FAQs: Accredited Employer Work Visa

The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is the go-to for skilled workers, provided you have a job offer from an accredited employer. Here are some FAQs on the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV). AEWV is the last step of a three-gate process. 

Only an Accredited Employer can hire migrant workers on an AEWV. The first step of this process is Employer Accreditation which is granted by Immigration NZ for 12 months initially and then 24 months for subsequent applications. 

After the first step, a  Job Check must be applied. This is gate two. Only after a Job Check is approved, can a migrant be invited to apply for an ‘AEWV’. Please note that without being invited and getting a ‘token’, which gets generated upon approval of the Job Check, the migrant cannot apply for their work visa.

To help you understand this work visa system, here are answers to some key questions shared by INZ. These are the questions that recruiters and HR professionals or migrants are asking them.

Can a recruitment agency advertise a vacancy on behalf of an accredited employer? 

Yes

What type of verification activities may INZ undertake after an initial accreditation application has been approved?

Most verification activities will be desk-based inspections. However, where necessary, INZ may conduct site visit(s) to the premises of an employer or the AEWV holder(s) place of work.

Is there an age limit on who can apply for the AEWV visa?  

No. However, applicants for an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) must ensure they meet all normal requirements including being of good health and character.

How long is the visa duration?

The maximum visa length and total time you can stay is 5 years if:

• your job is ANZSCO skill level 1, 2 or 3
• your job is ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5, but is recognised at ANZSCO skill level 3
• you are paid at least NZD $47.41 an hour
• your job is on the Green List
• your job is an approved job for the Transport Work to Residence Visa and you are paid at least NZD $31.61 an hour
• your job is a care workforce job eligible for the Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa, and you are paid at least NZD $28.25 an hour, or
• you applied for your AEWV on or before 6 April 2025 and meet the other requirements for a 5 year visa.

If none of these situations apply to you and your job is ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5, your maximum visa length and total time you can stay is 3 years.

It's important to note that time spent on other temporary visas, such as a Post Study Work Visa or Working Holiday Visa, will not be counted towards the five-year maximum continuous stay for AEWV holders.    

Can an AEWV be granted to allow the holder to work in multiple locations on multiple assignments? 

An AEWV could be granted to allow the holder to work in multiple locations on different assignments if this is clearly set out in the detailed job description and employment agreement that was approved as part of the job check application for that specific role. The conditions of employment offered to the migrant worker must match the job description and employment agreement approved by Immigration New Zealand.

What processes are in place within INZ to ensure that if an employer does inform INZ that an AEWV holder has ceased working for them, the employer’s filled job quota number is updated? 

Currently, the instructions do not allow for a quota space to free up based on an employer informing INZ that their AEWV holder has ceased employment. Specifically, there are only three instances that would trigger a quota space opening up:

1. The AEWV has expired, or

2. The AEWV has been cancelled, or

3. The AEWV has been varied to allow for the holder to work for a different employer.

When a migrant applies for an AEWV, must an employer include the mandatory information from the employment agreement in the job description?

No. At the job check stage, an employer must have provided a copy of the detailed job description and the proposed employment agreement for INZ to approve. Once the job check is approved, the employer must supply the migrant with a copy of the job description as part of their offer of employment, for the migrant to supply with their AEWV application.

Which visa conditions will partners and dependents of AEWV holders have?

For Partners: 

Open work rights are available to partners of most work visa holders. The work visa holder must meet one of the following criteria -  

• Earn at least $47.41/hr, regardless of the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) skill level of their role
• Earn at least $26.85/hr if the work visa holder’s role is an ANZSCO Level 1-3 role. If the hourly rate is lower, a Partner Visitor Visa can be supported.
• Hold any role on The Green List, meet the requirements of the list & earn at least $31.61/hr
• Hold a role on either the list of approved care workforce jobs for the Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa OR the list of approved transport jobs for the Transport Work to Residence Visa AND earn at least $26.85/hr
• Is already supporting a partner visa that was approved before 26 June 2024 and is earning at least $26.85/hr
• Holds an Essential Skills work visa and is paid at least $26.85/hr

If a work visa holder does not meet any of these requirements, their partners or dependants may be able to apply for a visa in their own right.

If a partner already holds a Partner of a Worker work visa that does not have open work rights, an application can be made to remove any conditions and make this an open work visa. Their supporting partner must earn at least $26.85/hr.

For dependents:

• Dependents will be able to apply for visitor or student visas based on their relationship with an AEWV holder. Minimum income thresholds will apply. The threshold is currently NZD 58,844 gross per annum.

If you are an employer looking to hire migrants and navigate these new processes, or a migrant wanting to move to NZ...