Erica Stanford: Immigration Minister on the visa pathway for Pacific and Chinese travellers

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge · Feb 19, 2026 · 3m · transcript

There's optimism newly introduced visa-free travel for Chinese and Pacific tourists will prove successful long-term.

The trial allows visitors to enter New Zealand for up to three months on a valid Australian visa.

The Government says arrivals have almost tripled since December, reaching 36,800 visits.

Immigration Minister Erica Stanford told Ryan Bridge the scheme will be reviewed around the 12-month mark to assess its success and any risks.

She says there's little to no risk, as we're essentially piggybacking off Australia's robust system.

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