New Zealand 2026 election: where parties stand on migration

As of 16 October 2026, immigration is a significant election issue, with parties differing on how many people New Zealand should admit, how to recruit skilled workers, and what support migrants should receive when settling here. The general election is scheduled for Saturday, 7 November 2026. The main parties vying to form New Zealand's next governmentPolicies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026

The main distinction is between parties that want tighter limits and conditions on immigration, those seeking to manage migration around the country's capacity, and those prioritising migrants' rights, family connections and settlement support.

This comparison covers the six main parties—National, Labour, ACT, New Zealand First, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori—using their published policies and current campaign announcements. Where a party has not published a specific commitment, I've noted that rather than assuming what it would do.

At a glance

Party	Overall approach	Skilled workers	Settlement and support
National	Continue a more targeted, economically focused immigration system	Skilled-migrant pathways and recruitment for jobs New Zealand needs	No distinct new settlement-services package identified in its published headline policies
Labour	Plan immigration around workforce, housing and infrastructure capacity	Attract needed skills and reduce migrant exploitation	New Zealand orientation, civic education and better community support
ACT	Make immigration conditional on demonstrated need and contribution	Review skilled-job visa categories annually	Five-year stand-down from specified income-tested benefits; work-visa infrastructure surcharge
New Zealand First	Substantially reduce non-essential migration; propose a resident-visa cap	Prioritise domestic workers and long-term workforce planning	Proposes a ten-year welfare stand-down and longer residence and citizenship qualifying periods
Green Party	Humane, fair and welcoming immigration, with strong migrant protections	Protect workers' rights and support fair opportunities to settle	Emphasis on dignity, inclusion and safe pathways to settlement
Te Pāti Māori	No clear, specific 2026 immigration-number target identified	No detailed new skilled-migration package identified	Its wider policy emphasises equitable services, housing and Māori self-determination; a specific migrant-settlement package was not identified

Sources: party policy announcements and the parties' published election material. 2026 Election PolicyRelease: Labour to ensure an immigration system that works for New ZealandACT New ZealandNZ First Announces Immigration Reform PoliciesManifesto 2026PolicyImmigration

1. National: targeted skilled migration and workforce growth

National's approach is to attract migrants who fill genuine skills shortages while tightening eligibility and enforcement in parts of the system. Its record in government and published announcements are the clearest guides to its current direction. New residence options to bolster workforceImmigration (Enhanced Risk Management) Amendment Bill to hold people to account for serious offendingEnglish language requirement extended to AEWV skill level 3 roles

• Migration levels: National has not set out a simple annual net-migration cap in the material reviewed. Its approach is to manage immigration through visa eligibility, skill requirements and enforcement.
• Skilled workers: The Government introduced two skilled residence pathways, covering experienced skilled workers and specified trades and technician roles. These changes took effect on 24 August 2026. National also extended basic English-language requirements to more Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) applicants.
• Settlement services: The main emphasis is on attracting and retaining workers needed by employers. I did not find a specific new National commitment to expand migrant orientation or community settlement services.
• Other relevant policy: National has strengthened proposed deportation powers for serious offending, while continuing to describe skilled immigration as important to economic growth. New residence options to bolster workforceImmigration (Enhanced Risk Management) Amendment Bill to hold people to account for serious offendingEnglish language requirement extended to AEWV skill level 3 roles

Official sources: National's policy page and skilled migrant residence pathways.

2. Labour: plan migration around capacity and support integration

Labour announced a dedicated immigration package on 11 September 2026. It combines more deliberate migration planning with stronger employment protections and a longer route to permanent residence. Release: Labour to ensure an immigration system that works for New ZealandElection'26: Labour vows to extend permanent residence wait from two to four years

• Migration levels: Labour proposes a Government Policy Statement on immigration that takes account of workforce demographics, housing and infrastructure capacity. It has not specified a numerical cap in this announcement.
• Skilled workers: Labour says it wants to attract the skills New Zealand needs. It would strengthen the AEWV system and allow migrant workers to move between accredited employers after three months, helping reduce their vulnerability to exploitation.
• Settlement services: Labour proposes a New Zealand orientation and civic education programme, delivered through community education providers, to help migrants put down roots and strengthen social cohesion. It also promises better access to support in local communities.
• Residence and families: Labour proposes extending the period before migrants become eligible for permanent residence from two years to four. It would also review parent-visa, health and English-language rules, and create a citizenship pathway for children born in New Zealand. Release: Labour to ensure an immigration system that works for New ZealandElection'26: Labour vows to extend permanent residence wait from two to four years

What stands out: Labour's package explicitly connects migration planning with practical settlement support, rather than treating entry requirements as the whole immigration policy.

Official source: Labour's immigration announcement.

3. ACT: tighter conditions, with skilled visas linked to proven demand

ACT argues that immigration should fill genuine economic gaps, contribute towards infrastructure and be subject to stricter enforcement. Its six-point plan was announced on 3 May 2026. ACT New ZealandNZ Election 2026: Immigration Policy by Party

• Migration levels: ACT has not proposed a single annual net-migration target in this package. It seeks tighter controls on who qualifies and stronger enforcement of immigration rules.
• Skilled workers: Each skilled-job category under the AEWV system would expire annually unless there is up-to-date evidence of demand. ACT would extend basic English-language requirements to all AEWV types, with lower standards permitted for seasonal workers.
• Settlement and welfare: ACT proposes a five-year stand-down from Jobseeker Support, the Accommodation Supplement and other income-tested benefits for residence-class visa holders.
• Infrastructure contribution: Temporary work-visa holders would pay an additional $6 per day towards infrastructure, which ACT estimates would raise around $80 million annually.
• Enforcement: ACT would establish a dedicated overstayer enforcement unit and strengthen consequences for employers who facilitate overstaying. It also proposes deportation eligibility for resident-visa holders convicted of offences carrying sentences of ten years or more, regardless of how long they have lived in New Zealand. ACT New ZealandNZ Election 2026: Immigration Policy by Party

A further proposal reported in the election coverage is to abolish permanent resident visas and replace them with renewable travel rights. National has indicated that it does not support this proposal, illustrating that coalition partners may disagree on specific measures. NZ Election 2026: Immigration Policy by Party

Official source: ACT's immigration policy.

4. New Zealand First: substantially lower non-essential migration

New Zealand First announced a wide-ranging immigration reform package on 11 September 2026. It explicitly links migration to infrastructure capacity, housing, domestic employment and the rights associated with citizenship. NZ First Announces Immigration Reform PoliciesNew Zealand First puts migrants’ rights on the line

• Migration levels: The party proposes a referendum on introducing an annual cap of 20,000 resident visas. It also wants a 30-year population plan linking immigration with housing and infrastructure. The cap is a proposal for a referendum, not an existing limit.
• Skilled workers: The party's stated direction is to reduce non-essential immigration and prioritise domestic workforce planning. Its announced package would also remove automatic work rights for international students, requiring them to apply separately under stricter conditions.
• Settlement and welfare: New Zealand First proposes a ten-year stand-down from specified welfare benefits for non-citizens. It would extend the qualifying period for permanent residence from two years to five and the citizenship qualifying period from five years to at least ten.
• Other changes: It proposes higher residence and citizenship application fees, wider deportation criteria, and making social housing available to citizens first. It would also change birthright citizenship rules so that automatic citizenship at birth would generally be limited to children of New Zealand citizens. NZ First Announces Immigration Reform PoliciesNew Zealand First puts migrants’ rights on the line

The party says these measures would bring immigration more closely into line with New Zealand's capacity to provide housing and infrastructure. Their practical effects would depend on the final legislation and implementation.

Official source: New Zealand First's immigration reform announcement.

5. Green Party: fair pathways, migrant protections and inclusion

The Greens' 2026 manifesto frames immigration around humane and fair pathways to making New Zealand home. It says migrant workers should be treated with dignity and given a fair opportunity to settle. Manifesto 2026Manifesto 2026

• Migration levels: The Greens do not foreground a numerical migration cap in their manifesto's immigration summary. Their stated approach is a humane, fair and practical system that takes account of people's circumstances and concerns.
• Skilled workers: Their emphasis is on migrant workers' rights and protection from exploitation, rather than making visa eligibility the primary measure of immigration policy.
• Settlement services: The party emphasises safe and fair pathways to settlement, respect and dignity for migrants, and broader inclusion. Its wider public-service policies support accessible services, although I did not identify a specific new settlement-services funding commitment in the material reviewed.
• Refugees and families: The Greens' policy framework supports humanitarian pathways and a more inclusive immigration system. Their published immigration policy is available through the party's policy collection. Complete Party PolicyManifesto 2026

What stands out: The Greens put greater emphasis on migrant rights and inclusion than on numerical limits or welfare stand-down periods.

Official sources: Green Party 2026 manifesto and complete party policy.

6. Te Pāti Māori: no specific 2026 migration target identified

Te Pāti Māori's published policy material centres on Māori self-determination, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, housing, health, education and equitable access to services. I could not verify a detailed immigration package or a specific migration target for the 2026 election. PolicyImmigration

• Migration levels: No confirmed 2026 numerical cap or net-migration target identified.
• Skilled workers: No specific new skilled-migration framework identified in its published policy material.
• Settlement services: The party's broader commitments focus on housing, community wellbeing and Māori-led services. These are relevant to the wider settlement environment, but they should not be mistaken for a specific migrant-settlement programme.

The party previously discussed pausing immigration until housing supply caught up with demand, but that was an earlier position and should not automatically be treated as its 2026 policy. NZ Election 2026: Immigration Policy by PartyPolicy

Official source: Te Pāti Māori policy.

What the differences mean in practice

If your main concern is migration numbers

New Zealand First has the clearest explicit numerical proposal: a referendum on a 20,000-per-year resident-visa cap. Labour proposes planning immigration around capacity, while ACT focuses on tighter eligibility and enforcement. National's approach is targeted recruitment and management of visa settings. NZ First Announces Immigration Reform PoliciesRelease: Labour to ensure an immigration system that works for New ZealandACT New ZealandNew residence options to bolster workforce

If your main concern is skilled-worker recruitment

National's existing reforms create additional residence pathways for experienced workers and specified trades. Labour stresses attracting needed skills while reducing employer-related exploitation. ACT wants skilled visa categories to be justified by current demand. New Zealand First emphasises reducing non-essential migration and prioritising the domestic workforce. New residence options to bolster workforceRelease: Labour to ensure an immigration system that works for New ZealandACT New ZealandNZ First Announces Immigration Reform Policies

If your main concern is settlement and long-term security

Labour has the clearest new commitment to orientation, civic education and community support. The Greens emphasise dignity and fair settlement pathways. ACT and New Zealand First propose longer periods without access to specified benefits, while New Zealand First would also lengthen the wait for permanent residence and citizenship. Release: Labour to ensure an immigration system that works for New ZealandManifesto 2026ACT New ZealandNZ First Announces Immigration Reform Policies

A final distinction: proposals versus current law

These are campaign commitments, not a description of what every migrant must do today. Some policies discussed above are already reflected in current immigration settings, while others would require further government decisions, legislation or coalition agreements.

For example, the skilled residence pathways that took effect on 24 August 2026 are already part of the current system. The proposed New Zealand First resident-visa cap referendum and the parties' proposed changes to welfare eligibility are not existing rules simply because they have been announced. Final details about changes to the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa and work to residence visas :: Immigration New ZealandNZ First Announces Immigration Reform PoliciesACT New Zealand

For the authoritative current visa requirements, check Immigration New Zealand. For a broader election comparison, Policy.nz's 2026 migration guide is a useful starting point.