New Zealand 2026 election: migration, skilled workers and settlement services

The key distinction to watch in the 2026 New Zealand general election is that migration policy covers three different questions:

• Migration levels: How many people should be able to move to New Zealand, and how should immigration settings respond to housing, infrastructure and labour-market pressures?
• Skilled workers: How readily should employers be able to recruit people from overseas, and what protections should apply to migrant workers?
• Settlement services: What support should newcomers receive to learn English, find work, understand New Zealand systems and participate in their communities?

A party can support attracting skilled migrants while also wanting tighter controls on overall immigration. Equally, supporting lower net migration does not automatically mean supporting fewer skilled-worker visas.

I'll distinguish published policies and documented government actions from proposals for the 2026 campaign. That matters because a policy in force today is not necessarily a commitment for the next parliamentary term.

1. Party-by-party comparison

The following reflects published 2026 campaign material and policy announcements available as of 26 October 2026. “No clear commitment found” means I could not verify a specific proposal in the material reviewed, not that a party has no position.

National

In government; focuses on workforce needs and economic growth

Migration levels: Supports managing immigration responsibly, with an emphasis on filling genuine skill shortages and ensuring New Zealanders are prioritised for jobs. I did not verify a new numerical cap on total migration in its published 2026 policy material.

Skilled workers: The government has introduced two new skilled-residence pathways for experienced workers and qualified tradespeople and technicians, with eligibility based on work experience, qualifications and wage thresholds. It has also extended basic English-language requirements to additional Accredited Employer Work Visa roles.

Settlement services: I could not verify a major new, dedicated settlement-services commitment in the material reviewed. The English-language requirements are relevant to workplace and community integration, but are not the same as providing funded English tuition or settlement support. 2026 Election PolicyNew residence options to bolster workforceEnglish language requirement extended to AEWV skill level 3 roles

Labour

Capacity-based planning, worker protections and integration

Migration levels: Proposes a Government Policy Statement on immigration that plans migration around workforce demographics, housing and infrastructure capacity, rather than relying on a single fixed national target.

Skilled workers: Wants to strengthen the Accredited Employer Work Visa system and allow migrants to move between accredited employers after three months, reducing the risk of exploitation tied to a particular employer.

Settlement services: Proposes extending eligibility for permanent residence from two years to four years, supported by New Zealand orientation and civic education delivered by community education providers. It also proposes improving access to support in migrant communities and expanding Pacific visa-waiver access for family visits. Immigration

Green Party

Migrant dignity, fair pathways and refugee protection

Migration levels: Its 2026 manifesto emphasises welcoming, safe and fair pathways to make New Zealand home. The material reviewed does not establish a specific overall migration cap.

Skilled workers: Emphasises that migrant workers deserve fair treatment and should not be treated as disposable. Its wider workforce agenda focuses on employment protections, decent pay and workers' ability to exercise their rights.

Settlement services: The manifesto frames settlement around dignity, inclusion and fair opportunities to establish a life in New Zealand. It also has a distinct immigration and refugees policy area. For precise commitments on funded settlement programmes, English-language services or particular visa pathways, the full policy details should be checked rather than inferred from these principles. Manifesto 2026

Source: Green Party 2026 manifesto

ACT

Focuses on contribution, residence conditions and commitment to New Zealand

Migration levels: I could not verify a specific new numerical cap in the ACT material reviewed.

Skilled workers: ACT's stated approach includes welcoming migrants, while emphasising that residence status should reflect a genuine and lasting connection to New Zealand.

Settlement services: Its September 2026 policy would remove the existing Permanent Resident Visa category and change the Resident Visa's travel facility from an initial two years to five years. This is a proposal about residence conditions, not a settlement-services funding plan. ACT New Zealand

Source: ACT's September 2026 immigration announcement

New Zealand First

Explicitly seeks substantial restrictions on immigration and residence

Migration levels: Proposes a referendum on a legislated cap of 20,000 resident visas annually, links population growth to infrastructure capacity, and proposes a 30-year population plan. The cap is a proposed referendum policy, not a current legal limit.

Skilled workers: Its policy would remove automatic work rights for international students, require eligible students to meet strict conditions to work, and require students transitioning to another visa to leave New Zealand and reapply from overseas. Its stated emphasis is on protecting job opportunities for New Zealanders.

Settlement services: Proposes increasing the period for permanent residence from two to five years and citizenship eligibility from five to at least ten years. It would also introduce a ten-year stand-down from specified welfare benefits for non-citizens, prioritise citizens for social housing, and increase application fees for residence and citizenship. These measures would materially change the conditions under which migrants settle long-term. NZ First Announces Immigration Reform Policies

Source: New Zealand First's September 2026 immigration policies

2. The main differences at a glance

Issue	National	Labour	Greens	ACT	NZ First
Overall migration	Managed to meet economic needs	Planned against national capacity	Welcoming pathways; no verified cap	No verified new numerical cap	Proposed 20,000 resident visas/year
Skilled-worker access	New skilled-residence routes	Stronger visa protections and employer mobility	Fair treatment and employment rights	Welcoming migrants; tighter residence conditions	Tighter work rights for international students
Permanent residence	More skilled pathways	Proposed eligibility after 4 years	Fair, safe pathways are a stated priority	Proposed changes to residence and travel conditions	Proposed eligibility after 5 years
Settlement and integration	No major new dedicated commitment verified	Orientation, civic education and community support	Dignity, inclusion and refugee protection	Focus on commitment to New Zealand	Longer waits for citizenship and welfare restrictions

Sources: party policy announcements and manifestos cited above. The table distinguishes published proposals from existing government settings.

3. What to examine specifically on settlement services

Settlement services can be overlooked in debates about immigration numbers. For a more complete comparison, these are the policy details worth checking in each party's full programme:

• English-language support: Whether English tuition is funded, who qualifies and whether services are available outside major centres.
• Employment and qualifications: Whether overseas qualifications are recognised more quickly and whether newcomers can access job-search support.
• Worker protection: Whether migrants can change employers without losing their visa status, and what help is available when employers exploit them.
• Family settlement: Access to family reunification, schools, healthcare and culturally appropriate community services.
• Refugee settlement: Funding for housing, language learning, employment assistance and long-term integration.
• Pacific communities: Whether policy addresses seasonal workers, family connections and the particular circumstances of Pacific migrants.

These are comparison criteria, not claims that every party has announced a specific programme in each area.

4. Where to verify the latest policy details

Because this is an election-year comparison, check the original policy documents for any announcements published after the material reviewed here.

• Policy.nz — 2026 election policy comparison
• National — 2026 election policies
• Labour — immigration policy
• Greens — 2026 manifesto
• ACT — immigration policy announcement
• New Zealand First — immigration reform policies

The central policy distinction: National's published approach emphasises attracting skilled workers while managing immigration; Labour emphasises capacity-based planning alongside worker protection and integration; the Greens emphasise migrant dignity and fair treatment; ACT emphasises residence conditions and lasting commitment to New Zealand; and New Zealand First proposes the most explicit numerical limit and longer residence and citizenship qualifying periods among the positions documented above.

These differences concern both who can enter New Zealand and what rights, support and long-term prospects people have after arriving. A proposed policy is not yet law, and actual outcomes will depend on legislation, implementation and any coalition agreements after the election.