System limitation affecting Accredited Employer Work Visas after a business changes

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is currently managing a system limitation that affects how employees on Accredited Employer Work Visas (AEWVs) are linked to employers following a business sale or restructure.

The system is unable to automatically create or update job tokens in these scenarios, which makes it difficult to maintain accurate and up-to-date employee records. To address this, we have introduced a manual process as a temporary solution.

What employers need to know

To make sure AEWV workers are properly linked to their new employer, a new job check application needs to be submitted. This creates a job token and completes the formal connection in our system. This step is important for keeping immigration records accurate, especially so workers can apply for the rest of their visa under the maximum continuous stay rules.

We will reach out directly to affected employers with clear, step-by-step instructions to help guide them through the process, and will waive the job check fee.

Looking ahead

Work is underway to develop a long-term system solution, expected to be available next year.

This will streamline processes and reduce the need for manual intervention.