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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Accredited Employer Work Visa?

The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is a new Temporary Work Visa category which will be introduced from 4 July 2022, slowly replacing six temporary work visas. It will be issued to employers who have met the requirements to secure a visa. This means, going forward migrant workers can only be hired under the new visa category provided the employers are accredited.

Why should New Zealand employers apply for accreditation?

To ensure that all standard requirements are met (like the business is genuine & compliant, committed to settling migrants & minimize exploitation) INZ is making it compulsory for migrants to get accredited in order to hire migrant workers.

What are the minimum accreditation requirements?

The minimum requirements are:

New Zealand Business Number (NZBN)
Genuine Business (means that the business is registered with Inland Revenue (IRD) and is profitable)
No recent history of regulatory non-compliance
Job quota of up to 5 with standard accreditation
Minimizing the risk of exploitation (employers & migrant workers must complete Employment New Zealand’s online modules for knowing employment rights)

Will an employer, accredited under the previous system, be required to get accreditation from INZ?

All employers must be accredited under the new system. Accreditation acquired under the previous system will no longer be valid. Only employers accredited under the new system will be able to hire migrant workers.

What will INZ assess as part of the job check?

The job check verifies that the job pays the market rate, that the terms and conditions are in line with New Zealand employment laws and regulations and that the employer has undertaken a Labour Market Test (LMT), if necessary.

Employers will have to apply for a job check for each position that they intend to fill with a migrant worker. A migrant on an AEWV can only be hired for a job if it has passed the job check. A job check is paid for by the employer.

What will INZ assess as part of the migrant check?

INZ will check the Labour Market Test (LMT) result. It is a check done to ensure that there are no New Zealand citizens or residents available for the job. LMT shows that an employer has advertised the job vacancy, listed it with the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) if the salary for the same is not below median wage and that a fair chance was given o New Zealanders to apply for the advertised position.