Hiring migrant workers using the

Accredited Employer Work Visa

FOR SMALL BUSINESS EMPLOYERS

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Thinking of hiring a migrant worker?
The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) was introduced in July 2022 to provide a
new 3-step pathway for hiring migrants and replace six other visas.
It also;
ȣ Makes sure employers get the workers they need without disadvantaging
New Zealanders
ȣ Ensures migrant workers are given the same employment protection as
New Zealanders

We will support you on your journey to becoming an Accredited Employer and have a
dedicated Employer number you can call with any questions about the process.

Immigration Contact Centre’s employer line

0508 967 569
Available 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.
Freephone from NZ landlines

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The 3-step process

STEP ONE – Apply for employer accreditation

First step is to get accredited. Fill out the online form and
provide us with the details through Immigration Online.
Employer
accreditation
10 week days

STEP TWO – Advertise and apply for a job check

In many cases you will need to advertise the job to show that
it cannot be filled by a New Zealand citizen or resident. Your
Job check job ad needs to include key details like wages, responsibilities
10 week days and experience required.
You can then apply for a job check. This helps us understand
the role and approve the request to fill it with a migrant.

STEP THREE – Ask the migrant worker to apply

Once the job check is approved, you can then invite the
migrant worker to apply for a visa. They will just need to follow
Visa application the link you to send them when completing their application.
20 week days

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Which accreditation type should I choose?

STEP ONE – Applying for accreditation

Standard
ȣ Intend to employ up to 5 migrant workers at any one time
ȣ Cost - $740

High volume
ȣ Intend to employ 6 or more migrant workers
ȣ Cost - $1220

Franchisee
ȣ Companies that operate as a franchise
ȣ Cost - $1980

Controlling third party

ȣ Companies where staff are contracted out to do work for third parties
ȣ Cost - $3870

Once approved, accreditation lasts for between 12 and 24 months.

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Ready to apply?

STEP ONE – Applying for accreditation

We have a checklist you can use to make sure you understand
everything about AEWV and what you need for the application.
This includes;
Accreditation
ȣ Getting yourself set up in Immigration Online to apply for AEWV checklist

ȣ Details about your business

ȣ What you need to know and do when you are an accredited employer

immigration.govt.nz/accreditationchecklist
We aim to process your accreditation in 10 week days.

I’m ready to hire

STEP TWO – Applying for a job check

Now you are accredited, and you have advertised a role that a
New Zealand citizen or resident could not fill, it’s time to submit
a job check.
Job check
All we need is; checklist

ȣ Evidence of a job offer that pays the market rate and at least
the NZ median wage. There are some exceptions to this.
ȣ A job description.
ȣ The proposed employment agreement.
ȣ Evidence that you advertised the role for 2 weeks and found no New Zealand
citizen or resident suitable. There are some exceptions to this.
ȣ An application fee of $610.
We aim to process your job check in 10 week days.
Once approved, a job check lasts for 6 months and is only used once your migrant
worker submits their application. This means you don’t have to fill the role straight away.
immigration.govt.nz/jobcheckchecklist

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Exceptions to advertising and paying the
median wage
If the role is on the Green List or pays twice the median wage you don’t need to
advertise it.
There are temporary exceptions to paying at least the median wage for some jobs in
these sectors:
ȣ Tourism and hospitality › The care workforce
ȣ Seafood processing (onshore) › Construction and infrastructure
ȣ Meat processing › Seasonal snow and adventure tourism
ȣ Bus driving

Think this may apply to you?

Check out the list of Green List roles:
immigration.govt.nz/greenlistroles
Find all the details about the exceptions to the median wage:
immigration.govt.nz/AEWVexceptions

Helping migrant workers to apply for their

work visa
STEP THREE – Ask the migrant worker to apply
Now your job check is approved, it’s time to invite your migrant worker to apply.
It’s as simple as going into your Immigration Online dashboard, entering their contact
details and selecting the ‘send request’ button.
We will send them a unique link with a job token that they will use to accept the
request and complete their AEWV application.
We aim to process the workers’ visa application in 20 week days.

TIP: Make sure you get the worker to accept the request and submit the
application before the job check expires. Job checks last for 6 months but
once expired you will need to re-advertise and submit a new job check.

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Supporting employers and migrant workers
A well-settled worker is good for business and good for Aotearoa
New Zealand. When you employ workers on AEWV, you’ll need to
provide them information to help them settle into their jobs and
life in New Zealand.
Employment New Zealand has learning modules to help you and Help workers
settle in NZ
your new migrant worker.

Employer modules
ȣ These help you to understand important information about employing migrant
workers
ȣ These need to be completed by anyone who is involved with the hiring process

Employee modules
ȣ These help your new migrant worker to settle in and understand their working
rights in New Zealand
ȣ You need to make sure your migrant worker has the opportunity to complete
these during work hours within the first month of employment

Pathways to residence
There are several ways that skilled migrant workers could become residents.

Points-based pathway
Skilled Migrant Category

Green List Roles

Straight to residence
TIER ONE Residence
TIER TWO
Work to residence

Work to residence
Some Sector Agreements

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Setting yourself up for success
You can help make the process smoother by;

Submitting a complete application

ȣ Use the checklists to make sure you have given us everything we need

Responding quickly
ȣ We may contact you requesting more information, the sooner you
respond the sooner your application can continue being processed.

Tracking applications
With the Immigration Online system, you can check the status of
your application and see what we might be waiting for.
Your migrant worker can also check the status of their application
Immigration
and see if we are waiting on any more information. online

Although we will try to process their application as quickly as

possible, sometimes we rely on third parties for checks and
documentation that can take time to provide to us.
Checking in with your migrant worker can help make sure they have provided us with
everything we need.
onlineservices.immigration.govt.nz

Need more help?

0508 967 569

www.immigration.govt.nz/accredited-employer

ISBN (online): 978-1-991092-58-8

ISBN (print): 978-1-991092-57-1 MB_INZ9523 | 1 JUNE 2023