Accredited Employer Work Visa — Support a candidate's visa application
Once you have applied to become accredited and completed a job check, you can support overseas workers to apply for an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV). As an AEWV employer, you can hire overseas workers for up to 5 years.
-
Visa length
up to
5 years
To support your candidate's visa application, you must:
- have employer accreditation and a valid job check
- check that the candidate has the required skills, work experience or qualification for the job
- continue to meet your obligations as an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) employer.
This option helps you:
- hire an overseas worker for up to 5 years.
Your initial accreditation lasts for 12 months before you need to renew it.
Before you hire an overseas worker:
- you may need to advertise to check there are no New Zealand citizens or residents available for the job
- you must engage with Work and Income if the job is Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) skill level 4 or 5.
What an employer needs to do
-
1
Step 1: Apply for employer accreditation
Check your business meets our rules to be accredited and make sure you have all the information and documents you need to apply.
Applying for AEWV employer accreditation: process steps
Advertise the role
Before you can apply for a job check gather the information and documents about the job. Unless your role is exempt, you will need to advertise the job within 90 days of your job check application.
Advertising the job before you apply for a job check
If the job is ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5 you must engage in good faith with Work and Income to see if they can find someone in New Zealand to do the job. You must do this before you apply for a job check.
Engaging with Work and Income before you apply for a job check
-
2
Step 2: Apply for a job check
Once you have accreditation you must apply for a job check.
You need to include:
- a job description
- the results of any advertising you had to do.
Job checks are valid for 6 months or until you no longer have accreditation.
-
3
Step 3: Ask the migrant to apply
Once the job check is approved, you can ask the migrant to apply for their visa.
Recruiting and supporting a migrant to apply for an AEWV: process steps
If their visa is approved the migrant can work in the job under the terms of their visa.