Apply for a New Zealand Work Visa Online
What Immigration New Zealand's own pages say about the Accredited Employer Work Visa: the fee, the accreditation and job check costs, how long each stage takes, and how long the visa itself lasts.
At a glance
- Cost
- From NZD $1,540Employer accreditation and job check fees come first, from Immigration New Zealand.
- Processing
- 1 to 10 weeksImmigration New Zealand’s own benchmark, by stage.
- Duration
- Up to 5 yearsShorter, at 3 years, for skill level 4 or 5 roles.
- Who applies first
- The employerAccreditation and a job check happen before the applicant applies.
Can this be done online?
Yes. Immigration New Zealand accepts most visa applications online, work visas included. An applicant uploads documents and photos and pays the fee through the online system, using a RealMe account. For the Accredited Employer Work Visa, an accredited employer sends the applicant a unique application link once the job check for the role is approved, and that link is what opens the online application.
What does it cost?
The Accredited Employer Work Visa costs from NZD $1,540, the fee Immigration New Zealand publishes for the visa application stage. Three fees come before it, all published by Immigration New Zealand and paid by the employer:
- Standard accreditation, for businesses hiring up to 5 migrants: NZD $775, published by Immigration New Zealand
- High-volume accreditation, for businesses hiring 6 or more migrants: NZD $1,280, published by Immigration New Zealand
- Job check, per role: NZD $735, published by Immigration New Zealand
Every figure sits on Immigration New Zealand’s own fees pages and changes there first, not on this one.
How long does it take?
Immigration New Zealand publishes a separate benchmark for each stage, from 1 week for employer accreditation up to 10 weeks for some Accredited Employer Work Visa applications. A job check sits in between, at 2 weeks. The visa stage itself varies most, from 6 weeks for Green List roles to 10 weeks for other roles such as construction.
| Stage | 80% completed within (weeks) |
|---|---|
| Employer accreditation | 1 |
| Job check | 2 |
| AEWV visa, Green List roles | 6 |
| AEWV visa, other roles | 10 |
How long does the visa last?
Up to 5 years, for most roles. Immigration New Zealand grants the Accredited Employer Work Visa for up to 5 years, based on the job offered. Roles classified at ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5 are limited to 3 years. The length is set for the specific job token approved for that role.
- Skill level 1 to 3: up to 5 years
- Skill level 4 or 5: up to 3 years
What happens first?
Employer accreditation comes first, then a job check for the role, then the visa application itself.
| Stage | Who applies | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Employer accreditation | The employer | From NZD $775 |
| Job check | The employer | NZD $735 |
| Visa application | The applicant | From NZD $1,540 |
The three approvals interlock rather than running side by side. Immigration New Zealand opens the online work visa application only once an employer holds current accreditation and that employer’s job check has been approved for the specific role on offer. Only then does the employer send the applicant a unique application link, and that link is what starts the visa stage online. This is why the processing benchmarks above are measured stage by stage rather than as one figure: the days an employer spends on accreditation, and the weeks a job check spends under assessment, sit before the visa stage even opens. An application submitted before a job check is approved has no link to use, however ready the applicant is to apply. Immigration New Zealand fixes this order as part of its own process, ahead of anything an applicant or employer arranges.
Is there an age limit?
Not for the Accredited Employer Work Visa. Immigration New Zealand sets no age limit for the AEWV itself. The Working Holiday Visa is different: Immigration New Zealand caps that visa at 18 to 30, or 18 to 35 for citizens of some countries.
One age threshold does apply, though. Immigration New Zealand requires a police certificate from any applicant aged 17 or older whose total time in New Zealand will run to 24 months or longer.
| Visa type | Age requirement | Typical duration | Which applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accredited Employer Work Visa | No set age limit | Up to 5 years (3 years, skill level 4 or 5) | An employer-sponsored role with a job offer |
| Working Holiday Visa | 18 to 30, or 18 to 35 for some countries | Up to 12 months | A working holiday, work as a secondary purpose |
Who confirms what applies?
A licensed immigration adviser confirms requirements for an individual’s circumstances. Jumpstart International connects applicants to a network of licensed immigration advisers and is not itself a licensed adviser. This page is general information about Immigration New Zealand’s published rules and is not immigration advice. Confirm current fees, processing times and eligibility rules with a licensed immigration adviser through Jumpstart International’s partner adviser network.
- Immigration New Zealand, Applying for a visa online. Supports the page’s own lines “You can apply for most visas online” and “You need a RealMe account to apply for a visa online”, used in “Can this be done online?”. Checked 30 August 2026.
- Immigration New Zealand, Accredited Employer Work Visa. Supports the page’s own fee “From NZD $1540”, the visa granted “up to 5 years based on the job offered” with the shorter term for skill level 4 or 5 roles, and the police certificate requirement for applicants “aged 17 or older”, used in “What does it cost?”, “How long does the visa last?” and “Is there an age limit?”. Checked 30 August 2026.
- Immigration New Zealand, Paying for AEWV employer accreditation and job checks. Supports the page’s own figures “NZD $775” for standard accreditation, “NZD $1,280” for high-volume accreditation and “NZD $735” for a job check, used in “What does it cost?” and “What happens first?”. Checked 30 August 2026.
- Immigration New Zealand, Employer accreditation, job check and AEWV wait times. Supports the stage-by-stage benchmarks charted in “How long does it take?”. Checked 30 August 2026.
- Immigration New Zealand, Visas for working in New Zealand. Supports the page’s own line that Working Holiday Visa applicants must be “aged 18 to 30, or 18 to 35 in a select few countries”, used in “Is there an age limit?”. Checked 30 August 2026.
This is general information, not immigration advice, and visa rules change often. Check the official Immigration New Zealand website or talk to a licensed adviser before acting on it.
