Changes to Accredited Employer Work Visa Scheme

Following recommendations from the recent Bestwick Review, the Government has announced a suite of changes to the Accredited Employer Worker Visa (AEWV) scheme, which came into effect on 7 April 2024. These changes are aimed at reducing migrant vulnerability to exploitation as well as continuing to attract highly skilled migrants into areas with skills shortages in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Immigration Minister Erica Stanford noted that many of the changes to the AEWV scheme are not actually new, but rather a "return to pre-pandemic settings that better balanced the needs of businesses with the wider interests of New Zealand". These changes include:

• creating a minimum skills and work experience threshold for most AEWV roles – this means that unless a role is on the Green List and meets the Green List role requirements, or is paid at least twice the median wage, employees must have at least 3 years' relevant work experience or a relevant qualification at level 4