The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is the main pathway for skilled workers with a job offer from an INZ-accredited employer. It runs in three steps: employer accreditation, job check, then your own visa check.
This is general guidance only and visa rules change often. Always confirm the latest requirements on the official Immigration New Zealand website.
A quick look at what this visa typically asks for. Tick most of these and you're in good shape, and we'll help you sort the rest.
Accredited employer
Your job offer must be from an INZ-accredited employer.
3 steps
Employer accreditation, then a job check, then your own visa check.
~NZ$1,540
Immigration NZ's migrant application fee is around NZ$1,540, plus levies.
30+ per week
The role must offer at least 30 hours of work per week.
NZ market rate
Roles must pay the going market rate for the job; the blanket median-wage rule was removed in 2025.
Up to 5 yrs
Granted for up to five years depending on the role and wage.
We guide you through your application in three simple steps, from eligibility check to visa in hand.
What you'll need
How we help
Your partner adviser checks that your employer's accreditation is current and the correct type before you rely on the role. Your AEWV depends on the employer's compliance, not just yours, so if anything's off on their side, they flag it early.
What you'll need
How we help
We coordinate with your employer so the job check matches your offer exactly: pay, hours, and duties. A mismatch between the job check and your offer is a common stumbling block, so we line them up before anything is lodged.
What you'll need
How we help
We assemble your visa application, and your partner adviser submits it, then manages every question from your case officer until it's granted. You stay focused on starting the job, they handle Immigration NZ.
Immigration is an investment, but expert advice shouldn't cost you a fortune. Here's the full picture for a work visa.
Typical work-visa adviser
For eligible, partner-funded applicants
Don't take our word for it. Hear from the people we've helped call New Zealand home.
“New Zealand was only a dream for us. But the team at Jumpstart was very responsive. They are a start-up company but they're professional, and experts. They guided us and helped us from the time we processed, until we arrived in NZ. Highly recommend. Your money will not be put to waste.”
“Thank you, Jumpstart International, for helping and guiding us throughout the journey. Yehey! Nandito na kami sa New Zealand. Dati pangarap lang namin ito, pero ngayon nakakapag-practice drive na kami dito. Not just five-stars, a million-stars! Truly a top international agency.”
“New Zealand was only a dream for us. But the team at Jumpstart was very responsive. They are a start-up company but they're professional, and experts. They guided us and helped us from the time we processed, until we arrived in NZ. Highly recommend. Your money will not be put to waste.”
“Thank you, Jumpstart International, for helping and guiding us throughout the journey. Yehey! Nandito na kami sa New Zealand. Dati pangarap lang namin ito, pero ngayon nakakapag-practice drive na kami dito. Not just five-stars, a million-stars! Truly a top international agency.”
Immigration rules can feel confusing. Here are the most common questions we get about this visa type.
The Accredited Employer Work Visa runs in three stages: (1) the employer becomes INZ-accredited, (2) a job check confirms the role pays the market wage and offers 30+ hours a week, and (3) you lodge your own visa application. Your partner adviser manages all three so they line up.
Immigration New Zealand's migrant application fee is around NZ$1,540, plus an immigration levy. Your partner adviser's advice and our support are $0. We're partner-funded, so there's no invoice from us on top of the INZ fee.
The role must offer at least 30 hours of work per week. We check your employment agreement reflects that before lodging, since hours that fall short can hold up the job check.
It's an employer Immigration New Zealand has approved to hire migrant workers. You can only get an AEWV with a job offer from an accredited employer, so your partner adviser checks their accreditation is current before you rely on the role.
Since 2025 there's no blanket median-wage rule. Instead your role must be paid the New Zealand market rate for that job (and at least the minimum wage), on par with local workers. Your partner adviser confirms the role pays correctly, because pay that's out of line with the market can sink the application.
The job check is a step your employer completes to confirm the role and that it can't easily be filled by a local. We coordinate with your employer so the job check matches your offer exactly and clears first time.
It can be granted for up to five years, depending on the role and wage. Your partner adviser tells you the term you can expect and, where relevant, how this visa can lead toward residence.
Have a specific situation or just want to talk it through? We're here.
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