For New Zealand employers
Employer Accreditation & Job Checks
Hiring through the Accredited Employer Work Visa framework involves separate employer and worker steps. Accreditation is not a blanket approval for every position or every applicant.
Enquire About Employer Requirements
The three-part AEWV process
The employer first needs the appropriate accreditation. A Job Check then assesses the proposed employment against the relevant requirements, including recruitment steps where applicable. An eligible worker uses the employer's application link to apply for their own Accredited Employer Work Visa.
The business must meet the accreditation and employment obligations. The worker must separately satisfy the visa requirements. Do not treat a positive employer outcome as a guarantee that a particular worker will receive a visa.
Define the actual role
Before preparing an enquiry, document the duties, work location, hours, proposed pay and employment terms. Identify who will supervise the worker and what skills or registration the work genuinely requires. A copied job description can create inconsistencies if it does not match the real position.
Keep recruitment records organised and date-labelled. Record the basis of the role and the business need without overstating qualifications or choosing a title solely because it appears to fit a visa category.
Separate recruitment from immigration decisions
The business still needs a fair and practical recruitment process. Do not ask a prospective worker to pay for a job offer. Check which costs the employer must bear and make any agreement with a recruiter or adviser clear.
For each candidate, distinguish an employment decision from an immigration assessment. Keep the proposed start date realistic and avoid giving assurances about visa approval or residence that the employer cannot guarantee.
Think beyond the initial approval
Accreditation, Job Checks and work visas can involve ongoing obligations and time limits. Assign responsibility within the business for expiry dates, changes in employment and record-keeping. Check the correct immigration process before changing a worker's role, employer or work location.
Where a worker asks about residence, examine the applicable employer-supported residence pathways separately. An AEWV is temporary, and there is no automatic residence outcome simply because an employer remains supportive.
Common questions
Is this the Australian employer nomination scheme?
No. New Zealand uses its own accreditation, Job Check and work visa framework. Australian subclass 186 nomination rules are not a substitute.
Can one approval cover every role?
Do not assume so. Confirm the scope, validity and conditions of the business's accreditation and each relevant Job Check.
What should an employer include in an enquiry?
Provide the business sector, proposed role, location, hours, current accreditation position and intended start date. Do not send employee passports or sensitive personnel records in an initial enquiry.
General information checked 18 September 2026. Official sources: INZ: accreditation and Job Check process and AEWV requirements.