The PAC and SQ residence pathways recognise the special relationship between New Zealand and Samoa and the Pacific Access Category countries of Tonga, Tuvalu, Kiribati and Fiji.

Sufficient registrations will be drawn to allow up to 1650 Samoan citizens, 500 Tongan, 500 Fijian citizens, 150 Kiribati and 150 Tuvaluan citizens to be granted residence.

These places are how many people will be granted residence under each category. Registrations for the ballots can contain more than one person, for example if a family have applied under the same registration.

We will publish successful registrant reference numbers on our website by the end of October.

If your ballot is selected, we will send you an invitation to apply letter after the reference numbers are published. This letter will include information about how to apply for your residence visa.

You must apply for New Zealand residency within 8 months of receiving an invitation to apply.

New income threshold

The minimum income requirement for those applying for residence under PAC and SQ with dependent children will increase to $51,734.80 from 20 October 2023.

This will apply to those who are invited to apply for residence following the ballot draw. The purpose of this requirement is to ensure that parents can adequately support children in New Zealand. The income of a secondary applicant partner may also be taken into account as long as both applicants have an acceptable offer of employment in New Zealand.

Samoan Quota Resident Visa

Pacific Access Category Resident Visa