Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)

You need a job offer from an employer that holds current INZ accreditation and has passed a job check for the role, pay at the New Zealand market rate, and either 2 or more years of relevant work experience or a relevant qualification at level 4 or higher on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework. Jobs at skill levels 3 to 5 also carry an English-language requirement, with test results no more than 2 years old, and everyone must meet health and character requirements.

The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) replaced the Essential Skills visa, the Talent (Accredited Employer) work visa, and several other employer-linked categories in mid-2022. All employer-sponsored temporary work now goes through the three-stage AEWV process: employer accreditation, job check, worker application.

The worker application costs from NZD 1,540. On the employer side, standard accreditation costs NZD 775 (NZD 1,280 for high-volume employers hiring 6 or more migrants) and each job check costs NZD 735. INZ rules prohibit employers from passing accreditation, job-check, recruitment or other employer costs on to the worker.

Up to 5 years continuously for jobs at ANZSCO or NOL skill levels 1 to 3, and up to 3 years for skill levels 4 and 5. From 9 March 2026, 47 additional level 1 to 3 occupations were recognised under the National Occupation List, and workers in lower-skilled or reclassified roles may be able to extend their stay by moving into an approved level 1 to 3 position.

No — the blanket median-wage requirement for the AEWV was removed in March 2025; jobs must instead be paid at the market rate for the role. The immigration median wage still matters elsewhere: it is NZD 35.00 per hour from 9 March 2026 and governs Green List pay rates, twice-median exemptions, and Skilled Migrant Category income points. Always confirm the current rules on the INZ website.

Use INZ's accredited-employer list and search by NZBN, company name or trading name. INZ says the list is updated daily, but some accredited employers choose not to be published, so a missing listing is a signal to ask the employer for confirmation rather than automatic proof they are not accredited.

Yes, indirectly. AEWV holders in Green List occupations may have a Straight to Residence or Work to Residence route. Other workers normally look at the Skilled Migrant Category: the current SMC skilled-job floor is NZD 35/hour for ANZSCO skill levels 1 to 3 and NZD 52.50/hour for skill levels 4 to 5, while income points start at NZD 52.50/hour for 3 points, NZD 70/hour for 4 points and NZD 105/hour for 6 points.

Family members are not included in the AEWV application itself. Depending on your job, pay and skill level, you may be able to support a partner visitor or work visa, and visitor or student visas for dependent children. To support dependent child visas you must earn at least NZD 58,240 gross per year from 9 March 2026, and couples who both hold AEWVs can combine incomes to meet it. INZ currently lists the Partner of a Worker Work Visa from NZD 1,630, Dependent Child Student Visa from NZD 750 and Child of a Worker Visitor Visa from NZD 341.

The AEWV is tied to the employer and role specified in the application. To change employers, your new employer must be accredited, pass a fresh job check, and you must apply for a new AEWV. You cannot start working for the new employer until the new visa is granted.

The starting point is a job offer from an employer holding current INZ accreditation. The AEWV process then runs in three stages: the employer obtains accreditation, the job passes a job check, and you apply for the worker visa referencing that approved job check. Check Immigration New Zealand for current requirements.

INZ currently lists the worker AEWV application from NZD 1,540. Employer-side costs are separate: standard employer accreditation is NZD 775, high-volume accreditation is NZD 1,280, triangular employer accreditation is NZD 4,060, and a job check is NZD 735. INZ says employers and agents cannot make the worker pay recruitment or employer operating costs. Verify the current figures on INZ before relying on them.

INZ currently lists AEWV worker applications at 80% within 7 weeks. Employer accreditation and job checks are separate employer-side stages, so a brand-new employer needs time for accreditation, the job check, then the worker application. Confirm current processing times on INZ before planning a start date.

Use INZ's accredited-employer list and search by NZBN, company name or trading name. INZ says the list is updated daily, but some accredited employers choose not to appear in search results, so ask the employer directly if you cannot find them.

They are not included in the AEWV application. Depending on your job, pay and skill level, you may be able to support a partner visitor or work visa, and visitor or student visas for dependent children. Current headline fees are NZD 1,630 for a Partner of a Worker Work Visa, NZD 750 for a Dependent Child Student Visa, and NZD 341 for a Child of a Worker Visitor Visa.

For SMC, the current skilled-job floor is NZD 35.00/hour for ANZSCO skill levels 1 to 3 and NZD 52.50/hour for skill levels 4 to 5. Income points start at NZD 52.50/hour for 3 points, NZD 70/hour for 4 points and NZD 105/hour for 6 points. Check INZ's current SMC page because wage settings can change.