New Zealand's Accredited Employer Work Visa, or AEWV, separates the employer, job and applicant checks. An accredited business is not proof that every role qualifies or that an applicant meets the visa requirements. Use Immigration New Zealand's current guidance alongside the actual vacancy. Other work routes can differ, so first establish whether AEWV is the relevant one for you.
Understand the separate stages
Immigration New Zealand describes employer accreditation and a job check as parts of AEWV hiring. Its applicant page requires an offer of full-time work from an accredited employer with an approved job check for the job, together with the applicant requirements. Treat these as separate facts to verify.
Check the official employer information and match the legal entity to the offer. Ask the genuine recruitment contact about the role and process. An accreditation listing does not authenticate a stranger using the company's name, and it does not tell you that an advertised vacancy remains open.
Read the employment agreement closely
The AEWV guidance sets out information the agreement must include, such as duties, location, hours, duration, pay and required qualifications. Compare the written agreement with the job description and the promises made during recruitment. Seek clarification if they differ.
The page also identifies unacceptable agreement terms, including unlawful deductions, trial periods and unacceptable bonding clauses. Do not assume a term is acceptable merely because it appears in a signed offer. Read the current guidance and get suitable advice if a clause is unclear.
Check the applicant evidence for this job
Review the current skill, experience, qualification and any English-language requirements for the role's classification. Immigration New Zealand explains that evidence beyond a CV may be needed. Gather genuine, verifiable records rather than relying only on your own description of experience.
If the work requires occupational registration, check the appropriate body and the visa evidence requirements. State the exact status of any assessment or registration. Do not mix an employer's willingness to train you with permission to perform regulated work.
Reject pay-for-offer promises
Immigration New Zealand warns that it will decline an AEWV application if it considers that the applicant or agent offered or promised money to the employer or its agent in exchange for the job offer. Verify any proposed fee and never treat buying an offer as a legitimate shortcut.
Before committing to travel, check the actual permission decision and remaining conditions. Family support and changing jobs have their own requirements, so do not assume they follow automatically from an initial offer. A good shortlist connects a real employer, a suitable role and evidence you can truthfully provide.
Sources and further reading
Source guidance checked on October 28, 2026. The exercises and examples above are editorial suggestions, not hiring guarantees. Follow current employer instructions and destination-specific official requirements.
