Partners of Accredited Employer Work Visa holders – What are Your Work Rights?

In May 2023, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) made some crucial changes to partnership-based work visas. There are now 2 types of work visas available for partners of AEWV holders. The type of partner work visa is dictated by the type of AEWV held by the main applicant (essentially, whether it is Green List or twice the median wage).

Below, we provide a table showing key differences between both visa types. These can have a big impact on someone’s ability to find work in New Zealand. Partners of AEWV holders earning at least the median wage (but not on the Green List or in the high income bracket) will have a lot more restrictions on their choices because:

• They can only work for accredited employers and be paid at least the median wage. 
• They cannot be self-employed (for example, drive an Uber), whereas Partner Open Work Visa holders can. 

If you have or are looking to apply for a partnership-based work visa and your partner is an AEWV holder, get in touch with us today.