NZ processing-time changes: October 13, 2026
GovWait compared 16 INZ records from October 9, 2026 with the official values dated October 13, 2026. Of 16 routes with a published value at both checks, 16 changed and 0 stayed at the same published value.
This URL preserves the comparison dated October 13, 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 | October 9, 2026 | October 13, 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work to Residence Visa | 4 working days | 53 working days | Longer 1225% |
| Work to Residence Visa | 11 working days | 88 working days | Longer 700% |
| Parent Resident Visa | 29 working days | 196 working days | Longer 575.9% |
| Parent Resident Visa | 56 working days | 309 working days | Longer 451.8% |
| Straight to Residence Visa | 16 working days | 52 working days | Longer 225% |
| Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa | 23 working days | 65 working days | Longer 182.6% |
| Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa | 65 working days | 172 working days | Longer 164.6% |
| Straight to Residence Visa | 37 working days | 91 working days | Longer 145.9% |
| Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa | 98 working days | 196 working days | Longer 100% |
| Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa | 51 working days | 98 working days | Longer 92.2% |
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 | October 9, 2026 | October 13, 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent Resident Visa | 309 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 95.5% |
| Permanent Resident Visa | 196 working days | 10 working days | Shorter 94.9% |
| Accredited Employer Work Visa | 53 working days | 15 working days | Shorter 71.7% |
| Accredited Employer Work Visa | 88 working days | 36 working days | Shorter 59.1% |
| Partner of a Worker Work Visa | 52 working days | 25 working days | Shorter 51.9% |
| Partner of a Worker Work Visa | 91 working days | 45 working days | Shorter 50.5% |
Where changes were concentrated
| Service | Changed routes | Longer | Shorter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accredited Employer Work Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Parent Resident Visa | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Partner of a Worker Work Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Permanent Resident Visa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Straight to Residence Visa | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Work to Residence Visa | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Complete list of changed published values
The table below contains all 16 numeric changes in this issue, not only the largest movements.
| Route | Previous | Current | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work to Residence Visa | 4 working days | 53 working days | Longer 1225% |
| Work to Residence Visa | 11 working days | 88 working days | Longer 700% |
| Parent Resident Visa | 29 working days | 196 working days | Longer 575.9% |
| Parent Resident Visa | 56 working days | 309 working days | Longer 451.8% |
| Straight to Residence Visa | 16 working days | 52 working days | Longer 225% |
| Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa | 23 working days | 65 working days | Longer 182.6% |
| Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa | 65 working days | 172 working days | Longer 164.6% |
| Straight to Residence Visa | 37 working days | 91 working days | Longer 145.9% |
| Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa | 98 working days | 196 working days | Longer 100% |
| Permanent Resident Visa | 309 working days | 14 working days | Shorter 95.5% |
| Permanent Resident Visa | 196 working days | 10 working days | Shorter 94.9% |
| Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa | 51 working days | 98 working days | Longer 92.2% |
| Accredited Employer Work Visa | 53 working days | 15 working days | Shorter 71.7% |
| Accredited Employer Work Visa | 88 working days | 36 working days | Shorter 59.1% |
| Partner of a Worker Work Visa | 52 working days | 25 working days | Shorter 51.9% |
| Partner of a Worker Work Visa | 91 working days | 45 working days | Shorter 50.5% |
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.