Immigration New Zealand has confirmed that the immigration median wage will increase to $35.00 per hour on 9 March 2026.
While the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) no longer uses the median wage as a general requirement, many residence and family‑related rules still do. This means the change may affect eligibility, timing, and the steps you take in 2026.
Below is a simple breakdown of what’s changing and who should pay attention.
Who should check their situation before March 2026
You may be affected if you:
- plan to apply for residence
- plan to apply for an AEWV and want to support a partner or dependent children
- will be changing visas in 2026
- are relying on skilled work experience for a future residence application
- Changes affecting residence pathways
The new median wage flows directly into several skilled residence categories. From 9 March 2026, higher wage thresholds will apply to:
- Skilled Migrant Category (SMC)
- Green List Straight to Residence and Work to Residence
- Transport Work to Residence
Higher pay steps may now be required
Some occupations will need to meet a higher pay step to remain eligible.
For example, teachers must now be on Step 5 of the pay scale (previously Step 4).
High‑salary SMC points
If you are claiming points for high remuneration, the salary bands will increase in line with the new median wage.
- Supporting partners and children on an AEWV
To support a partner or dependent children, AEWV holders must meet updated income thresholds from 9 March.
New hourly rates to support a partner are:
- Skill Level 1–3 roles: $28.00 per hour
- Skill Level 4–5 roles: $52.50 per hour
- Green List roles: $35.00 per hour
- AEWV settings still linked to the median wage
Even though AEWV roles no longer need to meet the median wage overall (and applicants need to earn the market rate for a role instead), the figure still matters for:
- when a role must be advertised before a Job Check (linked to 2 x median wage)
- whether an AEWV holder can support family visas
- the maximum stay for some lower‑skilled roles (linked to 1.5 × median wage)
- Skilled work experience for residence
Some residence categories only count work experience as “skilled” if it is paid above certain wage levels. These wage levels will increase from 9 March 2026.
If you are building skilled work experience for a future residence application, it’s important to understand whether the new thresholds affect you.
- Parent Category and Parent Boost Visitor Visa
INZ has confirmed that sponsorship income requirements for these categories will also increase, but the updated figures will be released later in 2026.
What to do now
For most people, this change simply means planning ahead.
- Sometimes applying before March protects eligibility.
- Sometimes a small salary adjustment keeps a residence pathway open.
You can read the announcement on the Immigration New Zealand website.
