New Zealand · Processing time
Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV): how long does it take?
By Sam Parks · Last checked:
Immigration New Zealand lists Accredited Employer Work Visa worker applications at 80% within 7 weeks.
How long does the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) take to process in New Zealand?
The typical published decision window is Immigration New Zealand lists Accredited Employer Work Visa worker applications at 80% within 7 weeks. from a complete application. Immigration New Zealand lists Accredited Employer Work Visa worker applications at 80% within 7 weeks.
Verified against Immigration New Zealand - Accredited Employer Work Visa on 1 July 2026.
Typical wait
Immigration New Zealand lists Accredited Employer Work Visa worker applications at 80% within 7 weeks.
from complete application
80th percentile
49 days
Last checked
1 July 2026
Reality vs official timing
- Official clock
- Published percentile available
- Delay trigger
- After 7 weeks (published percentile)
- Source checked
- 1 July 2026
Use Immigration New Zealand lists Accredited Employer Work Visa worker applications at 80% within 7 weeks. as the usual decision band and 7 weeks as the delay trigger where the authority publishes a percentile figure.
What is the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)?
Employer-sponsored temporary work visa — New Zealand's main route for skilled workers with a job offer from an accredited employer.
The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV), introduced in mid-2022, replaced the former Essential Skills, Work to Residence, and other employer-linked work visas. The system has three stages: (1) employer accreditation, (2) job check, and (3) worker visa application. The blanket median-wage requirement was removed in March 2025 - jobs must instead be paid at the New Zealand market rate for the role. Workers need 2 or more years of relevant experience or a relevant qualification at level 4 or higher on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework, and jobs at skill levels 3 to 5 carry an English-language requirement. Maximum continuous stay is 5 years for skill level 1 to 3 jobs and 3 years for levels 4 and 5. The worker application costs from NZD 1,540, and INZ currently processes 80% of applications within 7 weeks. From 9 March 2026 the immigration median wage is NZD 35.00 an hour and 47 additional level 1 to 3 occupations were recognised under the National Occupation List. AEWV holders in Green List occupations, or who can claim enough SMC points, can transition to residence via the Skilled Migrant Category.
- Sponsorship: You need a job offer or employer sponsor in New Zealand.
- Settlement: This route does not lead to permanent residence.
- Typical permit length: Up to 5 years for most jobs; often 3 years for ANZSCO or NOL skill level 4 or 5 jobs.
- Indicative government fees: Worker application from NZD 1,540; standard employer accreditation NZD 775; job check NZD 735.
Priority and fast-track options
Employer accreditation and job checks are separate employer-side stages before the worker can apply; missing health, police or English evidence can extend the worker stage.
How to read this estimate
The Immigration New Zealand lists Accredited Employer Work Visa worker applications at 80% within 7 weeks. window is the time Immigration New Zealand - Accredited Employer Work Visa typically associates with the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) — measured from a complete, correctly-lodged application through to a decision, not from when you start gathering documents. The 49-day figure is the 80th percentile: roughly 8 in 10 applications are decided by then. The most complex one in five take longer.
- Collecting documents, getting qualifications recognised, and booking consular appointments all happen before the clock starts.
- If the authority requests more information, the clock pauses until you reply — so a fast, complete response keeps your place in the queue.
- Processing times shift with application volumes and policy changes. The Immigration New Zealand - Accredited Employer Work Visa page linked below is the only figure that is current on the day you apply.
Official source
Immigration New Zealand - Accredited Employer Work Visa
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/accredited-employer-work-visa/
Cite or reuse this dataset
This figure is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0. Cite the Visa Atlas page for the compiled, dated dataset, and cite the official source for the underlying government rule.
Suggested citation
Visa Atlas, "Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) processing time dataset", https://visaatlas.org/processing-times/new-zealand/accredited-employer-work-visa. Last verified 1 July 2026.
- JSON endpoint
- https://visaatlas.org/api/public/processing-times
Primary source
Frequently asked questions
How long does the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) take to process?+
The typical wait is Immigration New Zealand lists Accredited Employer Work Visa worker applications at 80% within 7 weeks. from submitting a complete application. Immigration New Zealand lists Accredited Employer Work Visa worker applications at 80% within 7 weeks. These figures come from Immigration New Zealand - Accredited Employer Work Visa and were last verified on 2026-07-01. Always confirm on the primary source before you apply.
When does the Immigration New Zealand lists Accredited Employer Work Visa worker applications at 80% within 7 weeks. clock start?+
The clock starts when Immigration New Zealand - Accredited Employer Work Visa receives a complete, valid application — not when you begin collecting documents. Gathering evidence, getting qualifications recognised, and booking consular appointments all happen before the window starts.
Is there a way to speed up the decision?+
Employer accreditation and job checks are separate employer-side stages before the worker can apply; missing health, police or English evidence can extend the worker stage.
What makes an application take longer than expected?+
The most common reasons for delays beyond the published window are: missing or incorrect documents, a request for more information (which pauses the clock until you reply), background or medical checks, and consular appointment backlogs in your country. Submitting a complete, well-organised application on day one is the single biggest thing you can do to stay inside the published window.
When should I treat my Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) application as delayed?+
Wait until you have passed the upper end of the published window (Immigration New Zealand lists Accredited Employer Work Visa worker applications at 80% within 7 weeks. — the 49-day figure) before treating it as delayed. At that point, a single polite status enquiry through the official channel is reasonable. Do not chase repeatedly, as this tends to slow a case rather than speed it up.
Next steps
Reviewed by Sam Parks, Editor and lead researcher.