The NZ Government has announced changes to the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) scheme.
These changes do not impact AEWV employee’s current visa conditions or length, but may affect how long they can stay in New Zealand. They also apply to new Job Check or AEWV applications.
As of Sunday 7 April, some new AEWV applicants for lower-skilled occupations will receive shorter visas and have a shorter maximum length of time they can stay in New Zealand on an AEWV.
The reduced maximum continuous stay will apply to some current AEWV holders. Their current visa length will not change, however they will no longer be able to apply for the balance of the five-year AEWV introduced last year. This depends on their role’s skill level, residence eligibility and the date their AEWV application was submitted.
There are new requirements Employer’s need to meet when advertising and hiring migrants on an AEWV. This includes the way Employer’s assess whether New Zealand applicants are suitable, and reasonable steps they need to take to ensure a migrant is suitably qualified for the role.
If the vacancy is a lower-skilled role, they will also need to advertise longer and engage with Work and Income. Any migrant that is hired will now need to have a minimum standard of English.
These changes do not affect current visas or applications made before 7 April but do apply to new Job Check and AEWV applications. If you have an approved Job Check, any migrant who applies for an AEWV will need to meet the tightened requirements and provide more evidence of their qualifications and work experience.
These changes will likely impact AEWV processing times.
There will be new obligations for employers to tell us if a migrant leaves their job before their visa expires, and employers who do not provide at least 30 hours of work each week may have their accreditation revoked.
There are other changes affecting all three stages of the AEWV system. We encourage you to read more about all the AEWV changes on official immigration website.
Changes to the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) | Immigration New Zealand