Wondering if you will be able to work in New Zealand? Here’s what you need to know about NZ work visas. 

Accredited Employer Work Visa

The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is now the main Work Visa in New Zealand.

In order to be eligible to apply for an Accredited Employer Work Visa you need:

• a job offer with an Accredited Employer who has had a Job Check approved
• your job offer will need to be full time, paid at the market rate and above the New Zealand median wage (which has been held at NZ$29.66 per hour for AEWVs).
• your employer will need to prove that they weren’t able to find a suitable and available New Zealand candidate for the role you have been offered (unless your occupation is on the New Zealand Green List or pays at least twice the median wage)
• and you will need to be suitably qualified for the role, have an acceptable standard of health, and meet character requirements.
• in addition, if your role is classified as a Skill Level 4 or 5 role, you will also need to meet a minimum standard of English

You can currently be granted an Accredited Employer Work Visa for up to 5 years for Skill Level 1-3 roles.

For Skill Level 4 and 5 roles, you can be granted an Accredited Employer Work Visa for up to 2 years (with a maximum continuous stay of 3 years).

If your role is on the Green List or pays at least 1.5 times the median wage, currently NZ$47.41 per hour, your AEWV can be granted for up to 5 years (regardless of your Skill Level).

Bringing your family with you

Depending on your role, your partner and dependent children may be able to apply for a relevant visa (e.g. work visa, student visa or visitor visa) based on their relationship with you.

The following Accredited Employer Work Visa holders will be able to support visas for their partners (as long as they are earning at least the median wage, and have been living together with their partner in a genuine and stable relationship for 12+ months):

• Those working in a role classified as ANZSCO skill level 1,2 or 3
• Those working in a role on the Green List (who meet the Green List requirements)
• Those on a pathway to residency through having acceptable employment in a role in the Transport Sector or in the Care Sector
• Those paid at least 1.5 times the Skilled Migrant Category median wage (which currently equates to NZ$47.41 per hour)

The following Accredited Employer Work Visa holders will be able to support Student or Visitor Visas for their dependent children (as long as they are being paid at least NZ$43,322.76 per annum):

• Those working in a role classified as ANZSCO skill level 1,2 or 3
• Those working in a role on the Green List (who meet the Green List requirements)
• Those on a pathway to residency through having acceptable employment in a role in the Transport Sector or in the Care Sector
• Those paid at least 1.5 times the Skilled Migrant Category median wage (which currently equates to NZ$47.41 per hour)
  
  

It is important to note, however, that partners and dependent children of AEWV holders working in ANZSCO 4 or 5 roles, that don’t meet any of the exceptions above, will not be able to apply for a visa based on their relationship with the AEWV holder. In order to move to New Zealand, they will have to apply for a visa in their own right. However, partners and dependent children who are already in New Zealand on these visas will be unaffected.

The Immigration New Zealand website has a handy tool to check if you are able to support partners and children.

Pathways to residence from an Accredited Employer Work Visa

There are a number of Skilled Residence Pathways for holders of Accredited Employer Work Visas. 

The Skilled Migrant Category is a points system, where you need to claim 6 points to be eligible. 

If your role is on the Green List, there are two possible pathways:

• Tier 1 “Straight to Residence“
• Tier 2 “Work to Residence” where you will be able to apply for residence after working in New Zealand for two years, if you meet the eligibility criteria.

Roles exempt from the Accredited Employer Work Visa median wage threshold

Immigration New Zealand have provided a list of specific jobs that are exempt from meeting the median wage threshold, and have their own, slightly lower threshold:

• Specific jobs in the construction & infrastructure sector and seasonal snow and adventure tourism sector must be paid at least NZD $26.69 per hour
• Specific jobs in the care workforce sector must be paid at least NZD $26.16 per hour
• Specific jobs in the tourism and hospitality sector must be paid at least NZD $28.18 per hour 

If your role is exempt from the median wage threshold, different visa lengths and conditions apply.

Find out if your role is exempt from the median wage threshold