Accredited Employer Work Visa New Zealand

Migrant Workers And Employers

Accreditation

From 4 July 2022, employers can support temporary migrant workers on the AEWV; migrant workers can apply for an AEWV only with an offer of employment from an accredited employer.

It is important for migrant workers and their employers to clearly understand the details of the AEWV.

If you are a New Zealand employer and would like to employ international workers, you probably want to know what is the procedure to employ foreign staff and how to become an accredited employer NZ.

Getting accreditation would bring you potential benefits as follows:

Accredited Employer

Benefits To Your Organisation

Being an accredited employer under Immigration Laws assists your organisation to

How To Become An Accredited Employer?

In order to lodge an application under this category, an applicant’s employer must have previously been granted accreditation.

An employer can apply to be considered as an Accredited Employer if they can demonstrate.

They are a viable and genuine operating business, and can provide evidence of financial stability.
They have a history of compliance with Immigration, employment and business standards.
They have HR policies of a high standard to provide settlement support activities to migrants.

How We Help Our Clients

Accreditation Timelines

Now

Getting Accreditation supporting documents ready

23 May 2022

The Employer Accreditation Application opens

20 June 2022

INZ’ s Job Check System opens

4 July 2022

The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)opens

AEWVs

Why need to prepare for accreditation?

From May 2022, all New Zealand employers wanting to hire migrants on AEWVs must meet minimum accreditation criteria. This is to ensure only employers who meet New Zealand employment, immigration and business standards have access to migrant workers on AEWVs.
This is a new type of accreditation. You will need to apply even if you have been accredited under the previous system.
AEWV accreditation applications will be available online only.

Standard accreditation

if you want up to 5 migrant workers on AEWVs at any one time.

High-volume accreditation

if you want 6 or more migrant workers on AEWVs at any one time.

Franchise or Labour Hire or Triangular Accreditation

Initially valid for 12 months, supporting documentation required and Allows an employer to support more than 5 AEWV holders at anyone time.

Employer Work Visa

Process To Employ Migrants

The New Zealand Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is a new temporary work visa being effective from 4 July 2022.

Step 1

Standard Processing Timeframes

Standard and high-volume accreditation 10 working days
Job check 10 working days
Accredited Employer Work Visa NZ 20 working days.

Step 1

Getting Accredited

The key minimum requirements for accreditation are as follows:

Viable and Genuine Operating Business

This can be demonstrated with some evidence of financial capacity.

Completed employer learning modules

There is a requirement that the people responsible for recruitment in the company must complete some online learning modules via the government’s employment website.

Compliant with immigration, employment and business standards

This means that your company should not have been found to be noncompliant in the past, eg by way of a Labour Inspectorate complaint.

Employees to complete learning modules

Workers also will need to be given the opportunity to complete the online learning modules and INZ may request evidence of this upon accreditation renewal.

Pay Recruitment Costs

INZ requires that recruitment costs are not passed on to the workers directly or indirectly.

Provide Settlement Support

There is a range of information that must be provided to workers including how to obtain an IRD and information about accommodation and transport in NZ etc. We will likely put together a package for employers regarding this.

Step 2

Passing The Job Check

Once you are accredited, you need to apply for a job check for each job you want to hire a migrant worker for. The Job Check is to verify:

The job pays the market rate and meets wage thresholds applicable under the relevant job check pathway.
The job’s terms and conditions comply with New Zealand employment laws and standards
The job isfor a minimum of 30 hours a week.
You have advertised the job to New Zealanders, if you need to, including the minimum and maximum expected pay rate and the skills or experience required.

If you offer the job to a migrant but do not hire them, you can offer the job to another suitable applicant. You do not have to redo the job check unless it has expired

Step 3

Lodging The AEWV Application

INZ’s fees and cost for the lodgment are below:

Types	INZ Fee
Accreditation application for Employer	Standard, up to 5 migrants at any one time, is NZD $740. High-volume, 6 or more migrants at any one time, is NZD $1220.
Job Check	$610 per Job Check
Visa Application	$750 per applicant

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