Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has announced that a new approach to accommodation costs for Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) workers will take effect from April 2026.
Under the new system, weekly rent caps will range from NZD 150 to NZD 211, depending on the quality and features of the accommodation. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) considered a range of factors such as the cost of providing RSE accommodation, the market value of comparable accommodation, housing affordability metrics and RSE accommodation price trends when deciding the maximum charges.
Characteristics such as the number of people sharing a bedroom, the age of the building, and bathroom proximity and type of access from bedrooms will determine the allowable rent.
Employers will only be able to recover the actual cost of providing accommodation, and all charges must be reasonable. Employers must still comply with employment law, including the Minimum Wage Act and the Wages Protection Act, and employers remain responsible for ensuring accommodation deductions are lawful. The approach is intended to encourage employers to invest in better-quality accommodation by allowing higher rent caps for higher standards.
Accommodation quality will be assessed using clear criteria, providing transparency and predictability for both employers and workers. Rent caps will be updated annually to keep up with inflation.
The changes follow extensive consultation with Pacific representatives, industry, and government, and are part of the Government’s ongoing work to strengthen the RSE scheme and ensure its long-term sustainability. The new framework will apply to Agreement to Recruit (ATR) applications lodged with the RSE Processing Team from April 2026. Accommodation quality standards will be considered as part of the wider RSE policy review in 2026.
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