AEWV
New Zealand's primary work visa for skilled migrants with an offer from an accredited employer. Most-used work pathway, with substantial 2025 reforms affecting wage testing, visa duration, and evidence requirements.
The AEWV is structured as three separate approval gates that must each succeed for a worker to receive the visa:
Missing a requirement at any stage resets that stage’s timeline. Coordinating accreditation + Job Check + worker visa application across employer and worker is one of the practical reasons AEWV cases benefit from licensed adviser oversight.
Once accreditation is granted, employers face ongoing INZ post-accreditation checks throughout the accreditation period. See Post-accreditation maintenance for AEWV employers for the employer-side compliance obligations and how we support employers through INZ review.
Where the worker’s ANZSCO occupation appears on the Green List, the AEWV can be a direct route to residence. Tier 1 occupations (nurses, IT specialists, civil / mechanical / electrical engineers, project builders, etc.) qualify for the Straight to Residence pathway without a qualifying NZ work period. Tier 2 occupations qualify for residence after 24 months of qualifying employment.
The Green List is reviewed periodically — confirm current Tier 1 / Tier 2 membership for your specific occupation code against INZ’s published list before assuming Green List eligibility. See also Green List occupations overview in our Resources.
Your employer must hold current AEWV accreditation. Three tiers operate: Standard (up to 5 migrants), High-Volume (6 or more), and Triangular (labour-hire arrangements). Your job offer must come from an accredited employer for the AEWV to be available to you.
Your job's ANZSCO classification determines several conditions. Level 1–3 roles can support visas up to 5 years and don't require English language evidence. Level 4–5 roles support visas up to 3 years and require English evidence (with limited exemptions). Several occupations were reclassified to Level 3 from 10 March 2025.
Since 10 March 2025, AEWV pay is tested against the New Zealand minimum wage floor plus a market-rate test — the range a New Zealander would be paid for the same job. The previous median wage threshold no longer applies. Employers must show evidence of the market rate for the specific role.
You need either 2 years of relevant job experience (reduced from 3 years on 10 March 2025) OR an NZQCF Level 4 or higher qualification in the same field as the offered job. A Bachelor's degree or higher allows any field. Several exemptions exist — Green List occupations meeting their requirements, occupational registration that itself required experience, pay at or above NZD $67.12/hr.
If your job's ANZSCO classification is Level 4 or 5, you need to evidence English language ability — either through citizenship plus study from a qualifying country, or by submitting recent test results. Level 1–3 jobs don't require English language evidence.
Health: chest X-ray if staying more than 6 months from a non-low-TB country (or 3+ months in such a country in the last 5 years). Character: police certificates if aged 17 or older and total NZ time will reach 24 months. From 8 December 2025, INZ no longer accepts receipts of pending police certificates as a substitute (Fiji, Hong Kong, Israel excepted).
INZ application fee: From NZD $1,540 (AEWV migrant check). Accreditation and Job Check fees vary by tier — see INZ for current amounts.
ProVisas advisory fee: Fixed-fee per case where the pathway is standard; time-based for complex matters. Specific fees disclosed at consultation and confirmed in your engagement letter.
INZ government fees are passed through at cost. We don't mark up government charges.
INZ AEWV migrant check: 80% processed within 6 weeks. End-to-end timeline (when employer accreditation and Job Check are also new): typically 10–14 weeks from engagement to visa decision, varying with case complexity and documentation completeness.
Substantial changes between March and December 2025 — median wage removed, market-rate test introduced, longer visas for lower-skill roles, work experience reduced from 3 years to 2 years, and police certificate receipts no longer accepted. Our AEWV 2025–26 changes article covers the full picture.
The AEWV doesn't include partner or dependent children automatically. Your partner can apply separately for a visitor or work visa; dependent children can apply for visitor or student visas. Eligibility for support depends on your income and the AEWV job's skill level. The partner-support wage threshold is NZD $26.85/hr; the dependent-children annual income threshold is NZD $55,844.
ANZSCO Level 1–3 roles: up to 5 years. ANZSCO Level 4–5 roles: up to 3 years (extended from previous limits on 10 March 2025). The maximum continuous stay matches these limits. After hitting the maximum, you normally need 12 months out of NZ before applying for another AEWV.
AEWV doesn't grant residence on its own. The pathway is: AEWV employment → accumulate qualifying work experience → Skilled Migrant Category (SMC6) points or a work-to-residence category → residence application. Time on AEWV, the nature of the work, and the employer's accreditation tier determine which residence pathway is viable. Talk to a licensed adviser about the specific options for your situation.
Yes. AEWV is offer-led — you need a signed job offer from an accredited employer before you can apply. The employer must already hold a valid Job Check approval for that specific position, pay, and location.
Some cases need a different conversation. Prior visa refusals, character matters, expired status, or material changes in your circumstances all affect eligibility and process. Book a consultation — we'll tell you what's possible, what isn't, and where the risks sit.
policy updates
The biggest AEWV changes since 2024 — median wage removed, longer visas, police certificate rules. What every employer and applicant should know.
Read articlepolicy updates
From 26 June 2024, AEWV holders at ANZSCO skill levels 4 and 5 without residency pathways can no longer sponsor partner and dependent child visas. Exemptions apply for Green List holders, sector agreements, and workers earning 1.5× median wage.
Read articleguides
Change employer, role, or visa conditions on your AEWV without applying for a new visa. Variation of Conditions (VOC) process, eligibility, timing, and what not to do.
Read articleguides
The Green List is a curated set of high-demand occupations. Tier 1 occupations qualify for fast-track residence; Tier 2 qualify for residence after 24 months of qualifying employment. Coverage spans construction, engineering, health, primary industries, and ICT.
Read articleLast reviewed 2026-05-24. Source of truth: Immigration New Zealand →
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