Accredited Employer Work Visa: A Guide for New Zealand Employers

Hiring skilled migrant workers is essential for many New Zealand businesses facing labour shortages. The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) remains the primary pathway for employers to bring in international talent compliantly.

As of September 2025, the AEWV continues to evolve with recent government reforms aimed at streamlining processes while ensuring fair labour market testing. This guide breaks down the key aspects of the AEWV, including requirements, the application process, and the latest changes.

Are you compliant? Check out these articles on NZ work rights compliance:

• Legislation
• Penalties for employer

What is the Accredited Employer Work Visa?

The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is New Zealand's main temporary work visa, designed to allow accredited employers to hire migrant workers for roles where there are no suitable New Zealand citizens or residents available. Introduced to replace several older work visa categories, it emphasises employer accountability and protects against migrant exploitation.

As of 31 August 2025, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) reports 25,166 accredited employers and 82,358 current AEWV holders. This visa supports a wide range of industries, from construction and hospitality to IT and healthcare, helping businesses fill critical skill gaps.

How to Become an Accredited Employer

Before hiring under the AEWV, employers must first gain accreditation from INZ. This step verifies that your business is viable, compliant with employment laws, and committed to good practices.

Key requirements for accreditation include:

• Being a genuine New Zealand business with a history of compliance.
• Demonstrating financial stability and the ability to pay migrant workers appropriately.
• Committing to training and upskilling New Zealand workers where possible.

From 27 January 2025, the requirement for employers to complete online modules on employment rights has been removed. Instead, INZ provides links to free resources from Employment New Zealand and INZ during the process.

Accreditation is typically valid for 12-24 months, depending on your business type, and must be renewed to continue hiring.

The Job Check Process

Once accredited, employers apply for a Job Check for each specific role. This ensures the job is genuine and that efforts have been made to recruit locally.

Steps in the Job Check:

1. Advertise the Role (if required): For roles classified as ANZSCO skill levels 4-5 (lower-skilled), you must advertise the position for at least 21 days and interview suitable New Zealand candidates. From 10 March 2025, you no longer need formal approval from the Ministry of Social Development (MSD)—just keep records as evidence.
2. Submit the Application: Provide details on the job, wage, and why a migrant is needed. INZ is redesigning this process to speed up approvals for low-risk employers.
3. Approval: If successful, the Job Check is valid for six months, allowing you to offer the role to a migrant worker.

INZ has streamlined this for higher-skilled roles (levels 1-3), often waiving advertising requirements.

Employee Requirements for the AEWV

Migrant workers must meet specific criteria to qualify for the visa once they have a job offer from an accredited employer with an approved Job Check.

Core requirements include:

• Skills and Experience: For levels 1-3 roles, a relevant qualification or experience is needed. For levels 4-5, at least two years of relevant work experience (reduced from three years as of 10 March 2025).
• English Language Proficiency: Required for levels 4-5 applicants, typically proven via tests like IELTS.
• Health and Character: Standard medical checks and police certificates.
• Wage Thresholds: From 10 March 2025, the median wage requirement ($29.66/hour) was removed, replaced by market rates and the New Zealand minimum wage (increased to $23.50/hour from 1 April 2025). However, wages must still be competitive to pass the Job Check.

Additional rules apply for supporting dependents: AEWV holders need to earn at least $55,844 annually (80% of the median wage, updated 10 March 2025) to sponsor children, and $26.85/hour for partners (from 28 February 2025).

The visa duration is up to three years for levels 4-5 roles, aligning with the maximum continuous stay rules. Extensions are possible, but migrants must eventually pursue residence or leave.

Key Changes to the AEWV in 2025

The New Zealand Government announced reforms to the AEWV in December 2024, implemented in stages throughout 2025 to make the system more flexible and efficient.

Notable updates include:

• January 2025: Removal of mandatory online modules for employers.
• March 2025: Reduced work experience requirement to two years; three-year visa duration for lower-skilled roles; elimination of MSD checks; increased income thresholds for sponsoring dependents.
• July 2025: Updates to the AEWV application form for Green List occupations (roles in high demand).
• August 2025: Wage thresholds updated to reflect the new median wage of $33.56/hour.
• September 2025: Recognition of around 30 new occupations on the National Occupation List (NOL) for Specific Purpose Work Visas, with a temporary pathway for current visa holders.
• November 2025 (Upcoming): Around 90 new NOL occupations recognised at skill levels 1-3 for AEWV; introduction of two new seasonal worker pathways (a three-year multi-entry visa for experienced workers and a seven-month single-entry for others).

These changes aim to balance labour needs with protecting local jobs, with a focus on higher-skilled migration.

Implications for New Zealand Employers

With these updates, hiring via the AEWV is becoming simpler for compliant businesses, but it also heightens the need for accurate visa monitoring. Varying wage thresholds and skill classifications can complicate compliance, especially for employers with mixed workforces.

Failing to track visa conditions could lead to penalties under the Immigration Act, including fines up to $50,000 per breach. As migrant numbers grow—over 161,780 AEWV applications approved since the scheme's launch—proactive checks are crucial to avoid employing unlawful workers.

How vSure Can Help with AEWV Compliance

Managing AEWV holders requires ongoing vigilance to ensure work rights align with visa conditions. This is where vSure simplifies the process for New Zealand employers.

Our automated platform performs bulk visa checks in seconds, flagging expiries, work hour limits, and compliance risks. Integrated with HR systems, vSure helps you stay ahead of changes like the 2025 wage updates and NOL integrations.

Whether you're onboarding new AEWV staff or monitoring existing teams, vSure ensures you're always compliant without the hassle.

Conclusion

The Accredited Employer Work Visa is a vital tool for New Zealand businesses seeking global talent, especially with the 2025 reforms making it more accessible. By understanding the requirements and staying updated on changes, employers can hire confidently and avoid compliance pitfalls.

If you're navigating AEWV processes or need help with visa checks, vSure is here to support you. Request a Demo today!

Are you compliant and checking the work rights of ALL of your workers?

The vSure Work Rights app has been built to ensure New Zealand employers are compliant with the obligations to check employee work rights.

Rather than having to manually check individuals, vSure has been built specifically for employers with more than a few foreign workers to check and automatically keep checking work rights. The app will email or SMS you each time it checks (generally monthly), ensuring you maintain your compliance, without the manual effort.

If you want the easiest and most effective way to ensure work rights compliance, please click here to request a demonstration today.