Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has announced an important update to its health assessment criteria for resident visa applicants. Effective for resident visa applications submitted on or after August 3, 2026, applicants with hepatitis B or hepatitis C will no longer be automatically assessed as failing New Zealand’s acceptable standard of health requirements.
What Has Changed?
INZ has formally removed hepatitis B and hepatitis C from its list of high-cost health conditions used when assessing resident visa applications.
According to INZ, advances in treatment and reduced healthcare costs mean that the expected cost of managing these conditions is now well below New Zealand’s significant cost threshold of NZD $81,000.
As a result, the presence of hepatitis B or hepatitis C will no longer automatically trigger a finding that an applicant may impose significant costs on New Zealand’s health system.
Individual Assessment Will Still Apply
The change does not eliminate health requirements for resident visa applicants.
Instead, applicants diagnosed with hepatitis B or hepatitis C will now be assessed based on their individual medical circumstances rather than being automatically categorized under the high-cost health conditions framework.
Medical assessors will continue reviewing health information to determine whether applicants meet New Zealand’s acceptable standard of health requirements.
Additional Updates to Health Conditions List
INZ has also revised the language used for several other health conditions to improve clarity for applicants and medical professionals.
Key updates include:
Major Psychiatric Illness and Addiction
Conditions in this category will now generally be included on the high-cost health conditions list only where an individual requires significant support services.
Severe Autoimmune Diseases
The wording has been updated to better reflect the increasing availability of lower-cost treatment options and modern treatment pathways.
Renal and Hepatic Disorders
Descriptions of kidney and liver-related conditions have been clarified to more accurately identify which conditions are intended to be captured by the policy.
Why the Change Matters
This update reflects New Zealand’s ongoing effort to ensure immigration health requirements remain aligned with current medical evidence and healthcare costs.
For applicants previously concerned that hepatitis B or hepatitis C could automatically affect their eligibility for residence, the change may create a more individualized and balanced assessment process.
The decision was developed in consultation with New Zealand’s Ministry of Health, and Pharmac has also expressed support for removing both conditions from the high-cost health conditions list.