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Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) key information and statistics
Published
19 May 2025
Key information about the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV).
Latest update: 3 December 2025.
What is the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)?
The AEWV is the main temporary work visa in New Zealand and allows a migrant to work in New Zealand for an accredited employer for up to 5 years.
The AEWV scheme is designed to ensure New Zealanders are first in line for jobs while making it easier for employers to hire skilled migrants where genuine skill or labour shortages exist. It also helps combat migrant exploitation by ensuring only employers who are accredited can hire migrant workers.
All applications are made through Immigration New Zealand (INZ) Immigration Online.
Immigration Online — online application system
Accreditation process
There are 3 steps in the Accredited Employer Work Visa scheme process:
- employer accreditation
- job check, and
- Accredited Employer Work Visa.
To apply for an AEWV, the employer must first apply for and be granted employer accreditation.
Once an employer has accreditation, they must apply for a Job Check in order to hire a migrant for that role. Before applying for a Job Check an employer may need to advertise to check there are no New Zealand citizens or residents available for the job.
Once a job check is approved, a migrant can apply for an AEWV.
Under the AEWV there are a range of verification steps at the application process through the accreditation, job check and work visa steps, as well as post-accreditation checks.
We constantly review and adjust our settings to ensure they are fit for purpose and strike the right balance between bringing in the migrants that New Zealand needs and protecting the integrity of the immigration system.
AEWV employer accreditation and job check process
AEWV processing
We are continuing to review how we allocate AEWV applications for processing. You can find out how we allocate AEWV applications, in our News centre.
Allocation priorities for Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)
Key information and statistics
Accreditation applications opened on 23 May 2022, job check applications opened on 20 June 2022 and work visa applications opened on 4 July 2022.
As at 30 November 2025, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has approved more than 173,300 AEWV applications since the scheme opened. There are currently more than 27,000 accredited employers and 82,100 AEWV holders.
On 7 April 2024, changes were announced to the Accredited Employer Work Visa scheme. These include:
- Introducing an English language requirement for migrants applying for low skilled ANZSCO level 4 and 5 roles.
- A minimum skills and work experience threshold for most AEWV roles.
- For roles that fall into the ANZSCO level 4 and 5, employers will need to engage with Work and Income before approval to bring in migrants will be granted.
- Reducing the
for most ANZSCO level 4 and 5 roles from 5 years to 3 years. - Disestablishing the franchisee accreditation category and for these businesses to apply to bring in workers from overseas through the standard, high-volume, or triangular employment accreditation.
Changes to the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)
On 17 December 2024, the Government announced there will be changes to the Accredited Employer Work Visa in 2025.
Reforms to Accredited Employer Work Visa announced
Post-accreditation checks
Post-accreditation checks can occur at any time. We aim to check about 16% of accredited employers each year. As part of the application process, employers are advised there may be follow-up checks to ensure the undertakings and declarations they make during the application are correct and they are a good employer.
Meeting your AEWV accredited employer requirements
The 16% of post-accreditation checks we undertake are made up from a combination of:
- random selection
- targeted checks on a sample of all accredited employer types
- all controlling third party business models
- any businesses that have been referred to us through a complaint or issue raised.
Post-accreditation checks are a routine process introduced as part of the scheme. They are not related to investigations into employers of potential concern involving migrant workers holding an AEWV.
We expect employers to take their responsibilities seriously and comply with AEWV conditions, and there are penalties for employers who do not comply with employment or immigration laws.
As at 30 November 2025
- INZ has undertaken 7,828 post-accreditation checks on 5,505 employers. An additional 89 are underway.
- Since 1 July 2023 MBIE has received 8,309 complaints against accredited employers. This number only indicates an allegation involving an Accredited Employer has been received, not whether the allegation can be substantiated.
- There are currently 344 active investigations on 97 accredited employers underway (as some are multiple employers recorded under one investigation case).
- 1,102 employers have had their accreditation revoked and 642 have had their accreditation suspended.
- 66 employers are under assessment to have their accreditation revoked or suspended.
Revoking and suspending employer accreditation
Revocations and suspensions can occur due to a range of reasons, and a number are due to liquidation.
Employers being actively investigated for any breach of accreditation may have their accreditation suspended. Suspending an employer’s accreditation minimises immigration harm where there are reasonable concerns that an employer is not complying with the relevant immigration, employment or business standards.
We can revoke an employer’s accreditation if breaches of accreditation standards are found.
There is a due process followed when considering whether to suspend or revoke an employer’s accreditation. The cases are assessed individually, with all related business areas across MBIE, including INZ, working together.
The vast majority of employers are doing the right thing and treat their migrant workers fairly and well. They are relying on much-needed workers from overseas to fill positions that have been hard to fill within the domestic market.
MBIE — of which INZ is a part — actively monitors employers and will take action where there are concerns.
Note
Post-accreditation checks are separate to getting re-accreditation.
Job Change process
AEWV holders can apply to vary their employer, job, location, under the Job Change application process. This allows AEWV migrants greater certainty, including if they lose their job.
Check or change your work visa conditions
Apply for a Job Change or a variation of conditions for work visa holders
Maximum Continuous Stay
When a worker on an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) reaches the maximum stay allowed under the visa, they must spend 12 months outside New Zealand before applying for another AEWV.
For ANZSCO skill level 4 and 5 roles without a residence pathway, the
What employers need to do
- Monitor visa expiry date: AEWV holders who have reached their maximum stay cannot work lawfully.
- Avoid compliance risks: employing someone without a valid visa can affect an employer's accreditation status.
- Plan ahead: employers should start conversations early if employees are approaching their maximum stay to avoid disruption.
- Support staff: explain the rules and encourage workers to explore alternative visa options, including residence pathways (if available) to maintain compliance and workforce stability.