Accredited Employer Work Visa

The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is New Zealand’s primary temporary work visa for migrants who have a job offer from an accredited employer.

While the AEWV is often described as a single visa, it is best understood as a framework made up of multiple assessments. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) does not assess applications in isolation, and approval is never based on one factor alone, such as salary or employer accreditation.

This page provides an overview of how the AEWV works in practice, how INZ approaches assessment, and where applications commonly encounter difficulties.

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What is the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)?

The AEWV allows an overseas worker to be employed in New Zealand by an employer that has been accredited by Immigration New Zealand.

The policy framework is designed to ensure that:

  • Employers meet acceptable employment and compliance standards

  • Roles offered to migrants are genuine and sustainable

  • Migrant workers are employed on terms consistent with the New Zealand labour market

Importantly, the AEWV is not assessed as a single transaction. It sits at the end of a wider process that involves separate assessments of the employer, the role, and the individual applicant.

How the AEWV is assessed in practice

From an INZ perspective, an AEWV application generally relies on three distinct assessments:

  • The employer’s accreditation status

  • Whether the specific role meets Job Check requirements

  • Whether the individual applicant meets visa requirements

Each of these is assessed independently, and issues at an earlier stage can affect later outcomes. A well-prepared application considers all three elements together rather than treating the visa application as a standalone step.

Who the AEWV is intended for

The AEWV is intended for migrants who:

  • Have a genuine offer of employment in New Zealand

  • Are filling a role that aligns with the employer’s business activities

  • Are appropriately skilled or experienced for the position

INZ does not rely solely on job titles or qualifications. Instead, case officers assess whether the applicant’s background realistically aligns with the role being offered and whether the role itself fits within the employer’s operational context.

Employer accreditation: what it does — and does not — mean

Employer accreditation confirms that an employer has met baseline requirements relating to compliance, employment practices, and business viability.

However, accreditation is not an endorsement of every role an employer may wish to offer. INZ continues to assess risk at later stages, particularly when reviewing Job Checks and visa applications.

In practice, issues can arise where:

  • A role appears inconsistent with the size or nature of the business

  • Job descriptions are unclear or overstated

  • The business model does not support the proposed position

The Job Check: a critical assessment point

The Job Check is often the most scrutinised part of the AEWV framework.

At this stage, INZ assesses whether the role is:

  • Genuine and necessary for the business

  • Sustainable over the proposed period of employment

  • Paid in line with market expectations

  • Consistent with the employer’s operations

Meeting the median wage alone is not determinative. INZ regularly considers wider market data, internal pay structures, and the credibility of the role within the business.

Salary and market rate considerations

Salary plays a significant role in AEWV assessment, but it is not assessed in isolation.

INZ considers whether remuneration:

  • Reflects market conditions for similar roles

  • Aligns with the duties and seniority of the position

  • Is consistent with wages paid to comparable staff

Roles may be declined where the salary appears artificially set to meet a threshold, or where the remuneration does not align with how the business operates in practice.

Partners and dependent children

In some circumstances, AEWV holders may support visa applications for partners and dependent children.

Eligibility and visa conditions depend on a range of factors, including:

  • The nature of the principal applicant’s role

  • Salary thresholds

  • Relationship evidence

Each family member’s application is assessed separately, and outcomes are not automatic.

Common issues in AEWV applications

From an adviser perspective, common AEWV difficulties often relate to:

  • Roles not accepted as genuine or sustainable

  • Mismatch between duties and claimed skill level

  • Salary not aligning with market expectations

  • Insufficient evidence to support business need

Many applications encounter issues not because the applicant is unsuitable, but because the application does not adequately address how INZ applies policy in practice.

Does the AEWV lead to residence?

The AEWV may form part of a longer-term immigration strategy, but it is not itself a residence visa.

Whether an AEWV supports future residence depends on:

  • The role and its classification

  • Salary levels

  • Immigration settings at the relevant time

Strategic planning is important, as decisions made at the AEWV stage can influence future visa options.

When professional advice is often helpful

The AEWV framework involves multiple layers of assessment and discretion. Advice is commonly sought where:

  • The role is borderline in skill or remuneration

  • The employer is newly accredited

  • INZ has raised concerns or issued a PPI

  • The application is intended to support a future residence pathway

Early, informed guidance can help ensure applications are structured in a way that aligns with how INZ applies policy.

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