Immigration New Zealand – Increase in Visa Charges from 1st October 2024
Immigration has announced that from 1st October 2024 there will be an increase in visa fees. For many visa categories the increase is considerable ranging from 1.5 times to over 3 times the current fees.
Currently there are cost differences depending on where you are located when you submit your visa application (onshore vs offshore). Moving forward the visa costs will (predominantly) be the same regardless of location.
Most importantly, INZ are becoming increasingly strict with the assessment of applications. With the increased fees, it is extremely important to ensure the visa application is comprehensive, well organised, and complete from the outset.
Key visa categories which will see a considerable increase include the Skilled Migrant resident visa categories, which increases from $4,890 to $6,450, the Accredited Employer Work visa category, increasing from $750 to $1,540, post-study work visas, increasing to $1,670, and certain family categories.
Why are New Zealand visa fees increasing?
The current government is focusing on meeting its financial goals and increasing visa fees is one step towards reaching this objective. Immigration Minister Erica Stanford is aiming to save $500 million over four years by making visa processing largely user-funded and somewhat aligning costs with Australian visa fees.
Currently, the government subsidises visa costs by just under $20 million annually, but the proposed fee hikes are significant. The government as a whole supports this shift, indicating that it makes sense for visa applicants to bear the cost of a system they benefit from. Overall, substantial visa fee hikes are recorded, as the government seeks to achieve its fiscal objectives.
What this means for fee-waiver agreements
Citizens from certain countries who have negotiated a fee agreement with the New Zealand government pay no fees for certain visa applications. This varies for each country, and is dependent on the visa category, and where people are located at the time of application. Immigration has confirmed that any countries benefitting from a fee-waiver agreement would remain as such
For workers onshore who qualify for an Accredited Employer Work Visa extension, this is a prompt to get their application submitted before 1st October.
Which applications are due for a fee increase?
Some of the common visa types and the new visa costs are as follows (based on "onshore application fees").
| Visa type | Current visa fees | From 1st Oct 2024 |
| Temporary Visas | ||
| Visitor Visa | 211 | 341 |
| Accredited employer work visa (AEWV) | 750 | 1540 |
| Partner work visa | 700 | 1355 |
| Variation of Conditions | 240 | 320 |
| Fee paying student visa | 375 | 750 |
| Post study work visa | 700 | 1670 |
| Residence Visas | ||
| Skilled Migrant residence | 4290 | 6450 |
| Tier 1 & 2 green list residence | 4290 | 6490 |
| Permanent residence | 240 | 315 |
| Employer INZ fees | ||
| Accreditation – standard | 740 | 775 |
| Accreditation – high volume | 1220 | 1280 |
| Job Check | 610 | 735 |
What does this mean for migrants? What is the best approach?
We strongly advise migrants and employers to plan ahead and ensure their applications meet all relevant criteria. The upcoming fee increase is expected to prompt a surge in applications before the 1 October deadline, which will likely lead to processing delays as Immigration New Zealand manages the increased volumes of applications.
It has happened in the past that Immigration New Zealand’s online application systems struggle to cope with suddent, increased application volumes. To mitigate these issues and avoid technical problems, we recommend submitting eligible applications as early as possible, well in advance of the deadline.
