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.
Total time you can stay on an 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.
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 AEWV.
Check your AEWV length and total time you can stay
The maximum visa length and total time you can stay 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
- you are paid at least NZD $47.41 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 $31.61 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, or
- you applied for your AEWV on or before 6 April 2024 and are paid at least ND $29.66 an hour, or you have been offered a transport sector job.
If you applied for your AEWV on or before 6 April 2024
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, you must spend at least 12 months in a row outside New Zealand after reaching the total time you can stay.
Increasing the total time you can stay
If 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.
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
From 8 April 2025, 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 you maximum continuous stay.
Any other time spent on an Interim Visa, for example, if you are moving from a student visa, or a visitor visa to an AEWV, will not count towards the total time you can stay. The total time you can stay, or maximum continuous 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.