New Zealand AEWV Work Visa 2026: Requirements, Cost and Scam Alert

The New Zealand AEWV – the Accredited Employer Work Visa – is New Zealand’s main work visa. If you have a job offer from an employer that is accredited by Immigration New Zealand, you can apply for it – and with a clear plan you can avoid the scams that Immigration New Zealand itself warns about in India. This guide covers the 2026 requirements, cost, stay lengths and how to check that a job offer is genuine.

New Zealand AEWV at a glance

Who can apply: the requirements

• An offer of full-time work from an accredited employer.
• You meet the skill requirements and the requirements of your job’s ANZSCO or National Occupation List skill level and qualifications.
• You have the skills and experience your employer requires.
• You have occupational registration if your job needs it in New Zealand.
• You can speak and understand English if your job is skill level 3 to 5.
• You are in good health, of good character and have a genuine reason for coming to New Zealand.
• If you have already used the maximum stay on earlier AEWVs, you have spent the required time outside New Zealand.

The job offer rules

Your job offer must be current when you apply, for at least 30 hours a week, from an employer who is accredited to hire migrants and has an approved job check for your job, and paid at least the market rate. You must include a copy of your employment agreement and job description and a signed copy of the job offer.

What the employment agreement must include

• Your employer’s name, address and phone number, and your name and address.
• Your job title, the address of your workplace and the kind of work and responsibilities.
• Required qualifications or experience, and whether you need New Zealand registration.
• Your hours, the length of the job and how long you have to accept the offer.
• Pay and conditions that comply with New Zealand employment law.

The agreement cannot include unlawful deductions, a trial period or unacceptable bonding clauses (requiring you to repay money if you leave within a certain time).

Jobs the AEWV does not cover

You cannot use the AEWV for planting, maintaining, harvesting or packing crops in horticulture or viticulture, for foreign crew of fishing vessels or for self-employed work. Different visas apply to those jobs.

Minimum skill requirements

• 2 years or more of relevant job experience, or a qualification at level 4 or higher on the NZ Qualifications and Credentials Framework.
• The qualification or experience must be in the same field or industry as the job offered. If you have a Bachelor’s degree or higher, it can be in any field.
• If your qualification is below a Bachelor’s degree and from outside New Zealand, you need an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) from NZQA.
• Experience must be proved with evidence from someone other than you – certificates of employment, payslips or tax certificates. A CV is not sufficient. Your 2 years do not need to be consecutive or full-time, but must add up to 2 years of full-time work.

How long can you stay?

The total time you can stay in New Zealand on one or more AEWVs depends on when you applied for your first AEWV, the skill level of your job and how much you are paid. It can be 5 years for most jobs, or 3 years if your job is ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5. After the maximum stay you must leave New Zealand for a period before returning on another AEWV.

Family members

Your partner and dependent children are not included in your application. You may be able to support a visitor or work visa for your partner and a visitor or student visa for your children – they apply separately.

How to avoid job offer scams

• Check that the employer is accredited on Immigration New Zealand’s public accredited employer list, and that it is not on the stand-down list.
• Never pay for a job. Immigration New Zealand says employers and agents cannot charge you fees for a job or recruitment costs, and it will decline an application if it believes you or your agent offered or promised money to the employer in exchange for a job offer.
• The employer sends you a unique link to apply – be suspicious of anyone who asks you to pay for it.
• Read the official scam guidance before you accept any offer.

Step-by-step

1. Find a job with an accredited employer (check the accredited employer list). The Green List roles page shows jobs New Zealand needs people for.
2. Get a signed job offer and employment agreement that meet the rules above.
3. Gather evidence of your qualifications, experience, English (if skill level 3-5), health and character.
4. Apply online using the link your employer sends you and pay the fee.
5. Plan your move and your family’s visas.

Compare your options in our work visa guide for 2026, see our work visa consultants in Hyderabad and read what comes next in New Zealand PR benefits for Indian citizens. Also compare the Germany work visa routes.

Common AEWV mistakes

• Accepting a job offer from an employer that is not accredited, or one without an approved job check for your job.
• Paying someone for a job offer. This can lead to your application being declined.
• Relying on a CV as proof of experience. Immigration New Zealand wants certificates of employment, payslips or tax records.
• Forgetting the IQA when your overseas qualification is below a Bachelor’s degree and you rely on it.
• Planning for the family as if they were included. They apply separately.

Work visa routes compared (2026)

Frequently asked questions

How much does the New Zealand AEWV cost?

Immigration New Zealand shows the Accredited Employer Work Visa from NZD 1,540. Check the fees page for your situation before you apply.

Do I need experience for the AEWV?

You need either 2 years or more of relevant job experience or a qualification at level 4 or higher on the NZ Qualifications and Credentials Framework, in the same field as the job. A Bachelor’s degree or higher can be in any field.

Can I bring my family on an AEWV?

Your partner and dependent children are not included in your application. They can apply for their own visas – a visitor or work visa for a partner and a visitor or student visa for children – if they meet the requirements.

How do I know whether a New Zealand job offer is genuine?

Check that the employer is on the accredited employer list, never pay anyone for a job offer, and use the unique link the employer sends. Immigration New Zealand warns that job offer scams are common in India and South Asia.

Can the AEWV lead to residence?

Yes. Immigration New Zealand lists the AEWV as a visa that can lead to a resident visa, depending on your job, skill level and circumstances.

Official sources

• Immigration New Zealand – Accredited Employer Work Visa
• Immigration New Zealand – Accredited employer list
• Immigration New Zealand – Green List roles

Facts on this page were checked against the official sources listed at the end on 6 October 2026. Immigration rules, fees and thresholds change often, so confirm the current figure on the official site before you apply.

Talk to NC Visas

Got a New Zealand job offer or planning to look for one? Our New Zealand visa consultants in Hyderabad check the employer, the job check and your documents before you apply. Book a free consultation or call +91 95055 15154.

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