New Zealand: Accredited Employer Work Visa 2025

Key Points  

• New Zealand will implement several changes to its Accredited Employer Work Visa beginning in the spring of 2025  

Spring 2025 Accredited Employer Work Visa Changes  

New Zealand is refining the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) to help businesses secure the necessary skills and experience. Initial changes to the AEWV aimed to control net migration and reduce migrant exploitation. Operational improvements have since increased productivity and speed up processing times. Key changes effective from March 2025 include: 

• Reducing the minimum experience requirement for lower-skilled migrants to two years. 
• Increasing visa duration for new applicants in Level 4-5 roles from two to three years. 
• Extending interim work rights to AEWV applicants from any work or student visa type. 
• The domestic workforce threshold for specific construction roles is reduced from 35% to 15%. 
• Amending the labor market test to a declaration-based model. 
• Adjusting the income threshold for AEWV holders supporting a dependent child from NZ$43,322 to NZ$55,844. 

Additionally, two new seasonal visas will be introduced in late 2025 to address specific sector needs. The Job Check step of the AEWV process will also be redesigned for greater efficiency. These changes aim to attract higher-skilled workers, manage migration levels responsibly and ensure New Zealand has the skills needed for economic growth.