what’s changed and why it matters
If you employ migrants in 2025, it probably feels like the rules change every time you blink. Some of that is politics. Some of it is a genuine attempt to fix skills shortages and stamp out exploitation. Either way, the next 18 months create both risk and opportunity for New Zealand employers.
In my view there are four big shifts to understand – how work visas are priced and classified, how skilled residence will work from 2026, the tougher stance on exploitation, and the simple fact that more New Zealanders are leaving.
1. Work visas without the median wage safety rail
From 10 March 2025 the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) and some seasonal visas stopped using the “must pay at least the median wage” rule. Employers now have to pay at least the legal minimum wage, which rose to 23.50 an hour in April 2025, and also meet the market rate for the role, industry and region.
In practice that means two things –
- You cannot lowball pay without risking a declined visa, because Immigration New Zealand (INZ) will assess whether the offer reflects market rates.
- You also cannot rely on the median wage as a simple shortcut for “skilled”. You actually have to think about role design, responsibilities and evidence of skill.
At the same time, some thresholds still use the median wage. Green List residence roles that do not have a special rate must still pay at least the current median. Skilled residence pathways often use 1.5 times the median wage. The AEWV partner pathway has its own wage line.
So the landscape is now split. Cheaper to bring people in on some work visas if you pay fair market rates, but still expensive to reach some residence or family thresholds.
2. The National Occupation List and more eligible roles
From November 2025, INZ begins using the National Occupation List (NOL) instead of ANZSCO for many AEWV decisions. Around 90 additional higher skilled occupations at levels 1 to 3 become clearly recognised for AEWV purposes from 3 November 2025.
The intent is to –
- Better match visa settings to New Zealand’s current labour market needs.
- Give clearer pathways for occupations that never sat neatly inside the old ANZSCO categories.
For employers this should make it easier to sponsor workers in some supervisory, technician and mid level professional roles that were previously awkward to classify. The trade off is that you must follow the full AEWV process and show that the role, pay and conditions all line up with the new list.
3. Skilled residence is changing from 2026
The Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa has been under renovation for a while. In September 2025 the Government confirmed it will reduce New Zealand work experience requirements for many migrants, from a maximum of three years down to two.
On top of that, from mid-2026 there will be two new skilled residence pathways –
- A Skilled Work Experience Pathway.
- A Trades and Technician Pathway that gives more weight to New Zealand qualifications and real trade experience, and less to wage uplifts.
These changes are meant to make New Zealand more competitive in the global race for talent and to recognise people who build skills here, not just those who arrive on high salaries.
From an employer point of view, the upside is that it should become easier to map out credible residence pathways for good people in mid skill roles, not only the highly paid or highly qualified. That is a retention tool if you use it well. The downside is that competitors can offer the same thing, so the “we can get you residence” card will not be unique.
4. Tougher line on exploitation and modern slavery
The Worker Protection (Migrant and Other Employees) Act took effect in January 2024. It created new offences and penalties for employers who exploit migrant workers and strengthened MBIE and INZ powers to investigate and sanction.
Alongside that, the Migrant Exploitation Protection Work Visa (MEPV) lets migrants who report exploitation shift quickly to a new employer while remaining lawfully in New Zealand, for up to six months at a time.
MBIE’s broader plan of action on forced labour and modern slavery, plus government procurement rules, is steadily lifting expectations on employers to understand and manage exploitation risks, not only in their own workplace but sometimes in their supply chains as well.
For employers this means –
- Record keeping and compliance around visas and employment conditions has to be tight.
- There needs to be a clear separation between immigration sponsorship power and day to day management, so staff do not feel trapped.
- Policies on complaints, whistleblowing and pastoral care for migrant workers are now a real risk control, not just “nice to have”.
5. The demographic squeeze behind all this
Stats NZ data shows that net migration has fallen sharply from its post Covid peak. In the year to August 2025 the net gain was about 10,600, compared with over 51,000 a year earlier. A big part of that story is New Zealand citizens leaving in record numbers. In the June 2025 year, around 71,800 citizens departed and only about 25,400 returned, a net loss of roughly 46,500 people.
Those departures are happening against a backdrop of soft economic growth, rising unemployment and strong recruitment efforts from countries like Australia.
In plain language, more Kiwis are leaving and fewer migrants are arriving than a year ago. That is why the Government is trying to fine tune skilled residence and work visa settings. In my view it is also why employers who depend on migrant staff cannot afford a casual approach to continuity.
So what should employers do with all this?
If you strip away the acronyms, the 2025–26 landscape says three things to employers –
- Get strategic about pay and role design. You must show that AEWV pay is at least minimum wage and also market rate, while still meeting higher thresholds for some residence and partner visas. Treat this as part of your workforce strategy, not just a box to tick for each hire.
- Link your workforce plan to the new residence pathways. Map which roles might reasonably move into the new Skilled Work Experience or Trades and Technician pathways from 2026, and talk openly with staff who are likely candidates. That makes you a more attractive and trustworthy employer.
- Lift your game on compliance and care. Make sure your accreditation settings, employment agreements, complaint channels and pastoral support actually match the new exploitation and modern slavery environment. This protects your people and your reputation.
If you can do those three things, the new landscape becomes less of a storm and more of a navigable coastline.
The Last Word Remember, Immigration Law is as simple or as complex as Employment Law. However you view it, the best advice is always to have a very well qualified support system to keep you out of trouble, keep your valuable workers exactly where you want and need them and new recruits arriving without drama. Neazor Brady have been providing such sure-footed support for decades now and are willing and able to support all your immigration needs.