5 Steps to Applying for an Accredited Employer Work Visa (And Why It's More Complex Than It Looks)
The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) seems straightforward on paper: find a job, employer gets accredited, job gets checked, you apply. Five simple steps.
Except none of these steps are actually simple. Each involves multiple sub-processes, strict requirements, and numerous ways things can go wrong. After nearly 20 years inside Immigration New Zealand, I've seen what makes these applications succeed—and more often, what makes them fail.
Here's what you're really getting into.
What You Need to Understand First
An AEWV ties you to one specific employer in one specific role for 3-5 years maximum. Change jobs? You need a completely new visa with a new employer, starting from scratch. The process involves three parties—you, your employer, and Immigration New Zealand—and takes 3-6 months minimum. If any party gets their part wrong, everything fails.
Step 1: Finding an Employer Who'll Actually Sponsor You
Sounds like: Get a job offer.
Actually involves: Finding an employer willing to navigate Immigration New Zealand's complex accreditation process, wait months for approvals, pay fees, and take on ongoing compliance obligations—when they could just hire a New Zealander who starts next week.
The Reality
Most employers prefer local hires. You're competing against candidates who are simpler, faster, and risk-free. You need to be worth the hassle.
Red Flags Immigration Watches For
Jobs that seem specifically tailored to your exact experience (eliminating all local candidates) raise questions. Immigration New Zealand is looking for "jobs of convenience" created primarily for immigration purposes.
The Catch-22
Employers won't commit until they're confident you'll get the visa. But you can't start the visa process without the employer's commitment. Navigating this timing requires strategy.
Step 2: Employer Accreditation (Not Your Problem, Until It Is)
Sounds like: Your employer registers with Immigration New Zealand.
Actually involves: Proving they're a legitimate business with proper HR systems, meet employment standards, and can comply with complex immigration obligations.
Why Employers Fail Accreditation
Business doesn't meet financial viability requirements
Previous immigration compliance issues
Inadequate HR systems
Business structure problems
The Risk to You
If your employer's accreditation fails, your entire pathway with them ends. Months wasted. Back to square one.
Most employers won't tell you if their application is having problems. Stay in communication and have backup options.
Step 3: Job Check (Where Most Applications Actually Fail)
Sounds like: Immigration confirms there's a genuine job.
Actually involves: Detailed assessment of whether the role is real, whether your employer genuinely tried to hire a New Zealander first, whether pay is appropriate, and whether the whole situation passes their credibility test.
This is where AEWV applications most commonly fail—not at the visa stage, at the job check stage.
Labour Market Testing (Skill Levels 4-5)
Your employer must prove they genuinely tried to hire locally:
Must advertise through Work and Income
Must genuinely interview suitable NZ candidates
Can't create unreasonable requirements designed to exclude locals
Immigration officers are trained to spot employers going through the motions without genuine intent.
Occupation Classification Confusion
With the new National Occupation List (NOL) alongside ANZSCO, there's confusion about which system to use. Get this wrong and your visa duration or family rights may be limited.
Step 4: Your Visa Application (Finally Your Turn, Still Complicated)
Sounds like: Fill out forms and provide documents.
Actually involves: Gathering documentation from multiple countries, meeting health and character requirements, ensuring everything is certified correctly, and hoping nothing changes while you wait.
The Job Token Expires
Your employer's approved job check comes with an expiry date (typically a few months). Submit your visa application before it expires, or they start over with a new job check and new fees.
The pressure: Still waiting for police certificates when the token expires? You're in trouble.
Processing Times Are Unpredictable
Standard timeframes are guidelines, not guarantees. Your application might sit longer if there are concerns, additional information is needed, or verification takes time.
Meanwhile, you're waiting—potentially unable to work, separated from family, life on hold.
Step 5: Approval—Then What?
Sounds like: Visa approved, move to New Zealand, start work.
Actually involves: Understanding visa conditions, setting up life in a new country, maintaining compliance, and planning for when your visa expires.
Your Visa Has Conditions
Only work for the named employer: Lose your job or want to change? New visa, new process, new fees.
Only work in the specified role: Your employer can't reassign you without applying for a variation.
Time limits: After 3-5 years (depending on skill level), you must leave NZ for 12 months unless you get residence.
The Employer Dependency Problem
Your entire immigration status depends on your employer. Business fails? Redundancy? Workplace dispute? Terminated?
You immediately lose visa status and must find a new sponsor or leave New Zealand. This creates a power imbalance.
The Real Complexity: Everything Must Align Perfectly
All these steps must succeed in sequence, coordinated between three parties, without significant delays or errors.
Employer accreditation fails? Everything stops.
Job check declined? Everything stops.
Your visa declined? You may have lost the job offer by now.
Processing takes too long? Job tokens expire, circumstances change.
One mistake at any stage—missing document, wrong occupation code, insufficient advertising, pay slightly below market—derails everything.
Why Professional Guidance Changes Outcomes
An experienced immigration adviser adds value at every step:
Job offer stage: Advise on AEWV-viable job offers and how to approach employers
Accreditation: Guide employers through the process correctly
Job check: Prepare applications strategically, ensure labour market testing is documented properly, justify pay rates, optimize occupation classification
Visa application: Ensure documents are complete, properly certified, organized logically
Post-approval: Advise on compliance and long-term planning
More importantly, we identify problems before they become declines. We know what raises red flags and how to present cases for the best outcome.
The Cost of Getting It Wrong
Declined job check: Employer wasted time and money. You've lost months. Back to finding a new employer.
Declined visa: Lost fees (hundreds to thousands). Lost time (months). Potentially lost job offer. Declined visa on your immigration history affecting future applications.
Successful visa but poor planning: Shorter duration than possible. Can't bring family due to pay issues. Limited residence pathway due to classification errors.
The cost of mistakes often exceeds professional guidance fees by 5-10x.
What a Consultation Covers
Eligibility assessment: Do you qualify? What occupations suit your background?
Employer strategy: How to find and approach employers effectively.
Application planning: Documentation needed, timeline expectations, potential complications.
Cost clarity: Realistic total costs including all fees.
Long-term pathway: How AEWV fits your bigger immigration goals.
Honest advice: Whether your case is straightforward enough to handle yourself, or complex enough to need help.
The Bottom Line
AEWV applications involve five steps—each complex, technical, and full of ways to fail. Three parties must coordinate perfectly, strict timeframes must be met, extensive documentation must be correct, and subjective assessments must go in your favour.
Many people try DIY and fail, losing time and money in the process.
The question is: given the stakes—your career, your future in New Zealand, your family's ability to join you—is this something you want to risk getting wrong?
Ready to discuss your AEWV prospects? Book a free consultation. I'll assess your situation honestly, explain what challenges you'll face, and whether professional guidance would genuinely help your chances.
After nearly 20 years inside Immigration New Zealand, I know what makes these applications succeed—and what causes them to fail.