Accredited Employer Work Visa - information for employing migrants
Information for employers for the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV). Video subtitles are available in English.
Subtitles
To turn subtitles on or change the language, press play and click the Settings icon on the bottom right of the video. Select the Subtitles/CC option.
English transcript
Businesses are encouraged to train, upskill and hire New Zealand workers. Where no Kiwis are available for a job, employers can look to hire a migrant on the Accredited Employer Work Visa or AEWV.
To hire a migrant on the AEWV, there are three things you need to do.
Obtain accreditation, pass a job check for the role you're seeking to fill, and invite a migrant worker to apply for a visa.
To gain accreditation, you're required to hold a New Zealand business number, be registered as an employer with New Zealand's Inland Revenue, and you must be in a good financial position. You should also have no recent history of regulatory non-compliance.
If there are any recruitment costs either in or outside New Zealand, these must be paid by you as the employer.
You are obliged to give migrant workers information about their employment rights, tips and advice to help them settle into New Zealand, and information about how to access local community services.
You must also allow migrant workers time to complete Employment New Zealand's online modules on employment rights during paid work hours.
There are extra requirements for employers who want to place migrants with controlling third parties, such as labour hire companies.
The accreditation process is designed to ensure only good employers can hire migrant workers and helps prevent migrant exploitation. Once you are accredited under the AEWV, you will need to apply for a job check for each job you want to hire a migrant for.
Multiple positions for the same job can be included in one job check.
Most employers need to advertise the job first to check if New Zealanders are available.
The ad needs to include details about the role, the pay, the hours, and the skills and experience required. It must meet the minimum pay rate required for the role. For some roles, you must also engage with Work and Income to look for New Zealanders to fill the vacancy.
If the role passes the job check, the migrant worker can apply for a visa to work in that job once you check they are both suitably qualified for the role and meet the minimum skills requirement to be granted an AEWV.
Some migrant workers also need to meet English language requirements.
Immigration New Zealand then checks if they meet the requirements for the AEWV, and that they have the skills and experience you advertised for.
If all three steps are approved, the migrant worker will be issued an AEWV.
More information about the AEWV is on our website.