These policies were last reviewed and updated on 15/07. Policy positions are reviewed and updated every Wednesday.
National introduced the Immigration (Enhanced Risk Management) Amendment Bill, which looks to strengthen the tools available to respond to serious immigration breaches. In addition, minimum English language requirements under the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) have been extended to skill level 3 roles from 1 June 2026.
Read the full Beehive release on extending English language requirements for AEWV roles here
Labour have been highly critical of the coalition parties’ stance on immigration, accusing them of trying to deploy divisive, anti-migrant rhetoric to distract from current economic conditions.
The Labour Party had not made any specific policy announcements about immigration for the 2026 election at the time of the last page review.
The Green Party says it wants a progressive immigration system that is “humane, fair, practical, sustainable, and sensitive to the requirements and concerns of all migrants, as well as tangata whenua and tangata Tiriti”.
Leader David Seymour gave a speech on 1 May 2026 outlining ACT’s immigration proposals going into the election campaign. These proposals include reviewing the skilled jobs list once a year to match actual economic gaps, barring new immigrants from accessing welfare benefits for their first five years in New Zealand, and establishing a dedicated overstayer enforcement unit.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said in a recent speech in West Auckland: “We need immigration to New Zealand. It has been an essential part of our history. But this should be smart, controlled immigration policy – bringing in immigrants who we need, not who need us.” The party advocates for long-term domestic workforce planning.
NZ First have also proposed limiting voting rights to only those who are New Zealand citizens.
Read Winston Peters’ full address, “By Their Deeds You Will Know Them,” here
Te Pāti Māori had not made any specific policy announcements about immigration for the 2026 election at the time of the last page review.
In May 2026, Te Tai Tokerau MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi announced she was splitting from Te Pāti Māori and would contest the 2026 General Election as part of a new political party, named Te Tai Tokerau Party. Ms Kapa-Kingi announced the party would be grounded in tino rangatiratanga, local decision-making, and mana mokopuna. We will post the party policies here as they’re released.
Opportunity had not made any specific policy announcements about immigration for the 2026 election at the time of the last page review.
Retail NZ has included the policies of all parties currently represented in Parliament, listed in order of the number of seats they currently occupy. Additionally, any parties that poll at or above 3% in a political poll during 2026* will also be included underneath, in chronological order of when they met that threshold. Policies are reviewed and updated every Wednesday.
*Opportunity reached 3% in the 1News Verian Poll on 19 April 2026.
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