Put ‘Reside’ Back in ‘Resident’

New Zealand should welcome people who want to build a life here. But if someone wants the permanent right to return as a New Zealand resident, it is reasonable to expect them to maintain a real connection to the country.

Right now, someone can hold a Permanent Resident Visa without continuing to live in New Zealand. They can leave and re-enter indefinitely, leaving almost no practical distinction between permanent residence and citizenship.

ACT will put ‘reside’ back in ‘resident’. Residents will receive a five-year travel facility and will need to spend at least 730 days in New Zealand during any rolling five-year period to keep it. The days will not need to be continuous, and sensible exemptions will cover people working or serving New Zealand overseas, accompanying family members, and compelling humanitarian circumstances.

This policy is not retrospective – existing Permanent Resident Visa holders will not be affected. And exemptions for the Active Investor Plus Visa, also known as the Golden Visa, will remain.

ACT will:

• Remove the existing Permanent Resident Visa category.

• Give all Resident Visa holders a five-year travel facility, replacing the current two-year initial travel condition.

• Require Resident Visa holders to be physically present in New Zealand for at least 730 days within any rolling five-year period to maintain their travel facility.

• Allow the 730 days to be accumulated across the five years rather than requiring them to be continuous.

• Remove the indefinite, unconditional right to leave and re-enter New Zealand as a resident without maintaining an ongoing connection to the country.

• Provide exemptions for people working overseas for New Zealand employers, accompanying family members, military personnel serving overseas, people with a New Zealand citizen spouse, those with compelling humanitarian reasons, and holders of the Active Investor Plus Visa.

In our team’s words:

ACT Immigration spokesperson Dr Parmjeet Parmar says:

"The strangest immigration policy we have is that permanent residents don’t have to be permanently resident.

"New Zealand is, and should be, a welcoming country for migrants, but the privileges of permanent residence must reflect a real and lasting connection to our nation.

"This would also create a clearer answer to the question, what is the difference between permanent residence and citizenship? Right now, the two have nearly identical everyday rights. By introducing standard travel conditions, we create an evident distinction, giving people a reason to graduate to citizenship.

"To unlock New Zealand’s potential, there needs to be a balance between rights and responsibilities. ACT’s plan encourages migrants who choose to make New Zealand their permanent home to continue actively living and contributing here, while also ensuring a fair system for all taxpayers."