English language requirements for the Accredited Employer Work Visa

Meeting our English language requirements for the AEWV

If you are applying for an AEWV for a job that is at ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5 you must show that you can speak and understand English.

What is ANZSCO and how to find your skill level

You can meet our English language requirements through:

• your citizenship, where you studied and the qualifications you gained
• English language tests.

ANZSCO skill levels 1 to 3

There are no English language requirements if you are applying for an AEWV for a job that is at ANZSCO skill level 1 to 3.

Applicants in the Pacific where English language testing is not available

You do not need to meet our English language requirements if:

• you are applying for a job at ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5 from a Pacific country between 3 November 2024 and 31 January 2025, and
• there are no English language testing centres available in that country when you apply.

You will need to follow these steps when completing your application:

1. For the question, “How do you meet the minimum standard of English?”, select "I do not meet the minimum English language requirements".
2. A message will appear: “You must meet the minimum English language requirements. If you do not meet these requirements, your application may be declined”. However, you will still be able to continue with your application.
3. Complete the rest of your application and submit it.

When we assess your application, we will check that there were no English language testing centres available in your country when you applied. If we need any further information, we will contact you.

The Pacific countries this may apply to: American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

English ability from citizenship, working and studying

There are 3 scenarios where your citizenship, work and study gives us confidence that your English language ability is at the level we require.

Scenario 1

You are a citizen of 1 of these countries:

• Canada
• Ireland
• United Kingdom
• United States.

You have spent at least 5 years working or studying in person in 1 of those countries, or in Australia or New Zealand.

Scenario 2

You have a qualification that is comparable with a New Zealand level 7 bachelor's degree gained in:

• Australia
• Canada
• Ireland
• New Zealand
• United Kingdom
• United States.

You studied for at least 2 years in any of these countries while being physically located there to get that qualification.

Scenario 3

You have a qualification that is comparable with a New Zealand postgraduate qualification at level 8 or above gained in:

• Australia
• Canada
• Ireland
• New Zealand
• United Kingdom
• United States.

You studied for at least 1 year in any of these countries while being physically located there to get that qualification.

How to provide evidence

We can see evidence of your citizenship through the passport details you supply. You do not need to provide any more evidence of citizenship or where you have lived, unless we specifically ask for it.

For evidence of your qualifications and where you studied, we need a copy of your qualification certificate and academic transcript.

English ability by language tests

Another way to show your English language ability is through getting an acceptable result in an English language test.

English language test results required

Your result must be no more than 2 years old at the time you apply and must be obtained by sitting the test in person at a test centre. Tests taken remotely outside of a test centre, such as ‘at home’ tests are not acceptable.

IELTS One Skill Retake (OSR)

In 2023 the International English Language Test System (IELTS) provider introduced a One Skill Retake option for both their Academic and General Training tests. The IELTS One Skill Retake must be completed within 60 days of the original test date.

Cambridge language assessments

The Cambridge English: First (FCE) is now called B2 First.

The Cambridge English: First for Schools (FCE) is now called B2 First for Schools.

If you have provided evidence that you speak English before

If we have already assessed that you meet the minimum standard of English language ability as part of a previous Immigration New Zealand application, this may be acceptable to meet English language requirements for your current application. It cannot be an application where the English language was assessed by a third party, such as an education provider.