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Extension for employers accredited under the AEWV system

The initial accreditation periods for the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) will be automatically extended by 12 months if employers apply before 4 July 2023.

23 February 2023
2 minute read

This one-off extension removes the administrative burden of reapplying for accreditation while employers are getting used to the new system.

Employers who apply before 4 July 2023 will now effectively receive a 24-month first accreditation.

For example, if an employer was granted accreditation on 1 August 2022, their accreditation was issued with an expiry date of 1 August 2023. This date will now be extended until 1 August 2024.

This extension may not show in your AEWV portal until after May 2023. We will notify you when the extension has been applied to your profile.

Further examples:

Date accreditation granted

Original accreditation expiry date

Extended accreditation expiry date

30 May 2022

4 July 2023*

4 July 2024

15 September 2022

15 September 2023

15 September 2024

15 April 2023

15 April 2024

15 April 2025

*All accreditations approved between 23 May 2022 and 4 July 2022 were issued with an expiry date of 4 July 2023 to align with the date that accredited employer work visa applications opened.

Employers need to check that they hold the correct accreditation type for the employment they want to place work visa holders in—that is standard, high volume, franchisee or triangular employment.

If employers don’t hold the correct accreditation type, they should apply for the correct accreditation type to ensure that they comply with immigration requirements.

The accreditation process

The government announced the extension in December last year as part of a package of measures to further support New Zealand businesses through the global labour shortage.

The AEWV is focused on providing New Zealand with the skills New Zealand needs, while ensuring that migrants are fairly treated.

Employers need to be accredited and complete a job check before they are able to hire a migrant.

Find more information on the Accredited Employer Work Visa:

AEWV information for migrants