New Zealand · Work Visa
Work permit categories, eligibility, sponsorship, application steps, and processing times.
Official route — published facts
Read off the responsible authority's own page. Only what it publishes appears here — a field we could not confirm is left out rather than estimated.
- Route
- Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)
- Employer sponsorship
- Required — an employer must sponsor or nominate you
- Annual cap
- No published cap found — this is not the same as the route being uncapped.
The employer must hold Immigration New Zealand accreditation before it can support this visa — an ordinary job offer is not enough.
Pay must be the market rate for the role rather than a fixed national minimum, so no single figure applies across occupations.
Official page: Immigration New Zealand ↗ · Read 2026-08
AI-drafted, editorially reviewed. Confirm specifics with the official authority.
Foreign nationals need a work visa; the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is the main employer-sponsored route, and skilled migrants can use the points-based Skilled Migrant Category. Immigration New Zealand administers visas.
Foreign nationals need a work visa to work in New Zealand; the Accredited Employer Work Visa is the main employer-sponsored route. Immigration New Zealand administers visas.
- Most workers use the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) or a skilled route.
- Employers must be accredited to sponsor migrant workers.
- Immigration New Zealand administers visa applications.
- 1
Find a job with an accredited employer
Most workers use the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV); your employer must be accredited by Immigration New Zealand.
- 2
Employer completes the job check
The employer completes a job check confirming the role, pay and (where required) that the labour market was tested.
- 3
Apply for the AEWV
You apply for the work visa online, meeting health, character, English and skill/pay requirements.
- 4
Provide health and character evidence
Provide medical certificates and police certificates as required.
- 5
Receive the visa and enter
On approval you receive the visa (as an eVisa); enter New Zealand within its conditions.
- 6
Extend or move toward residence
You can extend the AEWV; some roles support residence through the Skilled Migrant Category or the Green List.
- Job with an accredited employer
- Job check completed by the employer
- Health, character, English and pay/skill requirements met
- AEWV application online
- Medical + police certificates
- Visa (eVisa) issued
- Entry within visa conditions
- Residence pathway (Skilled Migrant / Green List) considered
- Immigration New Zealand
Immigration authority — work visas.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Accredited Employer Work Visa?
The main temporary work visa, requiring a job offer from an INZ-accredited employer meeting pay and role checks.
Can a work visa lead to residence?
Yes — the points-based Skilled Migrant Category and the Green List offer residence pathways for qualifying workers.
What is the Green List?
A list of in-demand occupations with faster or more direct routes to work and residence.
Government portals
- govt.nz — New Zealand government services portal
- Immigration New Zealand — Visas, work/student visas, and residence
- Inland Revenue (IRD) — Income tax, GST, and the IRD number
- business.govt.nz — Company registration, employment, and compliance