What type of worker, employment situation, occupation or professional activity is this pathway actually designed for?
The Pacific Access Category Resident Visa is an open annual ballot route for citizens of Fiji, Tonga, Tuvalu and Kiribati. The principal applicant must be 18 to 45 inclusive at the registration closing date, be drawn from the relevant country pool, lodge the resident-visa application within eight months of written notice, and have an acceptable employment offer (or a partner included in the application with one). Applicants with dependent children must meet the minimum income requirement, and English, health and character requirements apply. The standard annual allocation is 250 Fiji, 250 Tonga, 75 Tuvalu and 75 Kiribati citizens, counting principal applicants, partners and dependent children. The 2026 official announcement sets the dependent-child income amount at NZD 55,404.96 per year from 30 April 2026.
See recorded sources
- The manual cross-references S1.40.30, S1.40.35 and S1.40.45 for detailed acceptable-employment, income and English tests; this answer preserves the cross-references rather than inferring every subcondition.
- The 2026 page confirms the income amount and draw context but does not reproduce every 2026 registration procedural detail.
- PAC route page, registration scope
If you are from Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga or Tuvalu you can register for this ballot to come to New Zealand.
- S1.40.5, resident visa criteria
be a citizen of Fiji, Tonga, Tuvalu, or Kiribati; and have their Pacific Access Category registration drawn from the relevant Fiji, Tonga, Tuvalu, or Kiribati pool of the Pacific Access Category; and lodge their application for a resident visa under the Pacific Access Category within eight months of written advice from INZ that their registration has been drawn from the relevant Fiji, Tonga, Tuvalu, or Kiribati pool of the Pacific Access Category; and have been aged between 18 and 45 (inclusive) at the registration closing date; and have an acceptable offer of employment or have a partner, included in the application, who has an acceptable offer of employment (see S1.40.30 below); and (if they have dependent children) meet the minimum income requirement set out at S1.40.35 below; and meet a minimum level of English language ability (see S1.40.45 below); and meet health and character requirements (see A4 and A5 ).
- S1.40.1, annual allocation
The Pacific Access Category allows up to 250 citizens of Fiji, 250 citizens of Tonga, 75 citizens of Tuvalu, and 75 citizens of Kiribati to be granted residence class visas in New Zealand each year.
- 2026 PAC/SQ ballot draw news release, minimum income requirement
The minimum income requirement for those applying for residence under PAC and SQ with dependent children will be NZD $55,404.96 a year from 30 April 2026.