New Zealand Accredited Employer Work Visa: Step-by-Step Guide

New Zealand remains one of the more attractive destinations for skilled workers, with a stable economy, a high quality of life and an immigration system built around employer sponsorship. The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is the main pathway for employer-sponsored migration, and the rules changed materially in 2025. Understanding the current version is essential before you plan your move.

This guide breaks down every stage of the AEWV process as it stands in 2026, from employer accreditation to your eventual pathway to residency. For the wider picture of settling in the country, see our guide to migrating to New Zealand.

What Is the Accredited Employer Work Visa?

The AEWV replaced several earlier work visa categories (the Essential Skills Work Visa, the Talent Work Visa, and the Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa) in July 2022 and is now the main temporary work visa in New Zealand. It exists to ensure that only genuine employers who meet minimum standards can hire migrant workers, and that those workers are paid fairly and treated well.

The visa is a three-step process, and each step involves a different party:

1. Employer Accreditation — the employer applies to become accredited (employer's responsibility)
2. Job Check — the employer proves the role cannot be readily filled by a New Zealander (employer's responsibility)
3. Work Visa Application — the migrant worker applies for the visa itself (your responsibility)

All three steps must be completed successfully before you can start working in New Zealand.

What Changed in 2025

Two reforms reshaped the AEWV and are the most common source of out-of-date advice:

• The median wage requirement was removed on 10 March 2025. Employers no longer have to pay the median wage for a role to qualify. Instead they must pay the New Zealand market rate for the job and at least the minimum wage (NZD $23.50/hour from April 2025). The median wage still exists as an index — it drives advertising exemptions, some visa-duration rules and residence thresholds — but it is no longer a blanket floor for every AEWV role.
• The work-experience requirement was reduced from three years to two years. Applicants now need at least two years of relevant work experience (or a relevant qualification) for their role.

The current median wage, used across immigration settings, is NZD $35.00/hour from 9 March 2026 (up from $33.56).

Step 1: Employer Accreditation

Before a New Zealand employer can offer you a job under the AEWV, they must hold a valid Employer Accreditation. This is the employer's responsibility, not yours, but it directly affects your ability to get a visa.

Types of Accreditation

Fees are set by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) and are reviewed periodically; confirm the current figure on the INZ website before budgeting.

Requirements for Each Accreditation Type

Standard Accreditation — The employer must demonstrate:

• They are a genuinely operating business in New Zealand (a trading history, or a viable business plan for newer businesses)
• No history of immigration or employment law breaches within the relevant look-back period
• All existing employees are on compliant written employment agreements
• They will pay the market rate for the role and at least the minimum wage
• They commit to settling migrant workers (providing information about employment rights, and completing Employment New Zealand online modules where required)

High-Volume Accreditation — All Standard requirements plus:

• A dedicated HR function or staff member responsible for migrant worker compliance
• A documented settlement plan for migrant workers
• An internal dispute resolution process
• Evidence of investment in training New Zealand workers

Franchisee and Triangular (labour hire) Accreditation — Additional obligations apply. Labour hire employers, in particular, must show they place workers into genuine roles and meet placement-rate rules.

What this means for you: Only apply for roles with employers who are already accredited or clearly in the process. You can ask the employer for their accreditation number and check it on the publicly available register on the INZ website. If an employer says "we will get accredited once we find the right person," proceed with caution — accreditation takes roughly 10 working days for standard applications and longer for high-volume or labour hire, and approval is not guaranteed. This is also a useful filter against dubious offers; our guide on spotting fake overseas job offers covers the warning signs.

Step 2: The Job Check

Once an employer is accredited, they must complete a Job Check for the specific role. This step confirms the terms of the job and, for most roles, that no suitable New Zealand citizen or resident is readily available.

Job Check Requirements

• Advertising: The role must generally be advertised on a suitable platform for a minimum of 14 calendar days before the Job Check is submitted. Common platforms include Seek NZ and Trade Me Jobs.
• Engagement with Work and Income: For lower-skilled roles (ANZSCO skill levels 4 and 5), the employer must first contact Work and Income to check whether New Zealanders are available.
• Genuine recruitment: The employer must show a genuine attempt to recruit locally, not just a token advert. INZ may ask how many applications were received, how many were interviewed, and why local candidates were unsuitable.
• Pay: The salary must meet the New Zealand market rate for the occupation and region, and at least the minimum wage. The median wage is no longer a required floor.
• Job Check fee: NZD $735 per role (paid by the employer)
• Processing time: typically around 10 working days for straightforward applications.

Advertising Exemptions

In certain situations the advertising requirement is waived (a Job Check application is still required):

Step 3: Your Work Visa Application

With the employer accredited and the Job Check approved, you can apply for the AEWV itself.

Required Documents

• A valid job offer from the accredited employer for the checked role
• Proof of qualifications or experience relevant to the role — degree certificates, trade certifications, reference letters. You now need at least two years of relevant work experience or a relevant qualification. For regulated professions (nurses, electricians, engineers, doctors) you also need registration with the relevant New Zealand authority.
• English language evidence for lower-skilled (ANZSCO 4 and 5) roles — typically an IELTS overall score of 4.0 or an accepted equivalent. Exemptions apply for citizens of the UK, USA, Canada, Ireland or Australia, or where you completed a qualification taught in English. Higher-skilled roles do not carry a set English test threshold, but employers may require it. Our IELTS tips for immigration can help you prepare.
• Health requirements — a medical examination by an INZ-approved panel physician, and a chest X-ray where required (mandatory if you are from a country with high TB prevalence).
• Character requirements — police clearance certificates from every country you have lived in for 12 months or more (in total) over the past 10 years. Some checks (for example the FBI check for the US) can take several weeks.
• A valid passport
• Visa application fee and levy: NZD $1,540 total for a standard online application (a NZD $480 application fee plus a NZD $1,060 immigration levy). Fees are higher for paper applications.

Processing Times

INZ publishes live processing figures rather than fixed windows. As of 2026, most complete AEWV applications are decided within roughly 4 to 6 weeks, with around 80% completed within about 5.5 weeks. Incomplete applications, complex cases and applicants from higher-risk countries take longer.

Practical advice: Submit a complete application the first time. The single biggest cause of delay is INZ requesting additional documents. Before submitting, cross-reference every item against the current INZ document checklist for AEWV applications.

Visa Duration: What Determines How Long You Can Stay

With the median wage requirement gone, visa duration now depends mainly on the skill level of the role (its ANZSCO classification):

The stand-down provision: Lower-skilled (ANZSCO 4–5) workers generally face a maximum continuous stay of three years, after which they must spend time outside New Zealand before qualifying for another AEWV — unless they are paid at least 1.5 times the median wage (NZD $52.50/hour from March 2026), which unlocks the five-year maximum. If your role sits in this band, the pay you negotiate directly affects how long you can stay.

What Employers Pay for Common Occupations (2026)

Since the AEWV no longer imposes a median-wage floor, the practical question is whether your pay meets the market rate for your occupation and clears the thresholds that unlock longer stays and residence. The indicative median hourly rates below are drawn from Stats NZ and INZ occupation data; treat them as ranges, not guarantees.

Key insight: Even though median wage is no longer a pass/fail line for the AEWV, the median-wage multiples still matter. Reaching 1.5x median (NZD $52.50/hour) can extend a lower-skilled worker's maximum stay, and higher pay improves your position under the points-based residence system. Negotiate accordingly.

The Green List: Faster Pathways to Residence

The Green List is New Zealand's priority occupation register. If your occupation is on it, you get a dedicated residence pathway that sits outside the points-based Skilled Migrant Category, plus an exemption from the Job Check advertising requirement. Nurses in particular should also read our overview of the best countries for nurses to migrate, and tradespeople our guide to migrating as a skilled tradesperson.

Tier 1: Straight to Residence

You can apply for residence as soon as you hold (or are eligible for) an AEWV and secure a qualifying job offer in the role — there is no minimum time in New Zealand required first.

Registered medical specialties (cardiologist, dermatologist, oncologist, paediatrician, radiologist, surgeon and so on) are individually listed on the Green List; all require MCNZ registration.

Tier 2: Work to Residence (24 Months)

You must work in New Zealand in the listed occupation for 24 months before you can apply for residence.

Important caveat: The Green List is updated periodically, and occupations are added and removed as labour-market conditions change. Always check the latest version at immigration.govt.nz before making decisions.

Skilled Migrant Category (SMC): The Points-Based Alternative

For occupations not on the Green List, the Skilled Migrant Category is the main route to residence. Since late 2023 it has used a simplified 6-point system, and further refinements are scheduled through 2026.

How the Points Work

You need a skilled job or job offer in New Zealand, plus a total of 6 points. Points come from one main category — either qualifications, or occupational registration, or income (you cannot stack all three) — and you can add points for New Zealand skilled work experience on top.

In practice: A candidate with a relevant qualification or registration worth 3–4 points plus two to three years of New Zealand skilled work experience typically reaches the 6-point threshold. Higher pay (indexed to the $35.00 median wage) can substitute for time or study.

After you qualify: Once you meet the criteria you submit a full residence application directly (the old Expression of Interest pool no longer gates SMC in the same way). Residence application processing typically takes several months depending on complexity.

Complete Cost Breakdown: From Application to Landing

Here is an indicative cost breakdown for the whole AEWV process, from application to arriving in New Zealand. Currency conversions are approximate.

What the employer typically pays: Accreditation plus the Job Check. Some employers also cover the visa fee and relocation, but this is not required by law.

Hidden costs to budget for:

• IRD number application: Free, but you cannot be taxed correctly (or start work smoothly) without one — apply as soon as you arrive.
• NZ bank account: Free at most banks (ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Westpac, Kiwibank). Some allow you to open an account before arriving.
• NZ driver's licence conversion: from around $50 if your home country has a recognition agreement, more if you must sit a test.
• NZ mobile plan: roughly $30–$60/month for a decent data plan.

For the practical side of your first weeks, see our New Zealand arrival guide.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Not verifying employer accreditation before accepting a job offer. Ask for the accreditation number and check it on the INZ register. If the employer is not accredited, they cannot legally hire you under the AEWV — no matter what they promise.
• Assuming the old median-wage rule still applies. Since 10 March 2025 there is no median-wage floor for the AEWV itself; the test is market rate plus minimum wage. But the median wage still matters for stay length and residence, so don't ignore the 1.5x, 2x and 3x thresholds.
• Underestimating the work-experience requirement. You need at least two years of relevant experience or a relevant qualification. Gather references and evidence early.
• Submitting incomplete documentation. Missing police certificates or expired medical exams are the most common causes of delay. Medical exams are valid for three months; police certificates for six. Time your appointments carefully.
• Ignoring English language requirements. Lower-skilled roles carry a formal English standard unless you are exempt by nationality or prior study. Book any IELTS test early — some centres have multi-week waits.
• Booking flights too soon. Processing times vary; do not book travel until your visa is approved.
• Not checking whether your occupation is regulated. Many occupations require registration with a New Zealand authority before you can work — nurses (NCNZ), teachers (Teaching Council), electricians (EWRB), engineers (Engineering NZ for CPEng) and doctors (MCNZ). Registration alone can take two to six months, so start in parallel with your visa. Our checklist on documents needed to migrate abroad helps you get organised.
• Overlooking your rights on arrival. Migrant workers are protected under New Zealand employment law; if an employer pressures you to pay for your own job or work below your agreed terms, that is a red flag.
• Not understanding tax. New Zealand income tax for the 2026 year runs at 10.5% up to $15,600; 17.5% to $53,500; 30% to $78,100; 33% to $180,000; and 39% above $180,000 (bands were adjusted from mid-2024). There is no separate employee social-security contribution (the ACC levy is deducted at a low rate). KiwiSaver has a minimum employee contribution of 3%, matched by employers.

Tips for a Successful Application

• Research your occupation — check whether it is on the Green List (Tier 1 or Tier 2), any sector agreement, and its ANZSCO skill level (which drives visa length and English requirements). Use the INZ occupation search tool.
• Negotiate with the thresholds in mind — aim above 1.5x median wage (NZD $52.50/hour) if you are in a lower-skilled role and want the longer maximum stay, and higher still to strengthen an SMC residence claim.
• Prepare documents early — police clearances and medical exams have lead times. Start three to four months before you intend to submit.
• Use a licensed immigration adviser if your case is complex — advisers must be licensed under the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007. Using an unlicensed adviser is unlawful and their work will not be accepted by INZ. Check the register at iaa.govt.nz.
• Keep copies of everything you submit, digital and physical. Respond promptly if INZ requests more documents.
• Start professional registration in parallel with your AEWV application if your occupation is regulated. Some registrations take three to six months.

Ready to Start Your New Zealand Journey?

The AEWV is straightforward once you understand the current rules: confirm your employer's accreditation, make sure the pay meets the market rate (and the median-wage multiples that unlock longer stays and residence), check whether your occupation is on the Green List, and submit a complete application the first time. If you need guidance tailored to your qualifications, work experience and target occupation, the NextMigrate team can help you assess your eligibility, verify accredited employers, and guide your application from start to finish.