The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is the main work visa for migrating to New Zealand. Big rules changed in 2025 and 2026: median wage is gone, the National Occupation List is rolling out, and 47 new occupations were added in March 2026. Here is what actually matters today.
Quick answer: The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is New Zealand's primary employer-supported work visa, in place since July 2022 (when it replaced the older Essential Skills Work Visa). To qualify, you need a full-time job offer (at least 30 hours a week) from an accredited New Zealand employer and a job token linked to an approved Job Check. From 10 March 2025, employers are no longer required to pay the immigration median wage for an AEWV; instead, the only fixed pay rate is the New Zealand minimum wage, and employers must still pay the New Zealand market rate for the role. Maximum continuous stay is generally up to 5 years for ANZSCO/NOL skill levels 1 to 3, or up to 3 years for skill levels 4 and 5 (rules can vary depending on when your first AEWV was granted).
Source: Immigration New Zealand. Always verify current rules at immigration.govt.nz before applying.
The Accredited Employer Work Visa, almost always shortened to AEWV, is the main work visa for skilled migrants entering New Zealand. If you are coming to NZ to take a job and you are not on a Working Holiday Visa or a sector-specific seasonal scheme, this is almost certainly the visa you are applying for.
The AEWV launched on 4 July 2022 and replaced the older Essential Skills Work Visa, which closed to new applications the same day. It also replaced the Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa for most cases, although a small Talent visa pathway still exists for migrants already in New Zealand.
The defining feature: your employer must be accredited with Immigration New Zealand before they can hire you. Accreditation means the business has been checked for financial stability, immigration and employment law compliance, and a genuine need for the role. You can verify any potential employer's accreditation status on the official Accredited Employer List before signing anything.
The AEWV has changed a lot in the last 18 months. If you are reading articles or YouTube transcripts more than a year old, assume some of the advice is now wrong. Here is what changed and when:
Source: Immigration New Zealand news centre, immigration.govt.nz/about-us/news-centre.
Immigration New Zealand is introducing a second classification system, the National Occupation List (NOL). The NOL will replace the older Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) and is being phased in gradually. For now, you use a NOL occupation code only if your role is on the official list of NOL occupations recognised for an AEWV; otherwise, you must use ANZSCO. Other visa categories may still require ANZSCO.
To qualify for an AEWV today, you need to meet ALL of the following:
Full requirements: immigration.govt.nz Accredited Employer Work Visa. Verify before applying as rules change.
Maximum continuous stay depends on your job's skill level on ANZSCO or the NOL:
If your visa is granted for less than the maximum stay, you can apply for another AEWV before it expires without leaving NZ. If you stay for the full maximum, you usually need to spend 12 continuous months outside New Zealand before applying for another AEWV.
In practice, most skilled migrants use the 3 to 5 years on the AEWV to either get residence (via the Green List or Skilled Migrant Category) or to extend their stay through a sector-specific Work to Residence Visa.
This is where most of the confusion happens. NZ immigration uses several different pay thresholds for different things, and it is easy to mix them up. Here is the clean version:
Source: Immigration New Zealand wage rate page, immigration.govt.nz/work/requirements-for-work-visas/wage-rates-for-work-visas.
The AEWV is a temporary visa, but most people use it as a springboard to permanent residence. There are three main routes:
Each pathway has its own pay thresholds, qualification rules, and timing. Picking the right one early matters because some require you to start clocking 24 months at the right pay rate from day one of the AEWV.
Verify residence options at immigration.govt.nz.
If your AEWV role is on the Green List, you can move on to either the Straight to Residence (Tier 1) or Work to Residence (Tier 2) visa. Here is a curated sample of occupations on each tier, grouped by sector. The full Green List is held by Immigration NZ and changes periodically, so use this as a starting point only.
This is not the full Green List. The examples below are a curated selection of high-demand occupations as of May 2026. The full Tier 1 and Tier 2 lists, along with their ANZSCO codes, registration bodies, qualification requirements, and any pay-rate thresholds, are maintained by Immigration NZ in the residence instructions and change periodically. We deliberately do not reproduce the full list here because it would go out of date silently. Always confirm your exact ANZSCO code, tier, and current requirements at immigration.govt.nz before relying on this overview.
For the full breakdown of how each tier works, the residence pathway, processing timelines, and ANZSCO matching tips, see our NZ Green List visa pathway page.
Sources: Immigration New Zealand residence instructions, Appendix 13 (Green List), effective 23 March 2026; Tier 1 occupations and Tier 2 occupations pages on immigration.govt.nz.
The AEWV covers most skilled work cases, but New Zealand has several other work visas for specific situations. If your case fits one of these better, the AEWV is not your visa:
Source: Immigration New Zealand visa list, immigration.govt.nz/visas.
After 20+ years of guiding migrants through the NZ work visa process, the same handful of mistakes cost people the most time and money. Here is what to watch for:
The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is the main work visa for skilled migrants. It launched on 4 July 2022 and replaced the older Essential Skills Work Visa. Most people coming to NZ to take a job apply for an AEWV unless they qualify for a more specific scheme (Working Holiday, Post Study Work, sector-specific seasonal visas).
No. The Essential Skills Work Visa closed to new applications on 4 July 2022. It was replaced by the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV). Anyone holding an existing Essential Skills Visa can still use it until it expires, but new applications must use the AEWV pathway.
No, not for the general AEWV. The median wage requirement was removed from the AEWV on 10 March 2025. Today, AEWV pay must be at the 'market rate' for the role (what a New Zealander would be paid for the same job in the same region) and at or above the current adult minimum wage. The median wage still applies to other things: Green List pay floors, partner-support thresholds, and the Skilled Migrant Category.
From 9 March 2026, the immigration median wage is NZD $35.00 per hour, based on June 2025 Stats NZ data. The previous rate was $33.56 per hour, in place from 18 August 2025 to 8 March 2026. The figure is used for Green List minimum pay rates, partner-support thresholds, the Skilled Migrant Category, and a few other settings, but not for general AEWV pay.
Maximum continuous stay is 5 years for jobs at ANZSCO or NOL skill levels 1 to 3, and 3 years for skill levels 4 or 5. If your initial visa is granted for less than the maximum, you can apply for another AEWV before it expires without leaving NZ. After hitting the maximum, you usually need 12 continuous months outside New Zealand before applying again.
Not on your visa, but they can apply separately for a Partner of a Worker Work Visa. Whether you can support your partner depends on your job's skill level and your pay. If your role is at skill level 1 to 3, you need to be paid at least NZD $28.00 per hour (from 9 March 2026). If your role is at skill level 4 or 5, the threshold is NZD $52.50 per hour (1.5x the median wage). Children can also apply for visitor or student visas linked to your visa.
Only if your job is at ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5. Skill levels 1 to 3 do not require an English test. You can also satisfy the English requirement via citizenship of certain English-speaking countries or evidence of English-medium study or qualifications. Accepted tests include IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, and others. Test results must be no more than 2 years old when you apply.
An accredited employer is an NZ business that has been approved by Immigration New Zealand to hire migrants on the AEWV. Accreditation requires the business to be financially stable, comply with immigration and employment law, and demonstrate a genuine need for migrant workers. Accreditation lasts up to 5 years and can be revoked if conditions are breached. Always verify a potential employer's accreditation on the official Accredited Employer List before signing a job offer.
Yes, it is the main pathway most skilled migrants use. There are three common routes: the Green List Pathway (Straight to Residence for Tier 1 jobs, Work to Residence for Tier 2 jobs after 24 months in NZ), the Skilled Migrant Category (points-based, useful when your role is not on the Green List), and sector-specific Work to Residence Visas (Care Workforce, Transport). Pick your pathway early because some require specific pay rates from day one.
ANZSCO is the older Australia and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations, used by INZ for years to classify jobs by skill level. The National Occupation List (NOL) is a newer NZ-specific classification, first announced in November 2024, that better reflects the New Zealand labour market. NOL is gradually replacing ANZSCO. Right now, the AEWV recognises BOTH systems (ANZSCO for most roles, NOL for the 47 newly recognised occupations from March 2026). Other visas like the Skilled Migrant Category still use ANZSCO only. Expect the transition to take another year or two.
Deeper reading on the AEWV, residence pathways, and salary expectations by occupation.
An incorrect ANZSCO code, a missing pay slip, a trial-period clause in your employment agreement: any one of these can cost you months of waiting and a fee you cannot reclaim. Kiwi Fern Immigration Services has guided immigrants through New Zealand work visas for over 20 years. Book a paid 30-minute case review and we will tell you exactly where your application stands.
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