Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)
Work in New Zealand with Confidence
The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is New Zealand’s primary visa pathway for skilled migrant workers looking to take up employment with an accredited employer. If you’ve received a valid job offer from a New Zealand company that holds employer accreditation, you could be eligible for this visa — and Ezy Immigration is here to help you through every step of the process.
Introduced in July 2022, the AEWV replaced several older work visa categories, simplifying the system while placing greater responsibility on employers to meet compliance standards. The AEWV allows you to live and work in New Zealand for up to three years (and potentially longer), with some roles offering a pathway to residency.
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What Is the AEWV and Who Is It For?
The AEWV is designed for skilled workers who have received a full-time job offer from a New Zealand-accredited employer. It’s part of a three-step process involving:
- Employer Accreditation
- Job Check
- Visa Application
Before you can apply for the AEWV, your employer must first be accredited and have completed a successful Job Check to verify the role meets wage and labour market conditions.
This visa is ideal for skilled tradespeople, healthcare professionals, engineers, chefs, IT specialists, and many other in-demand occupations.
What Are the AEWV Requirements?
To apply for an AEWV, you must:
- Have a full-time job offer from an accredited employer
- Meet the minimum pay rate (usually at or above the median wage)
- Show you have the qualifications or work experience needed for the role
- Be in good health and of good character
- Have a valid passport and provide documentation of your employment offer
Your employer must submit a compliant Job Check and provide an offer that meets Immigration New Zealand’s employment standards.
For roles listed on the Green List, there may be a faster path to residence or exemption from certain requirements.
How Long Does It Take to Process the AEWV?
AEWV processing times vary depending on the strength of your application and INZ’s current demand. On average:
- Most AEWV applications are processed within 20–45 working days
- Applications that are complete and clearly meet requirements are processed faster
- If INZ asks for further information, this can extend your timeframe
At Ezy Immigration, we ensure your application is accurate, complete, and compliant to reduce delays and maximise your chance of approval.
Pathway to Residency from AEWV
If your job is on the Green List, or you meet the required work experience in New Zealand on an AEWV, you could apply for residence under:
- Straight to Residence Visa
- Work to Residence Visa
- Skilled Migrant Category
These pathways require careful planning, and getting the right advice early on can make the difference between temporary work and permanent settlement.
Why Work With Ezy Immigration?
Navigating the AEWV process can be confusing, especially with frequent updates to policy and criteria. Our licensed immigration advisers:
- Assess your eligibility and job offer
- Check whether your occupation is on the Green List
- Assist your employer with the Job Check process
- Prepare and submit your AEWV application
- Respond quickly to INZ requests or concerns
We take the stress off both applicants and employers, helping migrants start their New Zealand journey smoothly and legally.
Employer Accreditation for Work Visa
As per the new guidelines, Immigration New Zealand requires an employer to apply for accreditation before they employ migrant workers under the new Accredited Employer Work Visa.
As per the new rules, all employers need to obtain an employer accreditation before hiring a migrant worker to work in New Zealand. Getting the accreditation is the first part of a three-stage application process whereby Immigration New Zealand assesses the employer, the labour markets and the migrant worker. If the employer is not accredited then they cannot hire any migrant workers on AEWs (Accredited Employer Work Visa).
From 4th July 2022, to hire workers under the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV), employers will need to be first accredited by Immigration New Zealand. The employer accreditation for a work visa is valid for up to 3 years. They are required to pay the worker at least the NZ median wage unless the role is listed on the exemption list. To get the accreditation the employer needs to show that they are not able to find suitable New Zealanders for the role.
Employers employing migrant workers holding an open work visa (post-study visa partnership visa, etc.) are not required to be accredited to continue their employment. (However, this is expected to change in 2023)
Employer Accreditation is required only for supporting new AEWV applications made from 4 July 2022 onwards. Though migrant workers with existing visas can continue working, workers wishing to renew their work visas in the future will need accreditation. From 2023 any employer who wishes to employ anyone on a work visa including partners visa, student visa and working holiday visa will require Employer accreditation.
An employer has to apply for AEWV accreditation, advertise if required and also get a job check to show there are no suitable New Zealanders who can be hired for the said job.
Apply for employer accreditation
An employer can apply for accreditation under any of the 4 levels of accreditation:
- A standard Business can apply for a Standard accreditation if it is required to employ up to 5 migrants.
- A Standard Business can apply for a high-volume accreditation if it needs to hire 6 or more migrants.
- Businesses that are part of a Franchise, need to apply for franchisee accreditation. There is no limit to how many migrants they can employ under this accreditation.
- Businesses that place their migrant workers to work under third parties while still being the direct employer as mentioned in the employment agreement, can apply for the controlling third party accreditation. There is no limit to the number of migrants they can hire.
There is a different fee amount for each type of employer accreditation which needs to be paid by the employer.
Advertise the role
Before applying for a job check the employer needs to advertise the job role to check if there are any New Zealand citizens or residents with the required skills and experience available for the job profile.
This ensures that New Zealanders are given the opportunity to apply for the job before it is offered to a migrant. This also ensures that employers offer attractive wages to New Zealanders.
The job needs to be listed on a national listing website for at least 2 weeks where suitable New Zealanders can apply. Advertising of the job profile should be done 90 days before the application for accreditation is made.
Applying for a job check
Once the accreditation is received accreditation the employer must apply for a job check.
For a job check one needs to include:
- Complete job description
- Employment agreement
- Results of job advertising done.
The Job checks have a validity of 6 months or until the employer no longer has accreditation. It takes around 10 working days approximately to process complete job check applications from compliant employers.
Application by the Migrant
On receiving approval for the job check, the employer can ask the migrant to apply for a visa. The employer needs to provide them with a copy of the employment agreement along with a copy of the signed employment offer. The required experience and qualifications for the job offered to the migrant worker must match the approved job check. It takes around 20 working days to process a complete work visa application.
Work With Reputable Immigration Experts
Ezy Immigration has helped New Zealand businesses in education, healthcare, technology, hospitality, and other fields get Job Check approvals and hire more migrants.
To make the process easier and help you hire the right people without breaking the law, we wish to assist you.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Accredited Employer Work Visa is a New Zealand work visa for migrants who have a job offer from an accredited employer and meet wage and skill requirements.
The AEWV is typically valid for 3-5 years, depending on the job offered and wage level.
Yes. You can support your partner’s work visa and your dependent children’s visitor or student visas, depending on your job and salary level.
Yes. If your job is on the Green List or you meet residency criteria, AEWV can lead to a residence visa.
Immigration New Zealand charges NZD $750–$860 depending on the country you’re applying from. Additional costs may apply for medicals, police certificates, and document translations.
If your employer’s accreditation lapses, it may affect your visa. We recommend seeking immigration advice immediately to explore your options.
Yes. You must have a valid job offer from an accredited employer before applying for the AEWV.
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