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Allocation priorities for Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)
This page will be updated weekly while we focus on improving Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) processing times.
Processing AEWV applications in an efficient and timely manner continues to be a top priority for Immigration New Zealand.
We are committed to improving visa processing times, as we know how important this is to all our customers. Significant progress has been made since September in reducing the queue of applications and improving our processing times.
Allocation priorities from 16 December 2024
Applications under all 3 gateways are now being allocated from oldest to newest as they reach the under assessment stage.
When your application is ready for assessment you will see 'Under Assessment' on your immigration online portal.
Checking your visa application status
While the below groups will not be allocated to a dedicated team, we will continue to monitor and prioritise the following applications:
- Job Check and work visa applications for Green List roles.
- Job Check and work visa applications where employer accreditation is due to expire in the next 6 weeks or has already expired.
Accredited Employer Work Visa
Applications to extend a work visa up to the maximum period allowed will be prioritised where they are for:
- Green List and skill level 4 and 5 roles
- Applications where there are 10 or more applications for 1 employer will be grouped for assessment.
Even if your application is allocated first it does not necessarily mean it will be decided in that order.
The quality and completeness of any application has a direct impact on how long it takes for the application to be decided.
You can check the visa requirements for the AEWV on the AEWV visa information page.
Include all the relevant information
Applications that include all the required information are able to be assessed faster.
Incomplete applications are still significantly impacting current processing times. We may assess your application based on the information provided without seeking further information. Incomplete applications may be declined. Make sure you include all the information we need, including Police certificates and English language test results.
If you are applying from overseas, we will only request further information where there is more than 1 month remaining on the job token validity or employer accreditation.
You can check the visa requirements for the AEWV on the AEWV visa information page.
Our Employer section has information about the requirements to gain accreditation for the AEWV and requirements for Job Checks.
Financial evidence for your accreditation application
Renew your employer accreditation
We also have information on the latest wait times for AEWVs and other AEWV statistics here:
Work visa and employer accreditation wait times
Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) key information and statistics
Other reminders to help with faster visa processing
If you need to request an extension, do so as early as possible. A request for an extension will only be granted where there are reasonable and compelling circumstances.
Respond to requests for information or concerns raised within the timeframe provided. Your application may be declined if you do not respond in time.
Make sure you hold a valid employer accreditation. You will need valid accreditation if you have Job Check or work visa applications currently in progress, want to apply for more job tokens, employ new workers on an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV), support an AEWV holder to apply to extend the length of their AEWV up to the maximum period allowed or support a migrant worker to apply for a different visa that requires you to be accredited, such as a Work to Residence or Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa.