Visa Services
Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)
The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) application process is employer-led.
Before hiring a migrant on the AEWV the New Zealand employer must:
- Apply for accreditation
- Apply for a job check to confirm a genuine attempt to find New Zealanders has been made (this usually requires advertising for 2-3 weeks).
- Send a request to apply for the visa to a migrant worker.
The migrant must meet the skills and experience outlined in the job check AND Immigration New Zealand’s minimum skill threshold requirements. Once you have an approved Job Check, you can invite your chosen migrant applicant to apply for an AEWV.
| A migrant needs to meet one of these minimum skills threshold requirements: | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2 years relevant work experience | Relevant qualification at Level 4 or higher (with NZQA assessment if needed) | Any bachelor’s degree or higher qualification |
For the AEWV to be approved, the applicant must also meet health and character requirements and lower-skilled visas also require evidence of English.
The employer must ensure the pay rate offered is fair for the role based on New Zealand industry standards (market rate) and ensure pay rates are at or above the New Zealand minimum wage. Sector agreements are in place for some hospitality, care worker, transport, and construction roles, as well as meat and seafood process workers.
Approved AEWVs have a duration of 3 years for lower-skilled roles and 5 years for higher-skilled roles or green list roles. Migrant workers on AEWVs also have a maximum continuous stay on an AEWV of 3 years for lower-skilled roles or 5 years for higher-skilled roles, with exceptions for certain roles on a specific sector agreement. At the end of the maximum continuous stay, migrants are expected to remain outside New Zealand for a full 12 months before they can apply for a further AEWV. Note that stays can be extended through a residence application.
It is important to encourage your staff to understand their potential pathway to residence early on and encourage them to get in contact with us to discuss their options based on their specific circumstances.
Migrants on current work visas will likely need to apply for an AEWV before the expiry of their current visa unless they have reached their maximum continuous stay.
Temporary Work Visas Not Affected by the AEWV Changes
The AEWV replaced 6 work visas, however, some temporary work visas were not changed by the new visa system:
- Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) Limited Visa
- Working holiday schemes
- Post-study Work Visa
- Fishing Crew Work Visa
- Religious Worker Work Visa
- Specific Purpose Work Visa
- Partnership work visas including Partner of a Worker Work Visa, Partner of a New Zealander Work Visa and Partner of a Student Work Visa
- Work visas granted for international or humanitarian reasons, such as domestic staff of diplomats, consular and official staff, and for refugee or protection status claimants.
Residence
There are numerous avenues to residency for skilled migrants, supported by their employers. To explore the different alternatives, please click here.
