New Zealand Accredited Employer Work Visa

The Accredited Employer Work visa is a temporary visa that allows you to work in New Zealand. You can apply for this visa only if you have a job offer from an accredited employer. The Accredited Work visa has replaced six NZ work visas:

• Essential Skills Work Visa
• Essential Skills Work Visa — approved in principle
• Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa
• Long-Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa
• Silver Fern Job Search Visa
• Silver Fern Practical Experience Visa

What Are the Eligibility Requirements for an NZ Accredited Employer Work Visa?

You must fulfill the listed eligibility requirements of an Accredited Employer Work visa:

• You must be of good character.
• You must be in good health.
• You must meet the conditions of your visa.
• You must have a job offer from an accredited employer.
• You must have the qualifications to do the job.
• You must not currently need to spend time outside of New Zealand as part of a stand down period.
• There must be no New Zealanders that can do the job you were offered.

For What Visas Am I Eligible with an Accredited Employer Work NZ Visa?

In certain circumstances, you can be eligible for the following visas:

• Straight to Residence Visa
• Work to Residence
• Highly Paid Residence Visa
• Care Workforce Work
• Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa

What Are the Required Documents to Apply for an Accredited Work Visa?

You must prepare the following documents to apply for an Accredited Employer Work NZ visa:

Passport

You must provide your passport to apply for an Accredited Employer Work visa. You must upload a copy of your passport when you complete the online application. Your passport must be valid for at least three months after you intend to leave New Zealand. You may be required to send your passport after you apply.

A Photo

You must upload a photo of your head and shoulders to apply for an AEWV. The visa photo must meet the photo requirements for New Zealand. During the online application, you will need to upload the photo as a JPG or JPEG file.

Police Certificate

To prove that you are of good character, you may need to provide a police certificate when applying for an Accredited Employer Work NZ visa. If you are older than 17 and plan to stay in New Zealand for more than two years, you must submit certificates from your home country or any country that you are a citizen of (if applicable).

A Job Offer

You must provide proof that you have received a job offer from an accredited employer. Your job offer must be:

• Recent when you apply for the visa
• For a minimum of 30 hours of work in a week
• From an employer who is accredited to employ migrants for the AEWV and has an approved job check for your role

The documents you must provide are:

• A signed copy of the job offer
• A copy of the employment agreement and job description that includes:
• The name, address, and phone number of your employer
• Your name and address
• Your job title
• The work you will do and your responsibilities
• Details of any relevant qualifications or experience
• Information about whether you need NZ registration to do the work
• The hours you will work and how long the work will be for
• How long you have to take up the job offer
• Pay and work conditions that comply with NZ employment law

The employment agreement must be with an accredited employer who has a history of compliance with immigration and employment law.

Evidence That You Meet the Job Requirements

To apply for an Accredited Employer Work visa, you must show that you meet the qualifications, work experience, and other requirements of the job you have been offered. Evidence you can provide includes:

• Original or certified copies of your qualifications
• Evidence the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) recognizes your qualification
• Documentation of:
• The work you did
• The dates you worked
• How many hours you worked per week
• Contact details of your employer/s
• How your work experience is relevant to the job offer you have in New Zealand

You can use the INZ view of ANZSCO to see what particular qualifications and experience you need.

Occupational Registration

If registration is required to work in your occupation in NZ. You must provide the following documents:

• Confirmation from the proper registration body that you are eligible for NZ registration
• A certified copy of your provisional or full NZ registration

Check here if you need to be registered in your occupation to work in NZ.

Can I Spend Time Outside of NZ as Part of a Stand Down Period?

A stand down point means that you may have to leave New Zealand before you can get another Accredited Employer visa for a job that pays below the median wage. Sectors like tourism, hospitality, the care workforce, and construction allow employers to pay less than the median wage for some roles and have specified stand down periods.

The stand down period varies depending on the sector you are employed in. You can check which AEWV roles are exempt from paying the median wage.

How to Apply for an Accredited Employer Work NZ Visa?

Follow the process below to apply for an Accredited Employer Work visa:

• You must receive a job offer from your accredited employer. The employer in New Zealand who has been approved to hire a migrant for a specific job will offer you the job if you fulfill the requirements. The employer must give you:
  • a job offer
  • a job description
  • an employment agreement

  What Are the Fees for an Accredited Employer Work NZ Visa?

  To apply for an Accredited Employer Work visa, you must pay an application fee of NZD $750. The immigration levy is included in the cost. You can pay the required fees as you complete the online application. NZ visa fees are non-refundable.

  What Is the Processing Time for a Group Visitor NZ Visa?

  The Accredited Employer Work visa is usually processed within 49 days. You will be notified when your application gets processed.

  How Long Can I Stay in New Zealand with an NZ Accredited Employer Work NZ Visa?

  You can stay up to three years in New Zealand with an Accredited Employer Work visa. You can stay for up to three years on an Accredited Work visa if you are paid at or above the median wage. If you are paid below the median wage, you can stay for up to two years.

  If you are paid below the median wage, the stand down period may affect you. You need to leave New Zealand before you can apply for another Accredited Employer visa paid below the median salary. When your visa expires, you can apply for another type of visa or onto another AEWV paid at the median wage or higher.

  What Are the Conditions of an Accredited Work NZ Visa?

  After you are granted an Accredited Employer Work NZ visa, you must meet the conditions of the visa:

  • You must apply for entry permission. When you enter New Zealand, you must present the arrival card you received on your way to NZ.
  • You must have multiple-entry conditions to enter and leave New Zealand.
  • You must work only for theparticular job, employer, and in the location specified on your visa.
  • You can study for three months in any 12-month period.
  • You must leave New Zealand before your visa expires.

  Does Accredited Employer Work NZ Visa Lead to Residence?

  If your job is on the Green List, you can fast-track to residence or apply for residence after two years of working in this role in New Zealand.

  Can I Study on an Accredited Employer Work NZ Visa?

  You can study for up to three years in New Zealand in any one-year period. If your employer requires you to do other study as part of your employment, your employer must pay for such work-related study.

  Can I Support My Dependent Child’s Visa?

  You can support your dependent child’s visitor or student visa only if you earn a minimum of NZD $43,322.76 each year.

  What Are the Four Types of Accreditation for Employers?

  To hire an employee for the Accredited Employer Work visa, an employer must apply for employer accreditation, advertise the role if needed, and apply for a job check. There are four levels of accreditation that an employer can apply for:

  • Standard accreditation — for standard businesses employing up to five employees.
  • High volume accreditation — for standard businesses employing six or more employees.
  • Franchise accreditation — for businesses that are part of a franchise. An unlimited number of migrants can be employed.
  • Controlling third-party accreditation — for businesses who place migrants with third parties while being the direct employer named in the employment agreement. An unlimited number of migrants can be employed.

  What Are the Criteria for Employer Accreditation?

  To apply for Employer Accreditation, the business must meet at least one of the financial requirements listed below. The business must:

  • not made a loss over the last two years
  • have had a positive cash flow each month for the last six months
  • have sufficient capital or external investment to remain viable
  • have a credible two-year plan to make sure it remains viable (a revenue forecast or cash flow projection)
  • comply with New Zealand immigration law, employment, and business standards

  To apply for accreditation, if your business is a franchise, you must have:

  • Been trading as a franchise for a minimum of one year, or
  • A minimum of one year of experience in another business you own that sells the same goods and services.
  • If you are placing migrants with a controlling third party, to be able to apply for accreditation, you must have placed staff in New Zealand for the past year. At least 15% of them must be New Zealand citizens or residents and guaranteed at least 30 hours of work each week.

  If you are a trust, partnership, or sole trader to apply:

  • you must not be bankrupt or subject to a No Asset Procedure
  • the business entity which has an NZBN must hold the accreditation, and
  • the employer named on the employment agreement must be the sole trader or one or more of the trustees or partners.

  How Should an Employer Apply for Employer Accreditation?

  An Employer in New Zealand that wants to apply for accreditation must follow the process below:

  • Prepare the required information to apply. To apply for Employer Accreditation, an employer must have:
    • a business IRD number
    • a New Zealand Business Number (NZBN) that matches the details in the Companies Register (unless you are a foreign diplomatic mission)
    • your Business Industry Classification (BIC) Code
    • the full name, passport number, and date of birth of key people in your organization (you need their consent to provide such information)
    • Job check — $610.
    • Standard accreditation (up to five migrants at any one time) — NZD $740. If the employer upgrades from standard to high-volume accreditation, the fee is NZD $480.
    • High-volume accreditation (six or more migrants at any one time) NZD $1220.
    • Franchisee accreditation — NZD $1980.
    • Controlling third-party accreditation — NZD $3870.
    • If Immigration New Zealand declines your Job Check, you can ask for a reassessment of your application and pay NZD $240.
    • You must pay the fees with a credit card, debit card, China UnionPay, or POLi.

    How Should an Employer Advertise the Role?

    The employer must advertise the role to see if there are any NZ citizens or residents that can do the job. The employer doesn’t need to provide proof of advertising if the job:

    • pays at least twice the NZ median wage, or
    • is an occupation on the Green List

    The job must be listed for a minimum of two weeks on a national listing website or channel within 90 days before you submit an application. The job advertisement must consist of the following information:

    • the job description
    • minimum and maximum pay
    • specified location
    • minimum hours of work
    • estimated actual earnings if the job pays by piece, commission, or there are other rates or bonuses
    • minimum skills, experience, and qualifications for the role
    • a pay range that is at least the market rate for that role, and
    • that the pay is at least the NZ median wage of NZD $27.76 (unless the role is on an exemption list)

    How Should an Employer Apply for a Job Check?

    After acquiring accreditation, the employer must apply for a job check. The job check is valid for six months or until they no longer have accreditation. The employer needs the following to apply for a Job Check:

    • A job description
    • An employment agreement
    • The results of any advertising you had to do

    After the Job Check is approved, the employer can ask the migrant to apply for their Accredited Employer Work visa. The required experience and qualifications for the job you offer them must match the approved Job Check.

    The employer must send the migrant a request to apply from their Immigration Online dashboard. This sends an email to the migrant with a unique link. The migrant must select the link and accept the request before they can begin their application.