RSE Accommodation Cost Methodology

22 December 2025, New Zealand: Immigration New Zealand has announced the final Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) accommodation cost methodology.

From April 2026, accommodation costs and conditions for RSE workers will better reflect both employer and worker obligations.

Immigration New Zealand have provided the following information:

What you need to know

• The new approach will use five different levels to determine weekly rent caps, ranging from up to $150 to up to $211 per week.
• Employers must not charge more than the actual cost of providing accommodation, and all charges must be reasonable and comply with employment law.
• The level your accommodation reaches will be assessed against nine criteria, including bedroom occupancy, property age and bathroom access.
• Rent caps will be updated annually, indexed to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

The process for applying for an Agreement to Recruit will remain the same. Immigration New Zealand is currently reviewing how the new framework will be applied through this process.

Further guidance on what accommodation information must be included with applications will be published on the Immigration New Zealand website once developed.

What RSE employers need to do

• Continue to ensure accommodation charges reflect the actual cost of provision and are reasonable.

HortNZ welcomes the clarity provided by Immigration New Zealand on the RSE accommodation cost methodology, which will come into effect from April 2026.

It provides transparency as to how Immigration New Zealand will calculate accommodation costs, something HortNZ has been strongly advocating for since the accommodation freeze in 2019. This is critical for growers to enable certainty and investment decisions.

We look forward to continuing to work with Government and our Pacific partners on RSE settings that are mutually beneficial.

Also Read: BASF | Nunhems Launches Percyst Carrot Variety with Nematode Resistance for the U.S. Market

Global Agriculture is an independent international media platform covering agri-business, policy, technology, and sustainability. For editorial collaborations, thought leadership, and strategic communications, write to pr@global-agriculture.com