New Zealand Raises Income Requirements for Parent and Pacific Visas From April 30, 2026

New Zealand will increase income and sponsorship requirements for several family and Pacific visa categories starting 30 April 2026. The update affects people planning to apply under the following categories:

• Pacific Access Category
• Samoan Quota
• Parent Resident Visa
• Parent Boost Visitor Visa

These changes happen every year to keep visa financial requirements in line with wages and living costs in New Zealand.

Pacific Access Category and Samoan Quota: Higher Income Requirement

Applicants applying under the Pacific Access Category Resident Visa or Samoan Quota Resident Visa with dependent children must now show a slightly higher income.

New minimum income (from 30 April 2026)

• Old requirement: NZD $54,133.04 per year
• New requirement: NZD $55,404.96 per year

This applies only when the main applicant includes dependent children in the application.

Parent Resident Visa: Sponsors Must Earn More

Sponsors supporting parents under the Parent Category Resident Visa must meet updated income thresholds.

The new figures are based on New Zealand’s median wage, which increased to NZD $35.00 per hour in June 2025.

Sponsors must:

• Meet the minimum income level
• Show they earned this income in 2 of the last 3 tax years
• Use tax years running from 1 April to 31 March

Applicants who already submitted their applications will not be affected by the new rules.

Parent Boost Visitor Visa: Updated Sponsor Income Levels

Starting from 30 April 2026, sponsors for the Parent Boost Visitor Visa must meet the following minimum annual income levels:

If there is 1 sponsor

Parents Sponsored	Minimum Income
1 parent	NZD $72,800
2 parents	NZD $109,200
3 parents	NZD $145,600
4 parents	NZD $182,000
5 parents	NZD $218,400
6 parents	NZD $254,800

If there are 2 sponsors

Parents Sponsored	Minimum Income
1 parent	NZD $109,200
2 parents	NZD $145,600
3 parents	NZD $182,000
4 parents	NZD $218,400
5 parents	NZD $254,800
6 parents	NZD $291,200

Sponsors must earn at least these amounts each year and meet the income requirement for 2 of the last 3 tax years before applying.

Parent Boost Visitor Visa: Applicants Can Also Show Own Funds

Instead of relying only on a sponsor, applicants can qualify by showing their own financial resources.

Minimum Income Requirement

• NZD $33,663.24 per year
• NZD $51,182.56 per year (if applying with a partner)

Minimum Savings Requirement

• NZD $170,000 in funds
• NZD $260,000 if applying with a partner

These amounts are based on New Zealand Superannuation rates and represent funds equal to about five years of financial support.

Who Will Be Affected

1. Pacific Access Category and Samoan Quota: New income rules apply to applications submitted from 30 April 2026, where dependent children are included.

2. Parent Resident Visa: Only new applicants must meet the updated income thresholds. Existing applications will continue under the previous rules.

3. Parent Boost Visitor Visa: New financial requirements apply to applications submitted on or after 30 April 2026.

What This Means for Applicants

New Zealand continues to adjust visa financial requirements to reflect real living costs. If you are planning to sponsor parents or apply under the Pacific visa routes, it is important to review the updated income levels before applying.

Preparing financial documents early can help avoid delays or refusals once the new rules take effect.