Accredited Employer Work Visa Update

The primary temporary work visa utilized in New Zealand is the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV). Its aim is to prioritize employment opportunities for New Zealanders while facilitating the hiring of skilled migrants by employers facing genuine skill or labor shortages. Moreover, it plays a crucial role in combating migrant exploitation by restricting the hiring of migrant workers to accredited employers only. All applications for this visa are processed through Immigration Online.

Key information and statistics regarding the AEWV:

• Accreditation applications commenced on May 23, 2022, with Job Check applications following on June 20, 2022, and work visa applications opening on July 4, 2022.
• As of June 3, 2024, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has approved 120,472 AEWV applications, and there are 35,264 accredited employers.
• On April 7, 2024, adjustments were announced to the Accredited Employer Work Visa scheme, including the introduction of an English language requirement for migrants applying for low-skilled roles categorized under ANZSCO levels 4 and 5.

Changes to the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) scheme include:

• Implementing an English language requirement for migrants applying for low-skilled roles classified under ANZSCO levels 4 and 5.
• Establishing minimum skills and work experience thresholds for most AEWV roles.
• Requiring employers seeking to fill ANZSCO level 4 and 5 roles to engage with Work and Income before migrant approval is granted.
• Reducing the maximum continuous stay for most ANZSCO level 4 and 5 roles from 5 years to 3 years.
• Discontinuing the franchisee accreditation category and directing these businesses to apply for overseas worker recruitment through standard, high-volume, or triangular employment accreditation channels.

Accreditation Process:

Employers must undergo an accreditation process before inviting a worker to apply for an AEWV. This process includes employer accreditation application submission, role advertisement if necessary, and Job Check application.

Post-Accreditation Checks:

Various verification steps are integrated into the AEWV application, accreditation, Job Check, and work visa processes, alongside post-accreditation checks. These checks, constituting about 16% of accredited employers annually, ensure compliance with undertakings and declarations made during the application phase.

Meeting AEWV Accredited Employer Obligations:

Post-accreditation checks, comprising random and targeted selections, are conducted routinely to uphold AEWV conditions. Employers are expected to fulfill their obligations, with penalties imposed for non-compliance with employment or immigration laws.

As of June 3, 2024:

INZ has conducted 3,704 post-accreditation checks on 2,881 employers, with an additional 502 underway. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has received 3,403 complaints against accredited employers, initiating 255 active investigations on 246 accredited employers. 314 employers have had their accreditation revoked, while 52 have had their accreditation suspended, with reasons ranging from liquidation to other factors.