Support for the Pacific

New Zealand's immigration settings recognise our special relationship with the Pacific and make travel more straightforward for Pacific people.

The Pacific is an important partner for New Zealand. Our immigration settings recognise this special relationship. They include the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme and Pacific Access Category, Samoa Quota, as well as options that make it easier for Pacific people to visit their family and friends in New Zealand.

Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme

The Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme has operated since April 2007. It allows approved horticulture and viticulture employers to recruit workers from eligible Pacific countries for seasonal work when there are not enough suitable New Zealand workers.

The scheme shows New Zealand's partnership with the Pacific and is mutually beneficial for New Zealand and our Pacific partners. It helps New Zealand businesses meet seasonal workforce needs. It also provides Pacific workers with income, skills and opportunities that support economic development in their home countries.

The scheme has an administrative limit of 20,750 places each year. This limit balances industry needs, labour market conditions, worker wellbeing and accommodation pressures.

Watch the National Manager Pacific give Country-Wide an overview of the RSE scheme.

A real success story: changes to the RSE scheme - YouTube

Employer responsibilities

Employers apply to Immigration New Zealand to become a recognised seasonal employer. We must be satisfied that the employer is financially sound and has good workplace and human resources practices. This includes a history of complying with immigration and employment law.

Employers must also show that they recruit and train New Zealanders to work in their industry.

RSE employers must meet the welfare and pastoral care needs of RSE workers. We provide employers with support and advice about standards and obligations. We also monitor their compliance closely.

Find out how to employ workers through the RSE scheme.

Employing workers through the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme

View statistics about the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme and RSE worker arrivals.

Statistics

Pacific Access Category

The Pacific Access Category allows up to the following numbers of citizens to be granted residence in New Zealand each year:

• 75 citizens of Kiribati
• 75 citizens of Tuvalu
• 250 citizens of Tonga
• 250 citizens of Fiji

Successful applicants are selected through an annual ballot.

Pacific Access Category Resident Visa

Samoa Quota

The Samoa Quota recognises the special relationship between New Zealand and Samoa as set out in the Treaty of Friendship between the 2 nations.

It allows up to 1,100 Samoan citizens to be granted residence in New Zealand each year. Successful applicants are selected through an annual ballot. To qualify for residence under the scheme, you must:

• be a Samoan citizen - either born in Samoa or overseas to a Samoan citizen
• be aged from 18 to 45
• have your registration number drawn from the Samoa Quota ballot
• have an invitation from Immigration New Zealand to apply for residence
• have an acceptable, sustainable, full-time and permanent job offer from a New Zealand employer.

Samoan Quota Resident Visa

Visiting New Zealand

People from Pacific Islands Forum countries are generally granted a 2-year multiple-entry visitor visa. This makes repeat travel easier for family visits, events and holidays.

Visitor visa fees for eligible Pacific nationals applying from Pacific countries have been reduced for 12 months from 1 June 2026.

Visitor visa fees temporarily reduced for Pacific nationals

Eligible Pacific nationals visiting New Zealand from Australia can now travel with a New Zealand electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) instead of applying for a visitor visa. This change makes it easier to visit friends and family.

Easier travel from Australia to New Zealand for Pacific visitors

Urgent travel

Pacific people who need to travel urgently, such as short notice to attend a funeral, can contact the dedicated Pacific Escalations mailbox.

[email protected]