Immigration Minister Erica Stanford has announced changes to a scheme that brings about 17,000 workers from Asia and the Pacific Islands to New Zealand each year to do seasonal farm work — picking fruit, pruning vines, and similar jobs. About 200 employers take part. RNZ

The scheme is called the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme, or RSE. Stanford said the government is talking with Pacific partners and employers about the details and expects to make decisions by the end of September. The changes will be rolled out in stages from early 2027 through to 2029. RNZ

One change is a new rating system for employers. Right now, an employer is either approved to take part or not approved. Under the new system, employers with a good track record of treating workers well and following the rules would be recognised at a higher level.

Workers will also get more flexibility to move between employers. This addresses a tension that has existed in the scheme for a long time: employers spend money recruiting workers and looking after them, but workers can also be vulnerable to poor conditions if they are locked into one employer.

The government is also working with industry and Pacific partners to update accommodation standards and make sure employers provide internet access. Clearer rules on what employers can charge workers for transport, insurance and accommodation are part of the package too. RNZ

RNZ reports direct quotes from Stanford but does not specify whether the remarks came via a press release, written statement, or interview.

This is not the first round of changes. In September 2024, the government increased the number of RSE workers allowed in to 20,750 for the 2024/2025 season, up by 1,250. It also introduced a rule that RSE workers must be offered at least 30 hours of work per week. Immigration NZ

Accommodation costs have been a particular point of contention. From 18 August 2025, employers were allowed to increase weekly accommodation costs for workers by up to 2.5%. Immigration NZ A further change will introduce a new weekly rent system for RSE worker accommodation from April 2026. Immigration NZ

The review behind these changes was carried out by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), which gathered feedback from industry, community groups and government agencies and published a summary of what people told them. MBIE

The broader context here is that the slow rollout through to 2029 gives the government time to work out the details with Pacific governments, whose cooperation is essential to the scheme working properly. The new employer rating system, in particular, will require MBIE to figure out how to assess employers' track records, drawing on data already collected through labour inspections.

The rules around what employers can charge workers are among the most contested parts of the scheme. Employers currently deduct transport, insurance and accommodation costs from worker wages, and the lack of clear standards has drawn criticism from advocacy groups and Pacific governments. Stanford's announcement points toward greater transparency, but the exact rules will not be settled until after the consultation closes.

With several changes already in motion and more coming from 2027, employers and workers will face a period where multiple sets of rules overlap. The September 2024 changes, the August 2025 accommodation cost adjustment, the April 2026 weekly rent system, and now the staged reforms beginning in early 2027 all apply to the same scheme.

The consultation Stanford referenced is running now, with decisions expected by the end of September.