A new visa for migrants' parents will be introduced in September

Brian from Mount Roskill

The Government will allow migrants in New Zealand to sponsor their parents to visit and stay here under a new visa rolling out in September.
The visa will allow the parents of New Zealand citizens and residents multi-entry access for up to five years, with the opportunity for renewal once, meaning they could hold the visa for 10 years.
However, applicants will have to fulfil a list of criteria, including demonstrating they have health insurance and meet character requirements. An income requirement will also need to be met by either the applicant or their sponsor.
The National Party promised the “Parent Boost” visa during the 2023 election campaign, with the intention of making New Zealand a more attractive option for skilled migrants.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today announced that applications would open on September 29.
He said there was expected to be between 2000 to 10,000 applicants per year, with no cap. The visa will be monitored closely with a review in 2027.
Luxon said that to “drive economic growth, we need to incentivise skilled migrants to choose New Zealand”.
“Ensuring we continue to attract the right people with the skills this country needs will deliver significant economic and social benefits for all New Zealanders,” the Prime Minister said.
Immigration Minister Erica Stanford said the Government understood a long-term visitor visa for parents was a key consideration for migrants when choosing where to build their lives.
“Whether it be welcoming a new child, additional support during health challenges or providing childcare so parents can work, there is nothing quite like having family support close by,” Stanford said.
“We are proud to deliver this coalition agreement between National and Act, which will make the New Zealand proposition more appealing and more competitive.”
According to the Government, to be eligible for a Parent Boost visa, applicants must:
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have an eligible sponsor who is a New Zealand citizen or resident
meet acceptable standard of health requirements
demonstrate they have at least one year of health insurance coverage which provides for emergency medical cover (of at least up to $250,000), repatriation, return of remains and cancer treatment (of at least $100,000) and to maintain this insurance for the entire duration they are in New Zealand
meet character requirements and be a bona fide / genuine visitor
while offshore during the third year of the multiple-entry visitor visa, complete a new medical assessment and demonstrate they have maintained their insurance
One of the following income requirements must also be met:
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The sponsor must earn the median wage to sponsor one parent, joint sponsors must earn 1.5x the median wage, or;
The parent/s have an ongoing income aligning with the single rate of New Zealand Superannuation for a single parent and the couple rate for a couple, or;
The parent/s have available funds of $160,000 for a single parent and $250,000 for a couple to support themselves for the duration of their visa.
The sponsors must remain living in New Zealand while the visa holder is here and are liable for any costs incurred in relation to the visa holder during this period, the Government said.
The applicants will be able to renew their visa once, allowing for a maximum length of visit to be 10 years. They will need to spend three months outside of New Zealand prior to getting their second visa.
Act’s immigration spokeswoman Dr Parmjeet Parmar welcomed the visa, though noted it was slightly different to what her party had proposed during the 2023 election campaign.
“Act’s 2023 proposal differed slightly in that it would have included an annual fee to fund healthcare costs through a public health fund,” she said.
“The Parent Boost Visa’s alternative, a requirement for comprehensive private health insurance, serves a similar purpose in protecting New Zealand taxpayers.”
Luxon said there was a “whole bunch of complexity” associated with a healthcare levy and it was instead easier to require healthcare insurance instead.
Stanford believed the Government was being “flexible” with the insurance requirement.
“Not only are we saying you can have it from a New Zealand country, you can have it from overseas companies as well,” she said. “We have looked at other countries. There are plenty of providers who will come to the table and offer this product.”
The Green Party was critical of the income requirement threshold, saying the Government was telling migrants families “if your parents don’t have a quarter of a million in funds, they are not welcome here”.
“The Government’s changes to the Parent Boost visa send a clear signal that they do not value the significant contribution of our migrant communities who National labelled as essential not long ago. This is not good enough,” said the party’s immigration spokesman Ricardo Menéndez March.
“The requirements of the five-year parent category visa mean only those with significant wealth will be able to apply, leaving out the lower wage migrant workers National was calling “essential” not many years ago," Menéndez March.
“The Greens support having genuine residency pathways for parents, because it makes no sense for families to be kept apart. Being wealthy should not be a prerequisite to having your parents with you in New Zealand. We will overhaul the parent residency scheme to ensure families are treated fairly.”
Currently, Immigration New Zealand’s Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa allows for stays of up to six months at a time, with a maximum of 18 months across three years. The separate Parent Resident Visa allows parents to come to New Zealand indefinitely, but they must be invited to apply after submitting an expression of interest.
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