This is the category for most work visa applications. The AEWV has replaced Essential skills and work to residence work visas. This category requires that you have work experience, or qualifications and a job offer to be able to make an application. There are requirements for the employer to prove that there are no New Zealanders available for the job and usually more skilled jobs are more favourably assessed, but it is possible to get a work visa for lower skilled jobs as well, especially if it is paying median wage.
Changes in early 2025: Some details such as payrate thresholds, visa length and experience requirements will be changing in March and April 2025. The information below is what is currently required. Please keep in mind that if your renewal will be later than March 2025 it may be advantageous for you to wait until then. Until these changes are formally in place, the current criteria applies.
AEWV visas are limited to a 5, 3 or 2 year duration depending on skill level or industry exemptions. People with no viable residence pathway will also need to leave NZ for 12 months before coming back to work again.
The basic requirements for a work visa are:
There are many steps to an AEWV application that must be coordinated properly with the employer, the applicant and INZ. With the accreditation and job check being closely connected with the visa application itself, it often pays to have a professional manage both stages together because problems occur when the requirements in the job check cannot be met by the applicant.
The AEWV system is quite complex, with parts that only apply to employers and parts that apply to employees. The employer does the job check, advertising for the role and so on. At the end of this process one or more job tokens are allocated to the job. The number of tokens is the number of potential employees the employer can hire. Once this is done the visa application part can be started, this is the employee's role.
It is very important to note that employee's must not pay or otherwise contribute to the employer's part (the job check) and while some employers may pay for the work visa, this is not so common and they have no responsibility to do so. Employers also should have no input in the visa application process other than providing a job offer and employment agremeent.
The token provides permisison to apply for a visa, and allows the application form to be filled out, but the token is only a token. The application still needs to be done properly with all the required information and supporting documentation as usual. Some people misunderstand that having the token means having a right to a work visa and think that securing a token is the same as securing a visa. This is far from the truth, as having a token only gives you the right to make an application for a visa, and this application can still easily be declined if it is not prepared properly.
The token itself is only an email link, which when clicked takes you to the INZ Online system called ADEPT. Once you log in, you can start the application process. The only difference between using the job token and applying for the older essential skills work visa is that you cannot open the application form without the link. The token does not actually help you with the application details and you still need to know what to include and not to include in the application, and generally how to make a strong application.
The job token is:
The job token is not:
Problems mainly occur when either there is little cordination between stages, or the application is taken lightly and done with insufficient evidence and preparation.
The most common problem we see is that the advertising or job description is not done properly by the employer so the job check cannot be used by the applicant. When the visa applicant cannot meet the job check requirements the visa application is not likely to succeed. Many Kiwi employers do not have a clear idea of the specific requirements for advertising to satisfy the requirements of INZ. It is not much more difficult to prepare to hire a migrant worker, but the process is slightly more specific than with hiring Kiwi workers, so this needs to be carefully checked. This ties in with inconsistencies with the job description - actual duties - verifiable work experience. Consistency and verifiable documentation is key to the visa application. The job title is less important than the actual tasks of the job.
The other most common problem is when the employer tries to do the application themself. This is usually illegal, but it also means that the quality of the application is much lower and more likely to fail. An employer who is not a licensed immigration adviser or lawyer is potentially in breach of the law by preparing and / or submitting a work visa application. For more information on this please see our article on what is clerical work or see the IAA website for guidance for employers. A seemingly helpful employer may actually hurt your application and even prevent you applying for residence in the future.
The third problem is when applicants take the application process lightly because of misunderstanings about the job token and the application form being online creating a false image that it is easier than usual. The immigration system requires that applicants prove clearly and strongly that they meet the legal criteria for the visa and this has not changed.
Our service to employers with regard to the visa application stage is completely covered by our professional fees that the applicant pays. Employers can use our services with respect to individual employees without having to pay anything extra, so if you are an employer, this makes the application much easier for you. We arrange all the necessary documentation, check that it meets the requirements and help to adjust anything that doesn't meet the requirements before the application is lodged. This saves employers time, money and hassle, so it is definitely worth using an immigration adviser for the employer as well as for the worker.
Using an immigration adviser for your application may make the status of your employee's employment with you more stable, more legal and more likely to continue long term with less hassles from a legal perspective. We do not help employers or our clients circumvent the law, instead we find a legal pathway that ensures everything is done properly.