If you are planning to work in New Zealand through the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV), this guide is for you. It provides clear, practical information to help you understand the process and requirements. Whether you are applying from abroad or already in New Zealand, this guide outlines each step to ensure your application is accurate, complete, and aligned with immigration expectations.It is based on extensive experience navigating New Zealand’s immigration system and working with accredited employers, ensuring you receive reliable and up-to-date guidance. Looking to work in New Zealand through an accredited employer? Secure your job offer and apply for your New Zealand ETA online to ensure smooth entry and compliance with immigration rules.
Our journey spans eight waypoints: eligibility, employer duties, skill pathways, the application roadmap, life on the visa, progression to residence, common pitfalls, and closing guidance. Each section blends directive lists with narrative flourishes so the material stays memorable yet precise.
Eligibility is your boarding gate. Miss one document and the doors close. Satisfy each requirement and the jet bridge extends.
Identity
Single acceptable photo. Use neutral lighting, no filters.
Passport bio‑page scan. Expiry at least three months beyond planned departure from New Zealand.
Exact name match. Enter every accent and middle name precisely; immigration software refuses guesswork.
Practical Tip: Upload the scan as a clear PDF under 5 MB. Blurred edges invite processing delays.
Character
Aotearoa values trust. Provide police certificates (< 6 months old) from every country where you spent 5+ years since age 17 if your stay in New Zealand will exceed 24 months.
Outline convictions frankly. A conviction does not guarantee refusal, but concealment nearly does. Attach an explanatory statement on company letterhead or personal letter, signed and dated.
Health
Expect a Health Case Number (HCN) shortly after submitting the online form. Within 15 days book a panel physician; radiology clinics upload chest X‑rays directly into the e‑Medical portal.
Chronic but controlled conditions rarely block visas if disclosed and managed. Silence, not illness, is the enemy.
Genuine Intentions
Show that you will work, comply, depart. Evidence can include:
Signed return‑to‑home employment agreement.
Proof of property or family ties abroad.
A history of visa compliance (printouts from prior entry stamps).
English (Skill Levels 4 & 5)
If your occupation sits at ANZSCO level 4 or 5, prove basic fluency:
Citizenship or study in an English‑speaking nation, or
IELTS General Training score 4.0+ overall (or equivalent tests) dated within two years.
Keep the test report original PDF; do not compress—online upload reduces metadata.
Your Employer – Accreditation and Ongoing Duties
Before you lift your career anchor, your employer must already fly the accreditation pennant. They undergo checks covering financial history, workplace compliance, and a pledge not to pass recruitment costs to you.
Accreditation Tiers
Standard (1–50 migrants)
High‑volume (51+)
Franchisee or Controlling Third Party
Regardless of tier, your job must clear a Job Check, proving market rate pay and local shortage advertising where required.
Carry a signed PDF. Amendments after lodging demand an Apply for Job Change request—an extra fee and new processing queue.
Employer Commitments to You
Settle‑in pack covering tax numbers, bank accounts, and local transport options.
Maintain the offered salary throughout your visa.
Provide safe work conditions under WorkSafe NZ laws.
If those commitments break, ring the MBIE migrant exploitation hotline (+64 800 20 90 20). Reporting does not imperil your visa.
Skill & Qualification Pathways
Minimum Skill Thresholds
Choose one door:
Door A: 2 years’ relevant work experience (full‑time equivalent).
Door B: NZQCF Level 4+ qualification in the same field (Bachelor’s may be cross‑field).
Upload third‑party evidence—letters on company letterhead, wage slips, or certified university transcripts. Self‑authored CVs alone are luggage without tags: they go missing.
International Qualification Assessment (IQA)
If your diploma is below Bachelor’s and issued outside NZ, obtain an IQA from NZQA. Processing takes 25 working days; order it before you pin hopes on a tight start date.
Green List & High‑Wage Exemptions
Occupations on the Green List or paid 2× median wage (NZD $59.32/hr) bypass Door A/B entirely. Nevertheless, include registration proof or wage calculations to keep the digital assessor satisfied.
The Application Roadmap – From Offer Letter to Visa Stamp
1.
Obtain Offer
2.
Sort Documents
3.
Complete Form
4.
Health Checkup
5.
Work Approval
Follow these eight checkpoints chronologically; skipping ahead causes backtracking.
Checkpoint
Action
Outcome
1
Gather ID, police certificates, health info
Core identity file
2
Confirm employer accreditation & Job Check ID
Employer eligibility locked
3
Scan and label documents ("Passport_bio.pdf")
Smooth upload
4
Complete the Immigration NZ online form
Lodged application
5
Pay fee (NZD $1540)
Receipt number emailed
6
Receive HCN, do panel medical
Health cleared
7
Immigration officer email queries
Respond within 5 working days
8
E‑Visa issued; check conditions
Ready to fly
Motivational Nudge: Treat each checkpoint like a hut on the Tongariro Crossing. Reach one, rest, photograph the view (read: save confirmation emails), then stride on.
Upload Etiquette
PDF under 5 MB, JPEGs under 500 KB.
File names free of spaces or special symbols.
Colour scans; grayscale leads to unreadable watermarks.
Processing Timeframes
As of April 2025, 80 % of AEWV files finish within 5 weeks. High‑volume seasons (Oct–Dec) can stretch to 7. Book flights only after approval.
Living & Working Under the AEWV – Your Rights and Boundaries
Work Conditions
Employer & role locked. A promotion to a different role triggers a Job Change request.
Minimum 30 hours/week. Averaged across pay cycles.
No second job. Gig economy driving counts as a breach.
Study & Upskilling
You may study up to 3 months in any 12‑month period. Employer‑mandated training outside this cap must be employer‑funded. Ask HR to confirm.
Travel Flexibility
Multiple‑entry conditions appear on your e‑Visa. If absent, apply for a variation of travel conditionsbefore weekend getaways to Fiji.
Family Sponsorship
Partner: Supported Work Visa (linked to your accreditation tier).
Children: Visitor or Student visas if financial thresholds met.
Compile proof of relationship—marriage certificate, joint bank statements, photographs over time.
Pathways to Residence
Straight to Residence
If your role sits on the Green List Tier 1, lodge the residence application either simultaneously or any time after starting work. Police and medical certificates can be reused if under 24 months old.
Work to Residence
Not on Tier 1? Accumulate 24 months of full‑time AEWV employment and check Tier 2 criteria—salary thresholds, registration, or location commitments.
Sector‑Specific Gateways
Care Workforce, Transport, and other sector agreements track bespoke residence lanes.*
Skilled Migrant Category Points
Each skilled week in NZ counts. Keep payslips; they later convert to points. At present you need 6 points, with AEWV skilled work delivering up to 3.
Common Pitfalls & How to Evade Them
Mis‑matched job location between offer letter and Job Check. Fix: Amend offer before lodging.
Outdated police certificates at time of submission. Fix: Order fresh copies right after receiving job offer.
Uploading CV as sole work‑experience proof. Immigration needs third‑party verification.
Booking flights pre‑approval. Airlines refund – immigration does not.
Conclusion
Across the tarmac a ground marshal raises two wands, guiding jets into perfect alignment. Your paperwork serves the same role—orchestrating safe arrival. With the AEWV you step into New Zealand not as a transient observer but as a contributing professional. You carry both responsibility and privilege: to honour the contract and to enjoy the land’s open invitation to learn.
Approach each stage formally—yet hold space for excitement. Perhaps tomorrow you’ll draft code overlooking Wellington’s harbour or harvest renewable‑energy data beside Lake Ōhau. Work, in New Zealand, is never only work; it is participation in a living landscape.
Kia kaha—stay strong—and we will see you under the long white cloud.
Frequently Asked Questions
If the role title or duties change beyond the Job Check description, file a Job Change request before starting the new tasks.
No. Your partner needs either a Partner‑of‑a‑Worker Visa or their own AEWV.
You must spend 12 consecutive months outside NZ or transition to residence before the limit.
No. The AEWV ties you exclusively to the accredited employer and the NZ labour market.
Yes, but only after the new employer completes accreditation and Job Check, and you secure a Job Change approval.
Content Disclaimer: This content was refreshed in May 2025. Please confirm all travel details with the New Zealand embassies, agencies, and airlines for complete accuracy.
To help us improve
What went wrong?
Thank you for sharing your valuable perspectives and insights.
We use cookies to improve the browsing experience. By using our website, you accept our Cookies Policy.
I agree to the use of cookies.
To help us improve