--- title: "PF111 · Captured AI answers" publisher: "Onsomble Limited" publication: "NZBrands.ai" edition: 2 collected_on: "2026-10-12" html_url: "https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/2/questions/d82e632c-5a89-474b-b5af-ba244278a27e/" --- # PF111 · Captured AI answers Edition 2 · answers collected 12 October 2026. [Read on NZBrands.ai](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/2/questions/d82e632c-5a89-474b-b5af-ba244278a27e/) ## Question I migrated to New Zealand, have recently become a citizen and am eligible to vote. I work here, use English as a second language and want to understand both my options and the system. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do parties compare on settlement support and rules affecting migrants who want family members to join them? Question ID: d82e632c-5a89-474b-b5af-ba244278a27e. Report reference: PF111. Issue: Immigration. Voter: Migrant who has recently become a citizen. [Source record (JSON)](https://nzbrands.ai/data/nz-election-2026/editions/2/answers/d82e632c-5a89-474b-b5af-ba244278a27e.json) ## How to read this evidence The answers below are shown as the assistants gave them, not a verified account or NZBrands.ai voting advice. They may contain errors or outdated claims. A recorded source association is not necessarily a link shown to the reader. Captured 12 October 2026. 4 answers were saved for this question. Missing answers have not been filled in. [Study methodology and limitations](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/2/method.md) ## ChatGPT · asked nationally Answer ID: 147fbea8-5be1-46f5-9fbc-a122eea7a637. Captured 12 October 2026. **Begin captured answer — shown as given, not verified** # New Zealand’s 2026 election: Migrant settlement and family reunification Congratulations on becoming a New Zealand citizen. Voting in a general election gives you an opportunity to have a say in policies that affect your life, your family, your work and your community. For the 2026 New Zealand general election, I'll explain the differences between political parties in two areas: 1. **Settlement support:** Help for migrants to establish themselves in New Zealand, including English-language learning, employment, recognition of overseas qualifications, access to public services and support against exploitation. 2. **Family reunification:** The rules that determine whether you can bring family members to New Zealand, including your partner, children, parents and other relatives. I'll distinguish between policies parties have formally announced, existing government policy, and proposals that still need clarification. This matters because a party's general approach to immigration does not necessarily tell you what it would do about family visas or settlement services. One important point for your situation: **becoming a New Zealand citizen changes your position under immigration law.** You no longer need a visa to live and work in New Zealand, and you may have different options for sponsoring family members from those available to someone who is still a resident or temporary visa holder. However, citizenship does not automatically give every family member the right to move to New Zealand. ## 1. The main differences between parties The election is scheduled for **Saturday, 7 November 2026**. The parties' positions below are based on their published policies and government announcements available as of 11 October 2026. Some parties have published detailed policies in these areas, while others have not yet set out all their proposals. [Source: Electoral Commission](https://elections.nz/media-and-news/2026/key-dates-for-2026-general-election). [elections.nz](https://elections.nz/media-and-news/2026/key-dates-for-2026-general-election?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ### National Party **General approach:** Manage immigration to meet economic needs, attract skilled workers and enforce immigration rules. National is also the lead party in the current governing coalition. - **Settlement and employment:** The government has introduced new residence pathways for certain skilled workers and expanded enforcement against migrant exploitation. Budget 2026 included $18 million over four years for additional frontline enforcement teams. [national.org.nz](https://www.national.org.nz/news/more-resources-to-combat-migrant-exploitation?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [national.org.nz](https://www.national.org.nz/news/20250923-hon-nicola-willis-new-residence-options-to-bolster-workforce?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - **English requirements:** The government extended minimum English-language requirements to additional categories of Accredited Employer Work Visa applicants in June 2026. This is relevant to people arriving on those work visas, rather than a new English requirement for citizens such as you. [national.org.nz](https://www.national.org.nz/news/20260525-honericastanford-level3?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - **Bringing parents:** The government introduced the Parent Boost visitor visa, allowing eligible parents of New Zealand citizens and residents to visit for longer periods, subject to requirements including health insurance and financial support. It is a visitor visa, not a route to permanent residence. [national.org.nz](https://www.national.org.nz/news/20250608-honericastandford-parent-boost-visa?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **What to investigate:** Whether National would expand permanent family reunification, change parent visa income requirements or provide additional settlement support. Its existing measures offer some longer-term family visiting options, but those are not the same as allowing parents to settle permanently. Official sources: [National Party](https://www.national.org.nz/) | [Parent Boost visa information](https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/parent-boost-visitor-visa/) ### Labour Party **General approach:** Plan immigration around New Zealand's capacity while protecting migrant workers and supporting people who want to build a life here. In a policy announcement dated 11 September 2026, Labour proposed: - **Settlement:** A programme of New Zealand orientation and civic education, delivered through community education providers. - **Employment protection:** Allowing migrants to move between accredited employers after three months, alongside stronger protections against exploitation. - **Immigration planning:** Setting immigration goals through a government policy statement that considers workforce, housing and infrastructure needs. - **Family-related rules:** Reviewing parent visa requirements, health requirements and English-language rules. - **Residence:** Extending the period migrants must live in New Zealand before becoming eligible for permanent residence from two years to four. [labour.org.nz](https://www.labour.org.nz/news/release-labour-to-ensure-an-immigration-system-that-works-for-new-zealand/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) That last proposal deserves particular attention. Labour's announcement combines additional orientation support with a longer wait for permanent residence. These are separate policy changes, with different effects on migrants. **What to investigate:** Whether Labour will make it easier for citizens to reunite permanently with parents and other relatives, and precisely which parent visa, health and English requirements it would change. The announcement promises a review but does not, by itself, establish what the final rules would be. Official source: [Labour's immigration policy announcement](https://www.labour.org.nz/news/release-labour-to-ensure-an-immigration-system-that-works-for-new-zealand/) ### Green Party **General approach:** Emphasise welcoming, safe and fair immigration pathways, respect for migrants, and protection for migrant workers and refugees. The Green Party's 2026 manifesto explicitly includes an immigration and refugee section under the heading *Welcoming, safe and fair pathways to make Aotearoa home*. It says migrant workers deserve fair treatment and opportunities to settle. [greens.org.nz](https://www.greens.org.nz/manifesto_2026?utm_source=chatgpt.com) For your two areas of interest, this makes the manifesto worth examining for proposals concerning: - **Settlement:** Whether support for migrant communities, access to services and protection from exploitation would be expanded. - **Family reunification:** Whether the party proposes specific changes to partner, child or parent visas, including the requirements and costs of bringing relatives to New Zealand. - **Refugees:** How the party would approach family reunification and settlement for people entering through humanitarian pathways. **Important distinction:** A party's commitment to fair and welcoming immigration does not automatically mean it has proposed removing specific visa restrictions. Check the manifesto's detailed policy wording before assuming a particular family visa would become easier to obtain. Official source: [Green Party 2026 manifesto](https://www.greens.org.nz/manifesto_2026) ### ACT New Zealand **General approach:** Focus on economic contribution, certainty in immigration rules and conditions intended to protect taxpayers. ACT has taken a specific position on parent visas. In August 2026, it welcomed a change under which approximately 90% of Parent Resident Visa expressions of interest would be selected according to the date they were submitted, with the remaining 10% selected through a random ballot. ACT said it had advocated for a queue-based system. [act.org.nz](https://www.act.org.nz/news/act-drives-change-for-fairer-parent-visa-settings?utm_source=chatgpt.com) This is a concrete example of how a party can affect family reunification without changing the number of visas available. - **Parent reunification:** ACT has advocated for a more predictable selection process for parents seeking residence. - **Longer visits:** ACT has supported the Parent Boost visa, which allows eligible parents to visit for longer, subject to financial, health and insurance requirements. - **Settlement and employment:** Consider its proposals on employer accreditation, migrant exploitation and skilled immigration alongside its approach to public spending and eligibility rules. **What to investigate:** Whether ACT would remove the remaining ballot component, change the annual number of Parent Resident Visas or alter the financial and insurance requirements that families must meet. Official sources: [ACT's parent visa announcement](https://www.act.org.nz/news/act-drives-change-for-fairer-parent-visa-settings) | [ACT New Zealand](https://www.act.org.nz/) ### New Zealand First **General approach:** Substantially reduce what it describes as non-essential immigration, strengthen the emphasis on citizenship and national identity, and impose stricter immigration settings. In its immigration policy announcement of 11 September 2026, New Zealand First proposed several changes, including: - **Residence:** Extending the qualifying period for permanent residence from two to five years. - **Citizenship:** Extending the qualifying period for citizenship from five to at least ten years. - **Immigration levels:** Holding a referendum on a proposed annual cap of 20,000 resident visas. - **Public support:** Introducing a ten-year stand-down period before visa holders could qualify for specified welfare benefits. - **Enforcement:** Broadening the circumstances in which people could be liable for deportation. [nzfirst.nz](https://www.nzfirst.nz/nz_first_announces_immigration_reform_policies?utm_source=chatgpt.com) These are proposed policies, not all current legal requirements. The proposed citizenship changes would not remove your existing citizenship; they concern future applicants. **What to investigate:** How the party would treat family reunification for citizens, particularly parent residence applications, and whether it would introduce specific restrictions on family sponsorship. Its general intention to reduce immigration does not, on its own, establish the details of every family visa it would change. Official source: [New Zealand First's immigration reform policies](https://www.nzfirst.nz/nz_first_announces_immigration_reform_policies) --- ### Te Pāti Māori Te Pāti Māori is another party you may wish to examine, particularly if you are interested in community-led services, equity and the treatment of people from different cultural backgrounds. For a fair comparison, look for specific commitments on migrant workers, refugee settlement, access to public services and family reunification. I have not established a sufficiently detailed, specific 2026 policy position on parent and other family visas to attribute particular proposed changes to the party here. Official source: [Te Pāti Māori](https://www.maoriparty.org.nz/) ## 2. Side-by-side comparison Here is a summary of the differences established by the published material reviewed. | Party | Settlement and employment | Bringing family members to New Zealand | Important question to ask | |---|---|---|---| | **National** | Skilled-worker pathways and additional enforcement against migrant exploitation | Parent Boost visitor visa; existing parent residence pathways | Would it change permanent family reunification rules or financial requirements? | | **Labour** | Proposes migrant orientation and civic education, alongside stronger employment protections | Proposes reviewing parent visa, health and English-language rules | What specific changes would it make to parent visas and settlement services? | | **Greens** | Emphasises fair settlement, dignity and migrant-worker protections | Detailed visa changes need to be checked against the full policy | Would it change eligibility, costs or waiting times for family visas? | | **ACT** | Emphasises economic contribution, certainty and enforcement | Advocates a more predictable Parent Resident Visa selection system and supports longer parent visits | Would it remove the remaining ballot and change eligibility requirements? | | **New Zealand First** | Proposes stricter immigration settings and longer qualifying periods for residence and citizenship | Specific family-visa changes need to be checked against its detailed proposals | Would it introduce restrictions on family sponsorship or parent residence? | | **Te Pāti Māori** | Examine its proposals on equity, community support and worker protections | Specific family-visa proposals require further verification | What practical changes would it make to family reunification rules? | Sources: [National](https://www.national.org.nz/), [Labour](https://www.labour.org.nz/news/release-labour-to-ensure-an-immigration-system-that-works-for-new-zealand/), [Greens](https://www.greens.org.nz/manifesto_2026), [ACT](https://www.act.org.nz/news/act-drives-change-for-fairer-parent-visa-settings), [New Zealand First](https://www.nzfirst.nz/nz_first_announces_immigration_reform_policies), and [Te Pāti Māori](https://www.maoriparty.org.nz/). **A note on this comparison:** These are not overall ratings of the parties. The table distinguishes specific published proposals from broader policy approaches. A missing proposal does not necessarily mean a party opposes it. --- ## 3. Understanding your options for bringing family to New Zealand This is where the distinction between different kinds of family relationships becomes important. The rules are different depending on whether you want to bring your partner, children, parents or another relative. ### A. Bringing your partner New Zealand has partnership-based visa pathways for eligible partners of New Zealand citizens and residents. Depending on the circumstances, a partner may be eligible for a temporary visa or a residence visa. Immigration New Zealand considers matters such as whether the relationship is genuine and stable and whether the couple has been living together. For your election research, consider these questions: - Would a party make partner visas easier or harder to obtain? - Would it change the evidence required to demonstrate a genuine relationship? - Would it change processing times or application fees? - Would it provide better support for partners who face language barriers or difficulty finding employment? You should examine the actual partnership visa policies rather than assuming that a party's general immigration position answers these questions. Official information: [Immigration New Zealand](https://www.immigration.govt.nz/) ### B. Bringing your children The rules depend on the child's age, dependency, your relationship with the child and the circumstances of the application. Some children of New Zealand citizens may have a claim to citizenship themselves, depending on where they were born and the relevant citizenship rules. Other children may need an appropriate visa. Questions worth investigating include: - Would a party change visa pathways for dependent children? - Would it change the rules for children joining a parent who is already living in New Zealand? - Would it provide additional support to migrant families with children? - How would its proposed policies affect children who are separated from parents for long periods? Family unity, children's welfare and the practical cost of maintaining a family across countries are useful subjects to raise with candidates. ### C. Bringing your parents If your parents live overseas, this is an especially important area to investigate because New Zealand has different pathways for visits and permanent residence. Two existing options illustrate the difference. **Parent Boost Visitor Visa** This visa allows eligible parents of New Zealand citizens and residents to visit for extended periods. It has requirements concerning health, insurance and financial support. It is designed for longer visits, not permanent settlement. **Parent Resident Visa** This visa allows an eligible parent of a New Zealand citizen or resident to live in New Zealand indefinitely, subject to the visa's requirements. The sponsoring adult child must meet eligibility requirements, including a minimum period of residence in New Zealand and income requirements. Applicants must also meet the relevant health, character and other criteria. Official information: - [Parent Boost Visitor Visa](https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/parent-boost-visitor-visa/) - [Parent Resident Visa](https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/parent-resident-visa/) #### An important change in October 2026 The selection process for the Parent Resident Visa changed on **5 October 2026**. Under the new system, Immigration New Zealand will select approximately: - 90% of expressions of interest according to the date they were submitted. - 10% through a random ballot. The first selection under the new system is scheduled for 10 November 2026. The government has stated that the annual number of visas and the visa eligibility criteria are not changing as part of this adjustment. [Immigration New Zealand](https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/parent-resident-visa/) This change is particularly relevant when comparing party policies. ACT has publicly advocated for a queue-based system, while the current government has implemented a system combining queue-based selection with a ballot. It is also important to distinguish between three separate questions: 1. **Eligibility:** Does your parent qualify to apply? 2. **Selection:** How likely is the application to be selected for consideration, and how long might the wait be? 3. **Approval:** If invited to apply, can your parent satisfy all the requirements? A party might propose changing one of these without changing the others. ### D. Bringing siblings or other relatives Do not assume that a family relationship automatically creates a pathway to residence. New Zealand's family visa rules are relationship-specific. Having New Zealand citizenship does not mean you can sponsor every relative to live here permanently. If you want to bring a sibling, an adult child or another relative, you will need to identify the specific visa category that applies to them. In assessing the parties, ask whether they intend to expand the range of eligible family relationships or change the requirements for existing pathways. --- ## 4. What does settlement support mean for someone who already lives and works here? Because you have already migrated, work in New Zealand and have become a citizen, your interests may differ from those of a person who is considering arriving on a temporary work visa. Some immigration policies affect people before they arrive. Others affect people who are already living here, including their ability to work safely, support relatives overseas and participate in their communities. Here are five areas worth examining. ### English-language support You mentioned that English is your second language. You may therefore want to look at policies that help people improve their English without making language ability an unnecessary barrier to employment or participation. Questions include: - Are affordable English-language courses available? - Are courses accessible to people who work full-time? - Are interpretation services available when people need to understand important public information? - Does the party propose funding practical language support through community organisations? New Zealand's existing Migrant Settlement and Integration Strategy identifies education, training and English-language learning as one of its five settlement outcomes. It also includes participation, health, housing, and employment and self-sufficiency. [Official strategy](https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/our-strategies-and-programmes/supporting-people-from-overseas-to-settle-in-new-zealand/migrant-settlement-and-integration-strategy/). A useful question for each party is whether it intends to expand, maintain or reduce the funding and accessibility of these services. ### Protection from workplace exploitation Some migrants are vulnerable to exploitation because their visa conditions may restrict where or for whom they can work. You are now a citizen, so the immigration conditions attached to temporary work visas no longer apply to you. However, employment protections remain relevant to your own working life and to relatives or friends who may still be on temporary visas. Compare party policies on: - Enforcement against employers who exploit workers. - Access to advice and assistance when employment rights are breached. - The ability of temporary migrants to change employers. - Support for people who are afraid to report exploitation. National has announced additional funding for enforcement teams, while Labour has proposed changes intended to make it easier for some temporary migrants to change employers. These are different approaches to addressing workplace problems. ([National](https://www.national.org.nz/news/more-resources-to-combat-migrant-exploitation); [Labour](https://www.labour.org.nz/news/release-labour-to-ensure-an-immigration-system-that-works-for-new-zealand/)) ### Recognition of overseas qualifications Migrants can have difficulty finding work that matches their skills and qualifications. If this is relevant to you or your family, examine proposals concerning: - Recognition of overseas qualifications. - Access to retraining and bridging courses. - Help obtaining professional registration. - Support for migrants who have experience but lack New Zealand work experience. A party's promise to attract skilled migrants does not necessarily mean it has a policy to help those already here use their existing qualifications. ### Access to public services Family circumstances can affect access to health services, education, housing and other support. When considering party policies, check who would qualify for each service. Eligibility can differ according to citizenship, residence status, the type of visa held and the particular service involved. It is also worth checking whether a proposal concerns access to an existing service or introduces a new service specifically for migrants. ### Belonging and participation Settlement is not just about finding a job. It can also involve understanding public institutions, knowing your rights, building friendships and participating in local communities. Labour has specifically proposed New Zealand orientation and civic education for migrants. The Green Party's 2026 manifesto emphasises fair pathways to settle and respect for people who come to New Zealand. You can compare these commitments with the practical services that would be funded, the people eligible to receive them and the outcomes the parties intend to achieve. --- ## 5. How to assess what the parties promise Election announcements can sound similar even when their practical effects differ. A useful approach is to look for specific, measurable commitments. For each party, consider these six questions: 1. **Eligibility:** Who would qualify for support or a family visa? 2. **Cost:** Would the policy reduce or increase application fees, insurance costs or other expenses? 3. **Waiting time:** Would it change processing times, selection methods or the number of visas available? 4. **Settlement support:** Would it fund additional services, maintain current services or change eligibility? 5. **Employment:** Would it make it easier for migrants to use their qualifications, change jobs or report exploitation? 6. **Implementation:** Is the policy already in force, formally proposed, or still awaiting detail? It is particularly important to distinguish between a party saying it supports family unity and a party specifying that it will change the eligibility rules for a particular visa. Similarly, a party may support migrant settlement while proposing tighter immigration controls in other areas. Those positions should be examined separately rather than treated as contradictory automatically. ### Remember how New Zealand's voting system works New Zealand uses the mixed-member proportional (MMP) voting system. In a general election, you normally receive two votes: - **Party vote:** Helps determine each party's share of seats in Parliament. - **Electorate vote:** Chooses your local electorate representative. You can vote for a party and an electorate candidate from different parties. For your situation, you may want to examine both a party's national immigration policies and what the candidates standing in your electorate say about settlement support and family reunification. You can find voting information at [Elections New Zealand](https://vote.nz/). --- ## 6. A practical next step: focus on the family member you want to bring The most useful comparison will depend on who you hope to bring to New Zealand. The rules and political proposals can differ significantly between parents, partners and children. **Which family member are you most interested in bringing to New Zealand?** - **My parents** — including permanent residence versus longer visits. - **My partner or spouse** — including partnership visas and residence. - **My children** — including dependent children and family reunification. - **My siblings or other relatives** — including what options may exist. - **Several family members** — if you want a broader comparison. If you tell me which relationship matters most, I can focus the next comparison on the actual visa rules, the costs and waiting-time issues, and what each party has specifically proposed to change before the 2026 election. **End captured answer** ## Gemini · asked nationally Answer ID: 89a883bb-a3a3-44cb-8560-e874fb5f4e93. Captured 12 October 2026. **Begin captured answer — shown as given, not verified** Congratulations on your New Zealand citizenship! Having gone through the journey of migrating, working, and building a life here, your perspective as a new citizen gives you a powerful and vital voice in the **2026 General Election**. Navigating political platforms while English is an additional language can feel overwhelming, especially with dense policy jargon. The major political parties approach migrant settlement, permanent residency, and family reunification through very different lenses. --- ### How the Parties Compare on Settlement and Residency The debate around settlement focuses heavily on how long migrants should wait before achieving permanent stability, and what rights they should hold along the way. * **The Labour Party:** Labour has proposed extending the wait time to transition from a resident visa to a permanent resident visa from **two years to four years**. They frame this as giving migrants more time to "put down roots", though it extends the timeline for full settlement security. * **The ACT Party:** ACT has proposed **abolishing indefinite permanent residency entirely**, suggesting that resident visa holders should continually renew or prove their ongoing connection to New Zealand. They also propose a five-year welfare stand-down for resident class visa holders. (Note: National has publicly distanced itself from abolishing permanent residency). * **The Green Party:** The Greens focus heavily on long-term settlement support, advocating for streamlined pathways to residence for long-term migrants, removing rigid health requirement barriers, and properly resourcing Immigration New Zealand to clear backlogs. * **New Zealand First:** NZ First advocates for a tighter, more restrictive immigration framework. Their platform includes substantially longer qualifying periods for permanent residency and citizenship, restricting public support access, and limiting automatic birthright citizenship for children of temporary migrants. --- ### Rules Affecting Family Members (Family Reunification) Bringing parents, partners, or children to join you is one of the most critical settlement issues for migrant families. The parties diverge significantly on how accessible these pathways should be: * **The Greens and Progressive Parties:** Generally push for well-resourced, humanitarian-focused pathways, aiming to clear backlogs in family reunification tiers (such as parent categories) and ease restrictive health and income criteria that block lower-earning or middle-income migrants from reuniting with their parents. * **National and Coalition Partners (ACT / NZ First):** The current political landscape has seen shifts in parent visa categories (such as moving away from pure ballots toward waitlist structures). ACT has expressed interest in making parent visitor streams fairer (such as evaluating health insurance requirements), while NZ First generally favors stricter caps on overall numbers to manage public infrastructure strain. --- ### Understanding the New Zealand System: MMP and Your Vote Because New Zealand uses the **Mixed Member Proportional (MMP)** voting system, no single party usually governs alone. 1. **Your Party Vote** determines the overall proportion of seats each party gets in Parliament. 2. **Your Electorate Vote** chooses your local Member of Parliament. 3. **Coalition Reality:** Keep in mind that radical policy proposals from smaller parties (like ACT or NZ First) often get moderated or traded away if they form a coalition government with a larger party like National or Labour. **End captured answer** ## Google AI Mode · asked nationally Answer ID: 2c0aab22-7c4d-49e7-b9b9-f27e53ddc868. Captured 12 October 2026. **Begin captured answer — shown as given, not verified** Congratulations on becoming a New Zealand citizen and taking part in your first general election! Navigating a new civic system—especially when English is an additional language—is a big step, and understanding where political parties stand on migrant settlement and family reunification can help clarify your choices. The 2026 New Zealand general election takes place on **7 November 2026**. Different political parties approach immigration, settlement support, and family rules through contrasting economic and social philosophies. Below is an overview of how the major parties position themselves on these issues, based on their stated platforms and policy announcements: 1\. New Zealand Labour Party * * **Stated Position & Approach:** Labour (via immigration spokesperson Phil Twyford) frames its policy around matching immigration to national infrastructure, housing, and workforce needs, while supporting migrants who choose to build a life in New Zealand. * **Settlement & Rules Changes:** Labour has proposed extending the qualifying period required to graduate from a resident visa to a permanent resident visa from two years to four years. They pair this with a proposed New Zealand orientation and civic education framework aimed at fostering long-term social cohesion. They also proposed a one-off regularisation path for well-settled long-term overstayers. * **Family Reunification:** Labour has proposed a 10-year multiple-entry "Super Visa" for parents and grandparents of migrants, allowing successive stays ranging from six months up to five years to help bolster family support structures, alongside a financial review of standard parent resident visas. [Facebook·Dumlao Immigration] * 2\. New Zealand National Party * * **Stated Position & Approach:** As part of the current governing administration, National emphasizes economic growth by attracting and retaining skilled migrants through streamlined processes (such as ongoing reforms to the Skilled Migrant Category and occupation lists). Immigration Minister Erica Stanford has publicly distanced the party from proposals to eliminate permanent resident visas, supporting the current permanent residency framework. [www.livinginnz.co.nz] * **Settlement & Rules Changes:** National focuses primarily on economic alignment and market-driven skilled worker settings rather than major overhauls to permanent residency timelines. [www.livinginnz.co.nz] * **Family Reunification:** The National Party introduced the "Parent Boost" multi-entry visitor visa, which allows parents of citizens and residents to stay for up to five years at a time (subject to health, insurance, and income criteria) to facilitate family visits without immediately entering the permanent residency queue. * 3\. ACT New Zealand * * **Stated Position & Approach:** ACT approaches immigration from a market-liberal perspective, aiming to reduce bureaucratic hurdles for employers needing specific skills while tightening parameters around public entitlements. * **Settlement & Rules Changes:** ACT has proposed abolishing permanent resident visas in favour of renewable resident categories, implementing a five-year waiting period before new migrants can access public welfare support, and establishing a dedicated enforcement unit for overstayers. * **Family Reunification:** ACT's platform generally prioritises economic productivity and employment alignment over expanded welfare-backed family reunification categories. * 4\. New Zealand First * * **Stated Position & Approach:** NZ First (led by Winston Peters) advocates for a significantly tightened, "smart, controlled" approach to immigration, arguing that population growth should be strictly balanced against local infrastructure. * **Settlement & Rules Changes:** NZ First has proposed extensive restrictions, including doubling the qualifying residency and citizenship waiting periods from five years to ten years, restricting automatic birthright citizenship for children of non-citizens, increasing application fees, and barring visa holders from welfare and jobseeker support for their first decade in the country. They also propose a binding referendum on capping overall annual resident visas. * **Family Reunification:** Their platform heavily restricts permanent intake channels and proposes tighter thresholds across all secondary visa and residency classes. [www.livinginnz.co.nz] * 5\. Green Party & Te Pāti Māori * * **Stated Position & Approach:** The Green Party advocates for an expansive, human-rights-focused immigration framework, strongly opposing restrictive or anti-migrant rhetoric and pushing for smoother pathways to stability. * **Settlement & Rules Changes:** The Greens propose granting immediate residency options to a wider group of migrant workers and individuals lacking long-term stability in current visa queues, alongside expanding the annual refugee quota. * **Family Reunification:** The Greens place a high priority on shortening waiting times for family reunification categories to ensure migrants are not isolated from their support networks. Te Pāti Māori similarly approaches migrant communities through a lens of social equity, though past party positions have highlighted balancing housing pressures. * * * * **Next Steps & Voting Resources:** * * To check your enrolment details or find out where to vote, you can visit the official [Vote NZ](https://vote.nz/) portal. * Review individual party manifestos directly on their respective websites for granular details on how these policies affect specific visa subclasses or processing times. **End captured answer** ## Google AI Overviews · asked nationally Answer ID: 42b7a2ad-8a26-4a42-9e9e-1bb3dd3fefea. Captured 12 October 2026. **Begin captured answer — shown as given, not verified** **Political parties in the 2026 New Zealand general election hold widely contrasting views on family reunification and migrant settlement support**. While center-left and progressive parties advocate for reducing barriers and expanding community integration programs, center-right and nationalist parties focus on tightening rules, increasing financial self-reliance, and strengthening requirements to maintain residency. Here is how the major political parties compare on these specific issues for the **7 November 2026 election** : 🏛️ Comparison of Party Policies Political Party| Rules for Family & Parents Joining You| Settlement & Integration Support ---|---|--- **National**| • **Supports the current hybrid Parent Resident Visa system** (90% chronological queue, 10% ballot). • Focuses on keeping overall immigration settings sustainable.| • Focuses on filling economic skill gaps and keeping the immigration system workable for businesses. **Labour**| • Promises a **financial criteria review** for parent visas to make sponsorship easier. • Proposes a temporary visa for parents/grandparents (time spent wouldn't count toward residency).| • Doubles the wait time for a Permanent Resident Visa from 2 to **4 years** to ensure migrants "put down roots". • Introduces a new **orientation and civic education program** for new arrivals. **ACT**| • Wants to **abolish the remaining 10% Parent Visa lottery element** entirely, shifting purely to a date-order queue. • Imposes a **5-year welfare stand-down** on new migrants.| • Abolishes the indefinite Permanent Resident Visa. • Requires migrants to prove physical connection (**730 days in NZ per 5 years**) to keep their travel facility. **NZ First**| • **Restricts family reunification** and targets "non-essential" immigration. • Proposes a referendum to cap all resident visas at **20,000 per year**.| • Imposes a **10-year welfare benefit ban** on non-citizens. • Doubles the citizenship qualification period from 5 to **10 years**. • Introduces a strict "civics education" program on New Zealand values. **Green Party**| • Pledges to **remove income barriers** to sponsoring parent visas. • Restores automatic birthright citizenship for children born in NZ.| • Focuses on human rights, providing an amnesty residency pathway for long-term settled or undocumented migrants. • Adds **Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi) education** to migrant settlement programs. * * * 🗳️ Understanding the New Zealand Voting System Because you are a new citizen voting for the first time, it helps to understand how your vote shapes the government: * **The MMP System:** New Zealand uses the **Mixed Member Proportional (MMP)** system. You get two votes: a **Party Vote** (for the political party you prefer) and an **Electorate Vote** (for the local MP who will represent your specific area). * **The Party Vote is Decisive:** The Party Vote decides how many total seats a party gets in Parliament. A party must win either **5% of the party vote** or at least **one electorate seat** to enter Parliament. * **Coalition Governments:** No single party usually wins a majority. Parties must work together after the election to form a coalition government, meaning the final immigration policies are often a compromise between partner parties. 📝 Key Deadlines for the 2026 Election * **Enrolment Deadline:** You must be enrolled to vote by **midnight on Sunday, 25 October 2026**. You can check your status or register on the official Vote NZ Enrolment Page. * **Election Day:** Voting closes at **7:00 PM on Saturday, 7 November 2026**. _Note: For fully comprehensive breakdowns of individual policies as the election approaches, you can explore interactive tools onPolicy.nz or follow updates via public media outlets like the RNZ Immigration Guide._ **End captured answer** ## Publication and corrections Published and funded by Onsomble Limited. NZBrands.ai takes no view on any party or policy. [Independence](https://nzbrands.ai/about/independence/) · [Corrections](https://nzbrands.ai/about/corrections/) · [Contact](https://nzbrands.ai/about/contact/)