Median Wage Increasing to $35.00 from 9 March 2026

From 9 March 2026, New Zealand’s median wage will increase to $35.00 per hour.

Because the median wage underpins a number of immigration settings, this change will have flow-on effects across work visas, residence pathways and family sponsorship categories.

Both employers and visa holders should understand how the updated threshold may affect eligibility moving forward.

What Will Be Affected?

The new median wage will impact:

• Green List pay requirements
• Exemptions from advertising and minimum skill thresholds for roles paid at least twice the median wage
• Maximum five-year stay rules for certain lower-skilled roles paid at least 1.5 times the median wage
• Income thresholds for supporting partners and dependent children
• Skilled residence pathways, including the Skilled Migrant Category, Green List residence and Transport Work to Residence

Where visa settings are calculated using multiples of the median wage, even a relatively modest increase can shift eligibility requirements.

Changes to Partner and Dependent Child Income Thresholds

Family sponsorship thresholds will also increase from 9 March.

For example:

• The Skill Level 1 to 3 partner support threshold will rise from $26.85 to $28.00 per hour
• The Green List partner support threshold will increase from $50.34 to $52.50 per hour

Applicants who are close to existing income thresholds should review whether their salary will continue to meet the updated requirements.

Skilled Residence Pathways

Wage thresholds for residence categories linked to the median wage will adjust in line with the new $35.00 rate.

In some cases, applicants may need to move to a higher pay step to remain eligible. For example, teachers applying under relevant residence pathways will now need to be on Step 5 of the pay scale rather than Step 4.

Timing, salary progression and role classification may therefore become important considerations for those planning residence applications in 2026.

Updates to the National Occupation List

Further changes taking effect from 9 March include updates to the National Occupation List.

Forty-seven new occupations will be added.

In addition, the following roles will move from Level 3 down to Level 4:

• Pet groomer
• Nanny
• Kennel hand

These reclassifications will not affect individuals who already hold an Accredited Employer Work Visa in these roles.

Where a Job Check application was submitted on or before 8 March 2026 and approved at the applicable skill level, that approval and any associated Job tokens, AEWV applications or Job Change requests will not be impacted by the change in classification.

However, applications lodged after this date will be assessed under the updated skill level settings.

What This Means for Employers and Migrants

For employers, the median wage increase is a reminder to review:

• Salary settings for current migrant employees
• Upcoming Job Checks
• Workforce planning and recruitment strategies
• Residence pathways for existing staff

For visa holders and applicants, the increase may affect:

• Eligibility for skilled residence
• Partner and dependent sponsorship
• Future work visa applications

Because multiple immigration settings move at the same time when the median wage changes, small differences in pay rates can have significant consequences for eligibility.

The new median wage will apply to visa applications lodged from 9 March onwards.

Early assessment is particularly important for those who are close to wage thresholds or planning applications later in 2026.

How NZIP Can Assist

Understanding how these changes apply to your specific situation can be complex, particularly where residence, sponsorship or workforce planning decisions are involved.

If you would like to discuss how the 9 March median wage increase may affect you or your organisation, our team is here to help.‍