Health eligibility rules will change
Rules about eligibility under the Pae Ora health system will change.
Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) (Eligibility) Regulations 2026
What's changing
- People with Migrant Exploitation Protection or Victims of Family Violence Work Visas would qualify for all publicly funded health services.
- Anyone in New Zealand could qualify for measles, polio, and HIV preventive treatments, even if otherwise ineligible.
- Australian citizens and permanent residents would no longer need a two-year stay connection to qualify for all services.
- People exposed to infectious diseases, including contacts, would qualify for related diagnosis, treatment, prevention, follow-up, tracing, and monitoring.
- The rules would replace the previous eligibility direction and update references to current health programmes and laws.
Who's affected
People seeking publicly funded health services in New Zealand, especially some visa holders, Australian citizens and permanent residents, and people needing public-health services.
When
These regulations come into force on 1 December 2026.
What you might need to do
- If you need publicly funded services, check whether your visa, residence, or health situation meets the new eligibility rules.
- If you dispute an eligibility decision, you can ask the Ministry in writing to decide the question or dispute.
Background
The government says these regulations would carry over the previous eligibility settings while extending access for some visa holders and public-health services. They would also update the rules to reflect changes to the health system, programmes, and related laws.