Pacific Access Category

The ballot, open to citizens of Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati and Tuvalu takes place between 1 and 30 April.

Each year up to 1100 Samoan citizens, 250 Tongan and Fijian citizens and 75 Kiribati and Tuvaluan citizens are selected by ballot to be considered for residence in New Zealand.

Eligible citizens of these five countries need to be aged between 18 and 45.

After selection, the registrants will then have eight months to lodge their resident visa applications.

They must also be able to indicate they have an acceptable job offer from a New Zealand employer.

Immigration New Zealand will contact all successful registrants directly with information about the next steps and how to apply for residence in New Zealand.

Official 2016 Pacific Quota ballot lists

If your registration number is listed in your country’s ballot draw results, congratulations! We will be in touch with you shortly with information on how to complete and lodge your residence application.

If your registration number is not listed

RNZI reports 22,000 applications for the Samoan Quota and Pacific Access Category were received last year for 1650 places in the two ballots.

But government figures show that even those who get a place can't be certain of taking it up.