List: Straight to Residence, Green List: Work to Residence, and Care Workforce: Work to Residence categories) will be raised by 50% to $6,450, up from $4,290. 

• The application fee for a Partnership Residence visa will almost double to $5,360 from its current $2,750 setting. 

• The application fee for a Dependent Child Resident visa will increase from $2,750 to $3,230. 

• The fee for processing a Student visa will double from $375 to $750. 

• For Accredited Employer Work Visas, the overall cost will increase from $750 to $1,540. 

• Employer Accreditation applications see a gradual increase with the biggest hike for labour hire accreditation category, from $3,870 to $4,060.  

Despite the fee increases, New Zealand will continue to subsidise visa fees for applicants from Pacific countries and there will be no fee increases for Recognised Seasonal Employer status, Pacific Access Category and Samoan Quota Resident visas, or for New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA).    

The best approach 

We highly recommend that migrants and employers plan ahead and only submit applications that meet all applicable criteria. This fee hike is likely to cause a mass rush to get applications in ahead of 1 October. As a result, processing delays look very likely as Immigration New Zealand copes with an influx of applications.  

At Pitt & Moore, we are also anticipating that Immigration New Zealand’s online application systems will experience issues in the period leading up to this date due to a higher volume of transactions. To avoid additional costs and technical issues, our advice is to get eligible applications in as soon as possible, and well ahead of that October deadline.  

Value of expert advice  

When application fees increase significantly, the stakes for migrants and Kiwi employers are higher, making expert legal advice even more crucial.  

Visa applications often involve intricate legal requirements and documentation. An expert can help navigate these complexities, ensuring that all forms are filled out correctly and that all required documents are submitted. From our experience, missteps in this process can lead to delays or denials, which can be costly and time-consuming. 

 Expert legal guidance will help make this process more streamlined and will give you a much better chance at securing your visa. 

Talk to us

Don’t hesitate to reach out to the immigration team here at Pitt & Moore for professional advice on how best to approach your visa application.  

Disclaimer: The information contained in this publication is of a general nature and is not intended as legal advice. It is important that you seek legal advice that is specific to your circumstances.