Migration Overseas
Since 1998
The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is New Zealand's main employer-sponsored work visa. It replaced the Essential Skills Work Visa in 2022 and was reformed in March 2025 and June 2026.
The employer, the job and the worker are each checked by Immigration New Zealand.
The employer must be accredited by Immigration New Zealand before it can support an AEWV. Check INZ's accredited employer list and stand-down list.
INZ approves the specific role. Pay must meet the market rate and at least the minimum wage, and the employment agreement must meet AEWV rules.
The worker applies through the employer's unique link, showing experience or qualifications, English where required, and health and character evidence.
What you need under the rules in force on 6 November 2026.
A current offer of full-time work (at least 30 hours a week) from an accredited employer with an approved job check for your role. Crop work in horticulture and viticulture, foreign crew on fishing vessels and self-employment are excluded.
Pay must meet the market rate for the role and be at least the minimum wage of NZD 23.95 per hour (from 1 April 2026). The median wage requirement was removed for applications from 10 March 2025. Your employer must keep paying the amount in your job offer.
At least 2 years of relevant experience or a qualification at NZQCF Level 4 or higher, in the same field as the job unless you hold a bachelor's or higher. Evidence must come from a third party, such as employment certificates, payslips or tax records.
IELTS 4.0 or equivalent for roles at skill level 3, 4 and 5 (skill level 3 added for applications from 1 June 2026). Not required for skill level 1 and 2. Results must be under 2 years old.
You must meet INZ's health and character requirements. The medical and police certificates you need depend on your age, history and circumstances, so check INZ's list for your application.
Key features of the visa and the protections for AEWV workers.
Maximum total stay of 5 years for skill level 1 to 3 roles and 3 years for skill level 4 or 5 roles.
You may support a partner visitor or work visa and children's visitor or student visas, depending on your earnings and skill level.
Can lead to Green List residence or the Skilled Migrant Category, including the newer experience pathways.
Employers cannot pass accreditation or recruitment costs to you, or use trial periods, unlawful deductions or bonding clauses.
You can move to another accredited employer with INZ approval through a Job Change application or a new AEWV.
Study for up to 3 months in any 12-month period, plus study your employer requires and pays for.
Hourly rates in NZD. The median wage no longer applies to the AEWV, but still sets residence pay rules.
Checks based on INZ's AEWV rules to run before you pay for documents or travel.
Confirm the employer is on INZ's accredited employer list
Check the employer is not on INZ's stand-down list
The employer must hold one for your exact role
ANZSCO or NOL level sets English, stay and family rules
Accreditation and recruitment costs cannot be passed on
No trial period, unlawful deductions or bonding
Crop work, fishing crew and self-employment
Your employer sends a unique application link
Step-by-step outline of an AEWV application from India.
Look for roles with employers on INZ's accredited employer list. Treat any request to pay for a job offer or for the employer's accreditation as a warning sign, because employers must not pass those costs on.
Job SearchYour employer applies to INZ for a job check for your role. Once approved, the employer sends you the job offer, job description, employment agreement and a unique link to the online application.
Employer StepPassport, third-party evidence of 2 years of relevant experience or a Level 4+ qualification, English test results if your role is skill level 3 to 5, and the health and character documents INZ requires.
EvidenceApply online through the link from your employer. The fee is from NZD 1,540.
From NZD 1,540INZ states that 80% of AEWV applications are decided within 5 weeks. It may ask for more information before deciding.
80% in 5 WeeksYour visa conditions record your employer, role and pay. Your employer must keep paying the amount in your job offer throughout your employment.
Ready to WorkThe AEWV can lead to residence, depending on your job. A later residence application can include your partner and dependent children aged 24 or younger.
Straight to Residence for listed roles that meet the pay and qualification rules
Work to Residence after 24 months of qualifying work in NZ
6 points; NZ skilled work on your AEWV adds 1 to 3 points
Skilled Work Experience and Trades and Technician, from 24 August 2026
Answers based on Immigration New Zealand rules as at 6 November 2026.
For most skilled workers the main route is the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV). The Essential Skills Work Visa closed in 2022 and was replaced by the AEWV, so advice that still refers to Essential Skills is out of date. Graduates of New Zealand qualifications may be eligible for a Post-Study Work Visa instead.
The AEWV is New Zealand's employer-sponsored work visa. Your employer must be accredited by Immigration New Zealand (INZ), must hold an approved job check for your role, and must offer full-time work of at least 30 hours a week. You must then meet the experience, English, health and character requirements.
Accreditation is INZ's check that an employer meets its standards for hiring migrant workers. Only accredited employers can support an AEWV. Before you accept an offer, check that the employer is on INZ's accredited employer list and not on the immigration stand-down list.
No. For AEWV applications made on or after 10 March 2025 the median wage requirement was removed. Pay must meet the market rate for the role and be at least the New Zealand minimum wage, which is NZD 23.95 per hour from 1 April 2026. The median wage (NZD 35.00 per hour from 9 March 2026) still matters for residence through the Skilled Migrant Category and the Green List.
Up to 5 years, depending on the job. The total maximum stay is 5 years for roles at ANZSCO skill level 1 to 3 and 3 years for skill level 4 or 5. Visa length also depends on your pay and when you applied. After reaching the maximum stay you must spend 12 months in a row outside New Zealand before applying for another AEWV.
You need at least 2 years of relevant full-time equivalent experience (reduced from 3 years on 10 March 2025) or a qualification at NZQCF Level 4 or higher. It must be in the same field as the job unless you hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Evidence must come from someone other than you, such as employment certificates, payslips or tax records; a CV alone is not enough. Some applicants, for example those paid at least NZD 67.12 per hour or in a Green List role with the required evidence, need no extra experience evidence.
English evidence is required for roles at skill level 3, 4 and 5 and not for skill level 1 and 2. The standard is IELTS 4.0 or equivalent. It was extended to skill level 3 roles for applications made on or after 1 June 2026; skill level 3 holders whose current AEWV expires on or before 1 December 2026 are exempt for the balance of their maximum stay. Test results must be no more than 2 years old.
It can, depending on your job. Green List Tier 1 roles can apply for Straight to Residence and Tier 2 roles for Work to Residence after 24 months of qualifying work. Others can apply under the Skilled Migrant Category with 6 points, or, since 24 August 2026, through the Skilled Work Experience or Trades and Technician pathway once they have the required New Zealand experience.
You cannot include your partner or children in your own AEWV. You may be able to support a visitor or work visa for your partner and visitor or student visas for your children, depending on your earnings and your job's skill level. Most holders of skill level 4 and 5 jobs cannot support family visas.
The job check is the employer's application to INZ for approval of the specific role before a migrant can be hired. It confirms the pay meets the market rate and that the job and employment agreement meet AEWV rules. Since 10 March 2025, roles recognised as skill level 3 no longer need 21-day advertising or Ministry of Social Development (MSD) engagement, and the formal MSD Engagement Check was replaced by an employer declaration of good-faith engagement with MSD.
The AEWV is tied to your employer, role and pay. To move to a different accredited employer or role you need INZ approval through a Job Change application or a new AEWV, based on the new employer's approved job check.
The application fee is from NZD 1,540. INZ states that 80% of applications are decided within 5 weeks. Employers must not pass their accreditation, recruitment or operational costs on to you.
Our team can check your job offer against INZ's AEWV rules, prepare your application, and plan your route from the AEWV to residence.
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