How long you can stay on an AEWV
The total time you can stay in New Zealand on 1 or more Accredited Employer Work Visas (AEWV) – also called your maximum continuous stay — changes depending on your job and whether the visa is a seasonal AEWV.
Total time you can stay on a regular AEWV or seasonal AEWV
The 'total time you can stay' is the total amount of time you can stay in New Zealand on 1 or more AEWVs. We also call this your
If you do not have an AEWV now, and you want to apply for one for the first time, the length of your AEWV will normally be the same as the total time you can stay. However, it may be shorter than this in some cases, for example if your employment agreement is for a short, fixed-term contract.
If you already have an AEWV and the length of your visa is less than the total time you can stay, you may be able to get another AEWV.
You can use our online tool to work out your maximum continuous stay:
Check how long you can stay on an AEWV
When you get to the end of the total time you can stay, you must leave New Zealand for 12 months before you can get another regular AEWV.
Seasonal AEWV visas and the total time you can stay
The total time you can stay on a Global Workforce Seasonal Visa (GWSV) is 3 years, but you must leave New Zealand for 3 months in a row each year of the visa.
The total time you can stay on a Peak Seasonal Visa (PSV) is 7 months. You must then leave New Zealand for 4 months in a row before being granted another PSV.
For more information:
Check your AEWV length and total time you can stay
The maximum visa length and total time you can stay on a regular AEWV is 5 years if:
- your job is ANZSCO skill level 1, 2 or 3
- your job is ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5, but is recognised at ANZSCO skill level 3
- your job is National Occupation List (NOL) skill level 1, 2 or 3 and your job is on the list of NOL occupations that can be used for an AEWV or Specific Purpose Work Visa (SPWV)
- you are paid at least NZD $50.34 an hour
- your job is on the Green List
- your job is an approved job for the Transport Work to Residence Visa and you are paid at least NZD $33.56 an hour
- your job is a care workforce job eligible for the Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa, and you are paid at least NZD $28.25 an hour
- you applied for your AEWV between 21 June 2023 and 6 April 2024 and you were paid at least NZD $29.66 an hour, or
- you applied for your AEWV on or before 6 April 2024 for a job that was part of the transport sector agreement at that time.
If none of these situations apply to you and your job is ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5, your maximum visa length and total time you can stay is 3 years.
- Ship’s master
- Deck hand.
- Māori health assistant — Kaiawhina (Hauora)
- Disabilities services officer
- Residential care officer
- Aged or disabled carer
- Nursing support worker
- Personal care assistant
- Therapy aide
- Child or youth residential care assistant, or
- Diversional therapist
- currently have an AEWV
- applied for your AEWV between 21 June 2023 and 6 April 2024, and
- were paid at least NZD $29.66 an hour when you got your AEWV.
- currently have an AEWV
- applied for your AEWV on or before 6 April 2024, and
- want to apply, or you have applied for a further AEWV and your offer of employment is for 1 of the following transport sector jobs:
- Bus driver
- Truck driver
- Aircraft refueller
- Furniture removalist
- Tanker driver
- Tow truck driver.
If you applied for your AEWV on or before 6 April 2024, there are 2 other situations where you have a 5-year maximum visa length and total time you can stay.
1. You are paid NZD $29.66 an hour
You have a 5-year maximum visa length and total time you can stay if you:
2. You have been offered a transport sector job
You have a 5-year maximum visa length and total time you can stay if you:
How long you must be outside New Zealand
Normally, if you are on a regular AEWV, you must spend at least 12 months in a row outside New Zealand after reaching the total time you can stay.
If you are on a Peak Seasonal Visa, you must spend at least 4 months in a row outside New Zealand after reaching the total time you can stay (up to 7 months).
If you are on a Global Workforce Seasonal Visa, you must spend at least 3 months in a row outside New Zealand after reaching the total time you can stay (up to 9 months).
Hiring migrants for seasonal peaks
Increasing the total time you can stay on a regular AEWV
If you are on a regular AEWV and you are offered a higher skilled job that has a total time you can stay of 5 years, you can:
- stay in New Zealand on an AEWV for 5 years instead of 3, or
- return to New Zealand before completing your 12 months required outside of New Zealand, if you have already left due to reaching the 3-year total time you can stay.
How we count the total time you can stay
We count the total time you can stay from:
- when you get your first AEWV if you were already in New Zealand, or
- when you arrived in New Zealand on an AEWV, if you got your AEWV while you were outside New Zealand.
Any time you spend in New Zealand on an AEWV counts towards the total time you can stay. It may also include time spent on an Interim Visa or Specific Purpose Work Visa.
The total time you can stay on an AEWV does not include time spent on:
- other temporary visas such as visitor and student visas, or
- other work visas such as a Post Study Work Visa, partnership-based visa, working holiday visa.
Interim Visas and the total time you can stay
If you are moving from one AEWV to another AEWV, the time you spend on an Interim Visa while you wait for your next AEWV to be approved will count towards the total time you can stay in New Zealand, or your maximum continuous stay.
Any other time spent on an Interim Visa will not count towards the total time you can stay. For example, if you are moving from a student visa, or a visitor visa to an AEWV. The total time you can stay will start when your AEWV is approved.
Specific Purpose Work Visas and the total time you can stay
We count time spent on a Specific Purpose Work Visa (SPWV) towards the total time you can stay on an AEWV if you:
- had an AEWV and were going to reach your maximum continuous stay on or before 30 November 2025, and
- applied for your SPWV between 8 September 2025 and 2 November 2025, and
- were granted your SPWV to work in 1 of 30 new National Occupation List (NOL) skill level 1 or 3 occupations.
Any other time spent on a SPWV will not count towards the total time you can stay. For example, if you had a SPWV to work in a seasonal activity and later applied for an AEWV to work in a cafe. The total time you can stay will start when your AEWV is approved.
Applying for another AEWV
If you already have an AEWV and the length of your visa is less than the total time you can stay, you may be able to get another AEWV.
Applying for another seasonal AEWV (GWSV or PSV)
If you hold a PSV and you are nearing the end of your visa (up to 7 months), you can apply for another PSV, but you must leave the country for 4 months before the new PSV can be granted.
If you hold a GWSV and you are nearing the end of your visa, you can apply for another GWSV. To be granted another GWSV, you must have met the visa condition requiring you to spend a maximum of 9 months in New Zealand during each of the 12 months you held your previous GWSV.