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Changes to Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)

Key information about the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)

The AEWV is the main temporary work visa in New Zealand. It is designed to ensure New Zealanders are first in line for jobs and makes it easier for employers to hire skilled migrants where genuine skill or labour shortages exist. It also helps combat migrant exploitation by ensuring only employers who are accredited can hire migrant workers.



Key information and statistics

Accreditation applications opened on 23 May 2022, Job Check applications opened on 20 June 2022 and work visa applications opened on 4 July 2022. As at 3 June 2024 Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has approved 120,472 AEWV applications, and there are 35,264 accredited employers. On 7 April 2024, changes were announced to the Accredited Employer Work Visa scheme.


These include:

  • Introducing an English language requirement for migrants applying for low skilled ANZSCO level 4 and 5 roles.

  • A minimum skills and work experience threshold for most AEWV roles.

  • For roles that fall into the ANZSCO level 4 and 5, employers will need to engage with Work and Income before approval to bring in migrants will be granted.

  • Reducing the maximum continuous stay for most ANZSCO level 4 and 5 roles from 5 years to 3 years.

  • Disestablishing the franchisee accreditation category and for these businesses to apply to bring in workers from overseas through the standard, high-volume, or triangular employment accreditation.


New minimum skill requirement


If you are applying for an AEWV you will need to show evidence of your work experience or qualifications. This is in addition to the skills and qualifications that your employer has identified as necessary for the job and your employer will need to check you meet the skill requirements before they offer you the job.


Unless your role is on the Green List and meets the Green List role requirements, or is paid at

least twice the median wage, you must now have:


  • At least 3 years’ relevant work experience, or

  • A relevant qualification at level 4 or above of the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF).


Evidence of your qualification must be accompanied by an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) if it is below Bachelor’s degree level.


To meet the work experience requirement, you must provide evidence proving you did the work — you cannot include documents that you wrote.


Minimum standard of English


If the job is ANZSCO level 4 or 5, you need to show that you can speak and understand English. This requirement will not apply to current applications, or to people travelling as the partner or child of AEWV applicant.


Shorter visa length and stay in New Zealand for some jobs


For ANZSCO level 4 and 5 jobs paying at or above the required AEWV wage rate, the maximum visa length for an AEWV is reduced to 2 years, with the ability to apply for one more year with a new Job Check.


The total time you can stay in New Zealand (also called a maximum continuous stay) on one or more AEWVs is reduced to 3 years. When you get to the end of your maximum continuous stay you will need to leave New Zealand for a specified amount of time — normally 12 months — before you can apply for another AEWV.


These changes will apply to anyone who applied for their first AEWV on or after 7 April 2024 or

before 21 June 2023.


Some ANZSCO level 4 and 5 jobs will not be affected by these changes, including those:


  • On the Green List

  • In transport and care sector agreements, and on a pathway to residence

  • Earning 1.5 times the median wage.


The length of an AEWV and maximum continuous stay for people in ANZSCO level 1 to 3 jobs

will remain 5 years.


What is changing for Employers?


The requirements employers must meet to hire migrants on the AEWV have changed.


There are now more requirements at the accreditation and Job Check stages and during the accreditation period.


There are also higher work experience and qualification requirements for AEWV applicants, a standard of English for people applying to work in roles assessed as ANZSCO skill level 4 and 5, and a shorter stay in New Zealand for those working in specific roles.


Employ migrants for at least 30 hours


From 7 April 2024, new AEWVs will be issued with a condition requiring you to employ migrants for at least 30 hours per week. If you do not provide at least 30 hours a week's employment we can revoke your accreditation.

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