Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV): how long does it take?

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 8 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 may have a residence option through a qualifying Green List pathway or the Skilled Migrant Category, but the AEWV itself is temporary and neither route is automatic.

• 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. INZ currently describes the worker stage as 80% within 8 weeks.

How to read this estimate

The Immigration New Zealand lists Accredited Employer Work Visa worker applications at 80% within 8 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 56-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

Next steps

• Full visa guide

  Eligibility, application steps, fees, and FAQs for the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV).

• All New Zealand processing times

  Compare decision windows across every New Zealand visa route.

• Government fees breakdown

  Full itemised fee schedule for the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV).