New Zealand Guide

Accredited Employer Work Visa: Jobs, Salary Rules and Avoiding Scams

The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is New Zealand's main temporary work visa. The employer must be accredited by Immigration New Zealand and pass a job check before you apply. Because the whole route depends on a genuine employer, it is also the route most abused by scammers selling fake New Zealand jobs to workers in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, so verification is a survival skill.

Quick checklist

Confirm the employer holds current INZ accreditation and the role passed a job check.
Never pay an employer, agent or "consultant" for a job offer; charging for jobs is illegal in NZ.
Check the pay meets the current AEWV wage threshold for the role and the contract matches the offer.
Verify your own eligibility: relevant qualifications or experience for the role, health and character.
Understand your visa is tied to the employer; changing jobs needs a variation or new application.
Keep copies of the employment agreement, job description and all correspondence.

How the AEWV process runs

The AEWV has three gates: the employer gains accreditation with INZ, the specific role passes a job check (advertising, pay and conditions review), and then the worker applies with the resulting job token. You cannot start the worker stage without the first two, which is why any "offer" that skips straight to asking for your money or documents without an accredited employer behind it is a red flag. Processing at the worker stage typically takes weeks once documents are complete.

Pay, skills and visa length

AEWV roles must meet wage floors that INZ updates regularly, historically tied to the median wage, with different settings by occupation skill level. Higher-skilled, higher-paid roles get longer visa durations and cleaner paths toward residence; lower-skilled roles get shorter durations and more restrictions. Your employment agreement, hours and pay must match what passed the job check; discrepancies discovered later endanger both the visa and future applications.

The scam problem, and how to not be a victim

Fake New Zealand job offers are an industry targeting South Asian workers: forged offer letters from real companies, "visa guaranteed" packages, and agents demanding thousands of dollars for jobs that do not exist. The reliable defences are simple. Check the employer on the INZ accredited employer list and the NZ Companies Register. Know that legitimate NZ employers never charge workers for a job or visa sponsorship. Deal with licensed immigration advisers only (the IAA register lists them), and treat any pressure to pay quickly as proof of fraud, not urgency.

Common questions

Work Visa (AEWV) FAQs

How do I verify a New Zealand employer is accredited?

Immigration New Zealand publishes the list of accredited employers on its website, and the employer's legal name should also appear in the NZ Companies Register. If the name on your offer letter does not match an accredited entity, or the contact uses only free email addresses, stop and verify independently before sending documents or money.

Is it legal to pay an agent for a New Zealand job offer?

No. Charging a worker a premium for a job, visa sponsorship or "placement" in New Zealand is illegal, and paying does not create a real job. Licensed immigration advisers may charge for genuine advice and application help, and you can check their license on the Immigration Advisers Authority register. Anyone selling the job itself is running a scam.

Can I change employers on an AEWV?

Not freely: the visa is tied to the accredited employer and role it was granted for. Moving to a new employer requires the new role to pass its own job check and a variation or new visa application. Factor this in before accepting an offer, because a bad employer is harder to leave than under an open work visa.

How to use this page

Read the checklist first to see what needs preparing.
Use the sections below for the reasoning behind each step.
Check the FAQs for common edge cases.
Confirm current rules on immigration.govt.nz before you apply or accept any offer.