Employer Accreditation & Job Check

Before a New Zealand business can hire a migrant on an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV), it needs two approvals from Immigration New Zealand. The first is employer accreditation, which confirms your business meets INZ's rules. The second is a job check for each role, which confirms the job, pay and conditions are acceptable and, where required, that you've tried to recruit New Zealanders first.

There are three accreditation types: standard (up to 5 migrant workers), high-volume (6 or more) and triangular, for businesses that place workers with a controlling third party. Each has its own INZ fee, and job checks are charged separately. A job check can cover several positions with the same job, pay, location and requirements. Initial accreditation lasts 12 months, and job checks are valid for 6 months or until your accreditation ends.

Immigration New Zealand sets its application fees, levies and processing times and updates them regularly, so we don't quote them here. Check the current cost and decision time for your situation with INZ's Fees, decision times and where to apply tool, and see the full requirements on INZ's employer accreditation and job check page.

Accreditation also lets you support workers for the Skilled Migrant Category, Straight to Residence and Work to Residence visas, so it's a long-term asset for growing teams. Concord helps employers choose the right accreditation type, prepare advertising and Work and Income evidence, and lodge job checks that get approved the first time. New Zealand matters are handled by Sejoo Han, Licensed Immigration Adviser (IAA licence 202400274).