Employer Accreditation is an important international recruitment and retention tool for any New Zealand employer. Many of our clients have utilised this policy to realise the significant benefits associated with this status.
In essence, gaining accreditation entails completion of immigration formalities even before you recruit. Therefore as long as your candidate fits into the criteria, Immigration New Zealand is deemed to have given you pre-approval to recruit. Hence, you not only save on expenses likely to be incurred on the recruitment process but also stand to mitigate the risk of not having been able to select the right candidate for your business, from Immigration point of view.
A brief overview of accreditation has been mentioned below.
An accredited employer is a New Zealand employer who has had an application for accreditation to employ persons under the Talent (Accredited Employers) Work Instructions approved by INZ.
The objective of the Talent (Accredited Employers) Work Instructions is to allow accredited employers to supplement their own New Zealand workforce in their core area of business activity through:
If your business has a regular need for overseas skilled workers, obtaining Accredited Employer status from Immigration New Zealand (INZ) could streamline what is often a laborious process in the pursuit of your potential employee being issued a work visa. The policy provides for a temporary multiple-entry 30 month Work Visa which has the potential to lead to permanent residence as part of the Work to Residence category. The most significant benefit for an employer holding accredited status is to not having to illustrate whether a New Zealander can do the work – this is often an expensive and time-consuming task. This category enjoys faster processing timeframes with less documentation.
During the assessment of your accreditation application, Immigration New Zealand will need to be satisfied that your business has:
To be eligible to be employed by an accredited employer, an overseas person must:
Offers of employment by an accredited employer to an overseas person must be:
The documentation required to apply for accreditation is relatively extensive, but we can provide you with advice on the entire process and assist you in getting accreditation. If you would like to discuss the possibility of your business becoming an accredited employer, what it involves or whether you qualify, please email at contact@nzimmigration.info or call us today on +64 9 379 0219
To start the application process, confirm that your employer is accredited with Immigration New Zealand (INZ). Then, ensure they have completed a job check and received approval to hire migrant workers. Your application should include all required documents, such as your job offer, proof of qualifications, and experience as specified in the job advertisement.
To be eligible, you must have a job offer from an accredited New Zealand employer, meet health and character requirements, and possess the skills or qualifications needed for the role offered.
All employers must be accredited under this new system. Accreditation acquired under the previous system is no longer valid. Only if you are accredited under the new system will you be able to hire migrant workers.
The minimum requirements are:
The documents required are:
In addition to the above, if you want to hire 6 or more migrants on an AEWV, you must demonstrate a commitment to improving pay and conditions for all employees over time. To show this all jobs must either pay at least 10% more than the minimum wage at the beginning, or be covered by a collective agreement.
In addition to the documents mentioned in point 4 and/or 5, franchise employers must have been operating for at least 12 months, and have a history of hiring New Zealand workers
In addition to the documents mentioned above you must place AEWV workers in compliant businesses. You should also be able to demonstrate:
The job check verifies that the position pays the market rate, that the terms and conditions are in compliance with New Zealand employment laws and regulations, and that you have completed an LMT, if necessary.
Employers need to apply for a job check for each position that they intend to fill with a migrant worker. A migrant worker 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.
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 by advertising. LMT shows that an employer has advertised the job vacancy, have listed it with Ministry of Social Development (MSD) if the salary for the same is not below median wage and that suitable New Zealanders had a fair chance of applying for this position.
The fees are NZD $2130 per application cost. The employer must be a New Zealand employer in New Zealand to apply.
When accreditation is approved initially, the duration of the accreditation is 12 months. Franchisees and employers who place migrants on AEWVs with controlling third parties will be accredited for further 12 months at the renewal.
The LMT helps INZ to guarantee that New Zealanders get priority in the job market ahead of AEWV applicants /migrant workers. The LMT ensures that there are no New Zealand citizens or residents available for the job by advertising.
To confirm if a business is genuine the following will be required:
Yes, all recruitment costs in and outside New Zealand are paid for by the New Zealand employer. For in-depth details on the new employer accreditation and work visa please refer this link from Immigration New Zealand.
With so many minute details and intricacies it is understandable to get cluttered in your thoughts and processes of such applications. That is why, we, at Team Immigration Advisers New Zealand are here to assist you through the visa application process for new employer accreditation and work visas.
Becoming an accredited employer in New Zealand costs NZD $775 for standard accreditation and NZD $1280 for high-volume accreditation. Additional costs may apply for renewals or changes in accreditation type. The process also requires time for application preparation and compliance checks.
Yes, an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) can lead to residency in New Zealand. Eligible AEWV holders may apply for the Green List Residence Pathways, provided they meet specific criteria.
The reforms will be implemented in four stages throughout 2025, starting in January.
These changes are designed to create more opportunities for skilled workers and make it easier for migrants to qualify for the AEWV.
You can visit INZ website and our blogs for detailed information on the reforms and their specific implementation dates.
If you're considering applying for an AEWV, make sure to stay informed about the reform stages and understand how they might apply to your situation. Seeking professional visa guidance from Immigration Advisers New Zealand Ltd can also help streamline your application process.
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