The accreditation process
Before you can support a worker for an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) you must apply to us for employer accreditation, advertise the role if you need to, and apply for a Job Check.
Apply for employer accreditation
You can apply for 1 of 4 different levels of accreditation depending on your business and how many migrants you want to hire. The types are standard, high-volume, franchisee or controlling third party.
How to apply for AEWV employer accreditation
You will pay a fee depending on the type of accreditation you need.
Paying for AEWV accreditation and Job Checks
Timeframes
Due to changes made to the AEWV on 7 April 2024, employer accreditation applications are taking longer than normal to process.
Check our wait times page to find up to date information on how long we are taking to process applications.
Advertise the role and engage with Work and Income
Before you apply for a Job Check, you may need to advertise the job and engage with Work and Income. You can do both at the same time.
Advertise the role
Before you can apply for a Job Check you may need to advertise to check there are no New Zealand citizens or residents available for the job.
You must list the job on a national listing website or channel where suitable New Zealanders are likely to apply, and meet other advertising requirements.
You will not need to advertise or engage with Work and Income about the job if it:
- pays at least NZD$59.32 an hour (twice the February 2023 median wage), or
- is on the Green List.
You will need to advertise for:
- 14 days if the job is Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) level 1, 2, or 3
- 21 days if the job is ANZSCO level 4 or 5 — check the ANZSCO to find the skill level of the job.
Before you apply for a Job Check
Advertise a job and engage with Work and Income
Engage with Work and Income
If your job is ANZSCO level 4 or 5, you must engage with Work and Income before you apply for a Job Check. You can engage with Work and Income at the same time you are advertising the job.
Work and Income will either:
- list your job for up to 21 days
- decide they cannot fill the vacancy and you do not need to engage with them further.
Once the engagement is completed, Work and Income will send you a document called an Engagement Check. It will state if they decided to list the job or not. If they did list the job, it will confirm how long they listed it for and if they matched any job seekers to the job.
You must upload your Engagement Check during your Job Check application.
Apply for a Job Check
Once you have accreditation you must apply for a Job Check. Apply within 90 days of your advertisement closing.
Job Checks are valid for 6 months or until you no longer have accreditation.
You will pay a fee for each Job Check you apply for. You may be able to include multiple jobs in each application.
Paying for AEWV accreditation and Job Checks
Timeframes
Your Job Check application will take longer to process if it is:
- missing information
- requires follow up contact from us, or
- for a role that is not a current vacancy.
Due to changes made to the AEWV on 7 April 2024, Job Check applications are taking longer than normal to process.
Check our wait times page to find up to date information on how long we are taking to process applications.
Ask the migrant to apply
Once the Job Check is approved, you can ask the migrant to apply for their visa.
Before you ask them to apply, you need to check they have the required skills, work experience, or qualification for the job.
Check your migrant is suitably qualified
You must use Immigration Online to ask them to apply.
Timeframes
Due to changes made to the AEWV on 7 April 2024, AEWV applications are taking longer than normal to process.
Check our wait times page to find up to date information on how long we are taking to process applications.
Once you are accredited
You must continue to meet your obligations as an AEWV employer during your accreditation.
You must let us know within 10 working days if the key people in your organisation change.
If your accreditation was approved or renewed after 7 April 2024, you must notify us if an migrant worker with an AEWV leaves your employment and they have more than 1 month before their visa expiry date.
Meeting your AEWV accredited employer obligations
Renew your accreditation
Your initial accreditation lasts for 12 months before you need to renew it.
Once you renew it will last for:
- 24 months for standard businesses, as long as it has not lapsed for 12 or more months
- 12 months for franchisees and employers placing migrants with controlling third parties.
When you renew we may ask for evidence you have completed activities you committed to do during the previous accreditation period.
Help for employers
The employer line is open between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.
Call toll-free from NZ landlines only:
0508 967 569