A Fair Contribution for Infrastructure

New Zealand needs immigration. Employers cannot find every nurse, software engineer or farm worker they need within a working-age population of about three million. Migrants bring skills and help businesses grow.

Population growth also puts immediate pressure on housing and infrastructure. A temporary worker can use roads and public services from the day they arrive, before they have paid much New Zealand tax.

ACT will add a $6-a-day infrastructure surcharge to temporary work visas. It would sit on top of existing visa charges and is expected to raise about $80 million a year. At that rate, comparable visas would remain cheaper than those in Australia and the United Kingdom.

ACT will:

• Add a $6-a-day infrastructure surcharge to temporary work visas, on top of existing charges.

• Require temporary workers to contribute to New Zealand's infrastructure from their first day in the country.

Read ACT’s full immigration policy

In our team's words:

ACT Leader David Seymour says:

“New Zealand still needs immigration. No modern export economy with a working-age population of about three million can produce every nurse, software engineer and farm worker it needs. Our economy and public services depend on people bringing skills here.

“That support cannot be taken for granted. Immigration has to work for the people already here, and population growth cannot be allowed to run down the infrastructure earlier generations built.

“At $6 a day, the visa would remain more affordable than comparable visas in Australia and the United Kingdom. Asking temporary workers to help with infrastructure is a fair part of an immigration system that keeps public confidence.”