Updated · NextMigrate Team
New Zealand Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV): 2026 Requirements and Steps
You have done the work for years. You can cook, wire a building, fix a lift or run a site. But every New Zealand visa page seems to ask for a paper you do not have, and every recruiter on WhatsApp wants money first. You want one clear answer: do you qualify, and what do you do next?
Short answer: To get a New Zealand Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) in 2026, you need a full-time job offer (at least 30 hours a week) from an accredited employer with an approved job check, plus either 2 years of relevant work experience or a qualification at Level 4 or higher. The AEWV has no age limit in its requirements. You apply online yourself, using a link your employer sends you. The visa costs from NZD $1,540, 80% of applications are decided within 5 weeks, and you can stay up to 5 years (3 years for most skill level 4 and 5 jobs) (Source, 2026).
Below: each rule, plus notes for Nigeria, India, Pakistan, Uganda and the Philippines. For the bigger picture, see our guide to migrating to New Zealand.
AEWV requirements in 2026: the checklist
| Requirement | What Immigration New Zealand (INZ) asks for |
|---|---|
| Job offer | Full-time (30+ hours a week), from an accredited employer, for a job with an approved job check, paid at least the market rate |
| Skills | 2+ years of relevant work experience, or a Level 4+ qualification on the NZ framework |
| English | Required if your job is skill level 3, 4 or 5. Not required for skill level 1 or 2 |
| Registration | NZ occupational registration if your job needs it (nurses, electricians, plumbers, doctors) |
| Health | Chest X-ray if you will stay over 6 months and you are a citizen of, or spent over 3 months in the last 5 years in, a country without a low TB rate |
| Character | Police certificates if your total time in NZ will be 24 months or more |
| Family | Partner and children cannot be on your AEWV. They apply for their own visas |
(Source, 2026)
The pay must also meet the legal minimum wage, which is NZD $23.95 an hour from 1 April 2026 (Source, 2026).
The 2-year relevant work experience rule
You need one of these (Source, 2026):
- 2 years or more of relevant job experience, or
- a qualification at Level 4 or higher on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework.
Key details:
- Your experience or qualification must be in the same field as the job. A Bachelor's degree or higher can be in any field.
- The 2 years do not need to be in a row, and they do not need to be full time. They must add up to 2 years of full-time work. Show the hours you worked.
- A CV is not proof. Use employment certificates, payslips or tax certificates. A reference letter alone may not be enough.
- If your qualification is below a Bachelor's degree and from outside New Zealand, you need an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) from NZQA.
You do not need extra skills evidence if your job is on the Green List and you meet its rules, if your NZ registration already proved your skills, or if you are paid at least NZD $67.12 an hour.
Is there an age limit for the AEWV?
No. The AEWV requirements list no maximum age (Source, 2026). Age matters later. Residence visas such as the Skilled Migrant Category require you to be 55 or younger when you apply (Source, 2026).
If you are over 50 and work in hospitality without a degree: 30 years in hotels and restaurants is more than the 2-year rule asks for, if the experience is in the same field as the job offer and you can prove it with payslips or tax records. Your job's skill level decides the rest. A cook is ANZSCO skill level 4 (Source, 2026). That usually means a 3-year maximum stay and an English test. Plan for a work visa first. The main skilled residence visas (Skilled Migrant Category, Straight to Residence and Work to Residence) are closed to people over 55.
The Essential Skills Work Visa closed to new applications on 4 July 2022. You cannot apply for it now. The AEWV replaced it (Source, 2026).
The AEWV process step by step
Think of the AEWV as a building with 3 locked doors. The employer opens door 1 (accreditation) and door 2 (job check). Only then can you open door 3 (your visa). If someone asks you to apply before doors 1 and 2 are open, stop.
- Employer gets accredited. Standard accreditation covers up to 5 migrants. High-volume covers 6 or more. Triangular accreditation is for labour-hire firms. First accreditation lasts 12 months (Source, 2026).
- Employer advertises the job. At least 14 days for skill level 1 to 3 jobs, and 21 days for skill level 4 and 5 jobs. For level 4 and 5 jobs, the employer must also contact Work and Income. No advert is needed for Green List jobs or jobs paying NZD $70.00 an hour or more (Source, 2026).
- Employer gets a job check. This approves the job, pay range and location. It is valid for 6 months.
- You get the offer and a link. The employer sends a job offer, job description, employment agreement and a unique link to the online form.
- You apply and pay. Upload your documents and pay online. INZ emails you the decision.
A job check is like a parking permit for one space. It covers one job, one pay range and one place. A different job or town needs a new one.
Can you lodge and manage your own AEWV application?
Yes. INZ's process is built for you to apply yourself. You open the link in the employer's email, accept it, then fill in and submit the form from your own online account. (Source, 2026). An adviser is optional. If you use one, check they are licensed: see how to check a migration agent is licensed.
AEWV sponsor obligations: what your employer must do
An accredited employer has promised INZ that they will (Source, 2026; Source, 2026):
- give you work-related settlement information and support
- not pass accreditation, recruitment or running costs on to you
- obey New Zealand employment and immigration law
- keep paying you the amount in your job offer for the whole job
- tell INZ if you stop working for them
Your employment agreement cannot include a trial period, unlawful deductions or bonds that make you repay money if you leave. INZ checks employers after accreditation and can suspend or revoke it (Source, 2026). If you report a bad employer, it will not affect your visa.
Can you apply for an AEWV on a visitor visa?
Yes, you can apply from inside New Zealand if your visitor visa is current. But you cannot work while you wait. If your visitor visa expires during processing, you get an Interim Visa with visitor conditions only. People who apply from a work visa, or from a student visa with term-time work rights, get interim work rights instead (Source, 2026).
Never start work on a visitor visa. It can end your plans.
Will you get an eVisa or a stamp?
You get an eVisa. It is a letter with your visa details, recorded against your passport. You do not need a label (sticker) in your passport to travel, enter or stay in New Zealand. You can ask for a label later if you want one (Source, 2026). If you renew your passport, transfer your visa to the new one.
How long you can stay: 3 or 5 years
| Your job | Maximum stay on AEWVs |
|---|---|
| ANZSCO skill level 1, 2 or 3 | 5 years |
| Skill level 4 or 5, paid NZD $52.50+ an hour | 5 years |
| Skill level 4 or 5 on the Green List | 5 years |
| Skill level 4 or 5, all other cases | 3 years |
(Source, 2026)
Your maximum stay works like a taxi meter. It keeps running across every AEWV you hold. When it reaches the limit, you must spend 12 months in a row outside New Zealand before a new AEWV.
Your AEWV is tied to one employer, one job and one location. To change any of these, apply for a Job Change or a variation of conditions first.
AEWV by job: engineers, butchers, lift mechanics and more
| Job | Skill level | Route to residence |
|---|---|---|
| Civil, structural, electrical, mechanical engineer | 1 | Green List Tier 1 (Straight to Residence) with a Washington Accord degree, a NZ Bachelor of Engineering (Honours), or an Engineering NZ benchmark letter |
| Software engineer, ICT security specialist | 1 | Green List Tier 1 if paid NZD $72.80+ an hour |
| Registered nurse | 1 | Green List Tier 1 with Nursing Council registration |
| Electrician (General), Plumber | 3 | Green List Tier 2 (24 months' work first), NZ registration needed |
| Butcher or Smallgoods Maker (351211) | 3 | SMC Trades and Technician pathway |
| Lift Mechanic (341113) | 3 | SMC Trades and Technician pathway |
| Cook | 4 | Limited. 3-year stay unless paid NZD $52.50+ |
Sources: Green List (Source, 2026); Trades and Technician list (Source, 2026).
Engineers: a Washington Accord degree also earns 4 points under the Skilled Migrant Category from 24 August 2026 (Source, 2026).
Meat workers: some meat processing jobs that were part of the old meat processing sector agreement, paid under NZD $29.66 an hour, may not need skills evidence. Check INZ's sector agreement job list before you apply (Source, 2026).
Rural and regional jobs
There is no separate rural AEWV. The same rules apply in Southland as in Auckland. The location matters in 2 ways:
- The job check names the work location. You can work elsewhere for up to 6 weeks (30 working days) in 12 months. Longer than that needs a new job check and a Job Change (Source, 2026).
- Planting, harvesting or packing crops in horticulture or viticulture is not allowed on an AEWV. Fishing crew and self-employed work are also excluded.
For seasonal farm and food work, accredited employers can use the Global Workforce Seasonal Visa (up to 9 months a year, for 3 years) or the Peak Seasonal Visa (up to 7 months). Both need a job check from 8 December 2025 (Source, 2026).
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Free eligibility check →Notes for Nigeria, India, Pakistan, Uganda and the Philippines
All five countries: plan for a chest X-ray if you will stay over 6 months, because none is on INZ's low-TB list (Source, 2026). Your police certificate must be the full certificate. INZ does not accept a receipt, except from Fiji, Hong Kong or Israel (Source, 2026). You need certificates from your countries of citizenship and any country where you lived more than 5 years since age 17.
- Nigeria and Uganda: collect payslips, tax records and employer letters on letterhead now. If you live outside Nigeria, read how to get a Nigerian police certificate from abroad.
- India and Pakistan: INZ warns that job offer scams are common in India and South Asia. If you or an agent pay an employer for a job offer, INZ will decline your visa. Check the employer on INZ's accredited employer list. Our guide to spotting fake overseas job offers shows the warning signs.
- Philippines: use your NBI clearance as your police certificate. For work evidence, INZ accepts employment certificates, contracts, payslips, SSS and PhilHealth records and income tax returns. Your passport must be valid 6 months after departure to leave the Philippines. Read about the OEC and DMW clearance before departure.
What the AEWV costs
| Fee | Amount (NZD) | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| Standard accreditation (up to 5 migrants) | $775 | Employer |
| High-volume accreditation (6+ migrants) | $1,280 | Employer |
| Triangular (labour hire) accreditation | $4,060 | Employer |
| Job check (each) | $735 | Employer |
| AEWV application | From $1,540 | You |
(Source, 2026)
You also pay for medicals, police certificates, an English test and translations. Plan the full budget with our visa cost calculator and check waiting times on the visa timelines tool.
English test scores for the AEWV
Since 1 June 2026, skill level 3 jobs need English evidence too, not only levels 4 and 5 (Source, 2026). The minimum is IELTS 4.0 overall, or PTE Academic 29. You must sit the test at a test centre (not at home), and results must be under 2 years old (Source, 2026). Your citizenship or past study in English may exempt you. Our IELTS tips for immigration can help.
Bringing your partner and children
| What you earn | What you can support |
|---|---|
| NZD $52.50+ an hour (any skill level) | Partner work visa, children's visas |
| Skill level 1 to 3, NZD $28.00+ an hour | Partner work visa |
| Skill level 1 to 3, under NZD $28.00 | Partner visitor visa only |
| NZD $58,240+ a year (level 1 to 3) | Children's student or visitor visas |
| Skill level 4 or 5, under NZD $52.50, not on the Green List | Usually no partner or children's visas |
(Source, 2026)
From AEWV to residence
The AEWV is temporary. Three main routes lead on to residence. All need you to be 55 or younger.
- Green List Tier 1: apply for residence straight away with a qualifying job offer (Source, 2026).
- Green List Tier 2: work 24 months in the job in New Zealand first (Source, 2026).
- Skilled Migrant Category (SMC): 3 pathways (Source, 2026):
- Points-based: 6 points. An overseas Bachelor's degree gives 4, a NZ Bachelor's gives 5. Pay of 1.5x the SMC threshold (NZD $52.50) gives 3, 2x (NZD $70.00) gives 4, 3x (NZD $105.00) gives 6. Add 1 point for 1 year, 2 for 1.5 years or 3 for 2 years of skilled NZ work.
- Skilled Work Experience: 5 years of relevant experience in skill level 1 to 3 jobs, including 2 years in NZ at 1.1x the threshold (NZD $38.50 from 9 March 2026).
- Trades and Technician: a Level 4+ qualification and 4 years of post-qualification experience, including 18 months in NZ.
The SMC wage threshold is NZD $35.00 an hour from 9 March 2026 (Source, 2026).
What is changing, and when
- 1 June 2026 (now in force): English evidence extended to skill level 3 jobs.
- 24 August 2026 (now in force): new SMC pathways. Overseas Bachelor's points rose from 3 to 4 (Source, 2026).
- 1 December 2026: the English exemption for current skill level 3 AEWV holders covers only visas expiring on or before this date. Expiring later? Book your test early.
- Once a year, usually: INZ updates the median wage it uses, and thresholds such as NZD $52.50 and NZD $70.00 can rise with it (Source, 2026). Check the current rates before you apply.
Mistakes that get AEWVs declined
- Paying for a job offer. Employers and agents cannot charge you for a job. If you pay one, INZ will decline your visa.
- Sending only a CV or reference letter as proof of experience. Add payslips or tax records.
- Uploading a police certificate receipt instead of the certificate.
- Applying with old medicals. X-ray and medical certificates must be under 3 months old.
- Starting work on a visitor visa while you wait.
For a full document list, see documents needed to migrate abroad. Not sure the AEWV fits you? Take our migration assessment.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need 2 years of relevant work experience for the AEWV?
You need 2 years of relevant work experience or a Level 4+ qualification. One is enough. The 2 years can be part time or broken up, if they add up to 2 full-time years. Prove them with payslips, tax certificates or employment certificates.
Is there an age limit for the New Zealand AEWV?
No maximum age is listed. You must meet health and character rules. The main skilled residence visas need you to be 55 or younger, so after 50, treat the AEWV as a work visa, not a sure path to residence.
Can I apply for an AEWV while in New Zealand on a visitor visa?
Yes, if your visitor visa is still current. You cannot work until the AEWV is approved. Your interim visa, if you get one, keeps visitor conditions.
Will I get an eVisa or a stamp for the AEWV?
You get an eVisa linked to your passport. No stamp or sticker is needed to travel to or enter New Zealand.
Can I lodge and manage my own AEWV application?
Yes. Your employer sends you a unique link. You open it, accept it, fill in the form, upload documents and pay from your own INZ account. An adviser is optional.
What are an AEWV sponsor's obligations?
The employer must stay accredited, pay you what the job offer says, give settlement support, follow employment law, tell INZ if you leave, and never pass recruitment or accreditation costs to you.
What is the AEWV process (tata cara AEWV)?
The employer gets accredited, advertises the job and gets a job check. Then they send you a link, and you apply online and pay. INZ decides 80% of applications within 5 weeks.
