From April 2026, the way accommodation costs are set and charged for Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) workers will change. The Government has confirmed a new pricing framework designed to bring greater fairness, clarity, and long-term consistency to RSE accommodation costs.

The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is one of New Zealand’s primary pathways for employers to hire migrant workers when there are genuine skill or labour shortages. To hire under this visa, an employer must first become accredited by Immigration New Zealand.

AEWV accreditation gives employers the legal authority to recruit and sponsor overseas workers for up to five years, and it’s a gateway for many migrants to live and work in New Zealand and in some cases eventually apply for residency.

The Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) programme plays a vital role in supporting New Zealand’s horticulture and viticulture industries. Introduced to address genuine labour shortages during peak seasons, the scheme allows approved employers to recruit overseas workers for seasonal work when suitable New Zealand workers are not available.

The NZ government has made several announcements over the past year aimed at reforming how seasonal worker visas work — to make them more flexible, better suited to industry needs, and more streamlined. Many of the changes tie into broader reforms to the Accredited Employer Work Visa scheme (AEWV) and the Specific Purpose Work Visa (SPWV).

New Zealand’s Green List plays a central role in the country’s immigration system, offering streamlined pathways for skilled professionals to live and work here. For employers, it helps fill critical skill shortages; for migrants, it can provide a faster and more secure route to residence.

If you’ve ever applied for a New Zealand visa, you’ll know that one of the most common frustrations is the uncertainty around processing times. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) publishes estimated timeframes for most visa types, but in practice, the reality can vary significantly from case to case.

In mid-2025, the New Zealand government introduced the Parent Boost Visitor Visa, a new visa option aimed at helping parents of New Zealand citizens or residents spend longer periods of time in New Zealand with their families.