NZ processing-time changes: October 2, 2026
GovWait compared 105 INZ records from August 23, 2026 through September 29, 2026 with the official values dated October 2, 2026. Of 105 routes with a published value at both checks, 105 changed and 0 stayed at the same published value.
This URL preserves the comparison dated October 2, 2026. Later refreshes create new issues instead of rewriting this one. Subscribe to the GovWait reports RSS feed for newly detected changes.
Largest increases
“Longer” means the agency’s newer published value increased; it does not mean every individual application slowed by that amount.
| Route | August 23, 2026 through September 29, 2026 | October 2, 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visitor Visa | 11 working days | 14 working days | Longer 27.3% |
| Business Visitor Visa | 8 working days | 9 working days | Longer 12.5% |
| Permanent Resident Visa | 9 working days | 10 working days | Longer 11.1% |
| Parent Resident Visa | 298 working days | 324 working days | Longer 8.7% |
| Work to Residence Visa | 80 working days | 86 working days | Longer 7.5% |
| Accredited Employer Work Visa | 15 working days | 16 working days | Longer 6.7% |
| Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa | 67 working days | 71 working days | Longer 6% |
| Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa | 105 working days | 106 working days | Longer 1% |
Largest decreases
“Shorter” means the newer official value fell. It remains a planning statistic, not a deadline or a promise for a particular case.
| Route | August 23, 2026 through September 29, 2026 | October 2, 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Austria Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Belgium Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Brazil Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Canada Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Chile Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| China Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Croatia Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Czech Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Denmark Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Estonia Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Finland Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| France Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Germany Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Hong Kong SAR Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
Where changes were concentrated
| Service | Changed routes | Longer | Shorter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Austria Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Belgium Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Brazil Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Canada Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Chile Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| China Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Croatia Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Czech Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Denmark Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Estonia Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Finland Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| France Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Germany Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Hong Kong SAR Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Hungary Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Ireland Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Israel Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Italy Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Japan Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Korea Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Latvia Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Lithuania Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Luxembourg Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Malaysia Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Malta Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Mexico Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Netherlands Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Norway Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Parent Resident Visa | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Peru Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Philippines Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Poland Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Portugal Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Singapore Work Exchange Programme Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Slovakia Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Slovenia Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Spain Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Straight to Residence Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Sweden Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Taiwan Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Thailand Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Turkey Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| United Kingdom Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Uruguay Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| USA Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Vietnam Working Holiday Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Accredited Employer Work Visa | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Business Visitor Visa | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Partner of a New Zealander Visitor Visa | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Partner of a Worker Work Visa | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Permanent Resident Visa | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Visitor Visa | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Work to Residence Visa | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Complete list of changed published values
The table below contains all 105 numeric changes in this issue, not only the largest movements.
| Route | Previous | Current | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Austria Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Belgium Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Brazil Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Canada Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Chile Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| China Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Croatia Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Czech Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Denmark Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Estonia Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Finland Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| France Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Germany Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Hong Kong SAR Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Hungary Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Ireland Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Israel Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Italy Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Japan Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Korea Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Latvia Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Lithuania Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Luxembourg Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Malaysia Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Malta Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Mexico Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Netherlands Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Norway Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Peru Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Philippines Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Poland Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Portugal Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Singapore Work Exchange Programme Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Slovakia Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Slovenia Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Spain Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Sweden Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Taiwan Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Thailand Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Turkey Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| United Kingdom Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Uruguay Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| USA Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Vietnam Working Holiday Visa | 7 working days | 4 working days | Shorter 42.9% |
| Visitor Visa | 11 working days | 14 working days | Longer 27.3% |
| Partner of a Worker Work Visa | 29 working days | 25 working days | Shorter 13.8% |
| Partner of a New Zealander Visitor Visa | 37 working days | 32 working days | Shorter 13.5% |
| Business Visitor Visa | 8 working days | 9 working days | Longer 12.5% |
| Permanent Resident Visa | 9 working days | 10 working days | Longer 11.1% |
| Parent Resident Visa | 298 working days | 324 working days | Longer 8.7% |
| Work to Residence Visa | 80 working days | 86 working days | Longer 7.5% |
| Accredited Employer Work Visa | 15 working days | 16 working days | Longer 6.7% |
| Argentina Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Austria Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Belgium Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Brazil Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Canada Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Chile Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| China Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Croatia Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Czech Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Denmark Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Estonia Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Finland Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| France Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Germany Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Hong Kong SAR Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Hungary Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Ireland Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Israel Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Italy Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Japan Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Korea Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Latvia Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Lithuania Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Luxembourg Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Malaysia Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Malta Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Mexico Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Netherlands Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Norway Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Peru Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Philippines Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Poland Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Portugal Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Singapore Work Exchange Programme Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Slovakia Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Slovenia Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Spain Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Sweden Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Taiwan Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Thailand Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Turkey Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| United Kingdom Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Uruguay Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| USA Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Vietnam Working Holiday Visa | 15 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 6.7% |
| Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa | 67 working days | 71 working days | Longer 6% |
| Straight to Residence Visa | 56 working days | 53 working days | Shorter 5.4% |
| Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa | 175 working days | 172 working days | Shorter 1.7% |
| Parent Resident Visa | 207 working days | 204 working days | Shorter 1.4% |
| Straight to Residence Visa | 95 working days | 94 working days | Shorter 1.1% |
| Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa | 199 working days | 197 working days | Shorter 1% |
| Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa | 105 working days | 106 working days | Longer 1% |
Method and limits
GovWait compares consecutive rows in its append-only history. A numeric change is counted only when both official observations contain a published duration and the normalized values differ. Unchanged values and unavailable states are counted separately. Percentages are calculated from normalized days, while the tables retain the agency’s original day-or-week wording.
This analysis describes changes in published planning figures, not case outcomes, approval odds or a guarantee for an individual application. Read the current NZ comparison and methodology or the full GovWait methodology.