New Zealand · Work
New Zealand Accredited Employer visa
Income needed: NZD 67.12+ an hour ≈ $38
Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Accredited Employer visa is a work route for New Zealand. Applicants need income of NZD 67.12+ an hour ≈ $38. You can stay 5 yrs, renewable. Local work: limited. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source.
- Money needed
- NZD 67.12+ an hour ≈ $38
- Government fees
- ~NZD 1,540 ≈ $860
- First stay
- 5 yrs
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee NZD 1,540 ≈ $860; income to show NZD 67.12+/hr ≈ $38. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees~NZD 1,540 ≈ $860
- NZD 1,540 (≈ $860)Visa cost shown as from NZD 1,540 (≈ $860).
Shown, not spentNZD 67.12+/hr ≈ $38
- NZD 67.12 an hour (≈ $38)Hourly rate equal to 2 times the 2024 median wage; paying at least this removes the need for extra skill-requirement evidence.
RenewalRenewable, 5 years max
You can apply for further visas up to your maximum continuous stay: 5 years in most cases, or 3 years for skill level 4 or 5 jobs. After that you must normally leave New Zealand for 12 months in a row before another AEWV.
CitizenshipTime here doesn't count
Time on this visa does not count toward citizenship; the 5 years must be lived as a resident (resident visa or permit).
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Time on this route is capped at 5 years in total
- Time on this route doesn't count toward citizenship
- Needs a job offer from an employer in New Zealand
- Work rights are limited
What you'll need
Who can apply4
- The applicant has a full-time job offer of at least 30 hours a week from an accredited employer.
- The employer has an approved job check.
- The applicant holds the skills, qualifications and registration required for the job.
- English is required for skill level 3 to 5 jobs.
What you must show3
- The figure listed is NZD 67.12 (≈ $38), an hourly rate equal to 2 times the 2024 median wage.
- Paying at least this rate removes the need for extra skill-requirement evidence.
- The visa cost is shown as from NZD 1,540 (≈ $860).
After you arrive1
- After reaching the maximum continuous stay, the worker must spend the required time outside New Zealand before a further AEWV.
What happens at day 183
How New Zealand decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 5 years in total
- Tax residence
- More than 183 days in any 12-month periodTax residence begins by more than 183 days in New Zealand or a permanent place of abode
- Foreign-source income
New-resident relief (4 years)
New migrants and returning New Zealanders who qualify get roughly four years of exemption on most foreign-source income while they are New Zealand tax residents.
- Special regime
Transitional tax resident exemption · Tax relief
All tax rules for New Zealand Tax records checked
Full official text
Employer-linked work visa for a full-time job offer of at least 30 hours a week from an accredited employer with an approved job check; maximum continuous stay is 5 years, or 3 years for ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5 jobs. 1
What you must show and pay
- Income of at least NZD 67.12 an hour (≈ $38) · Hourly rate equal to 2 times the 2024 median wage; paying at least this removes the need for extra skill-requirement evidence. 1
- A fee of NZD 1,540 (≈ $860) · Visa cost shown as from NZD 1,540 (≈ $860). 1
Requirements
- The applicant has a full-time job offer of at least 30 hours a week from an accredited employer. 1
- The employer has an approved job check. 1
- The applicant holds the skills, qualifications and registration required for the job. 1
- English is required for skill level 3 to 5 jobs. 1
- The figure listed is NZD 67.12 (≈ $38), an hourly rate equal to 2 times the 2024 median wage. 1
- Paying at least this rate removes the need for extra skill-requirement evidence. 1
- The visa cost is shown as from NZD 1,540 (≈ $860). 1
- After reaching the maximum continuous stay, the worker must spend the required time outside New Zealand before a further AEWV. 1
Stay
- Up to 5 years depending on skill level, pay and application date; up to 3 years for skill level 4 or 5 jobs.
- First stay: up to 60 months, decided case by case.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Work
Work only for the accredited employer in the approved job and location; study up to 3 months in any 12 months.
Family
Partner can get a visitor or work visa and dependent children a visitor or student visa under separate applications.
Official sources
- Accredited Employer Work Visa · Immigration New Zealand · checked 2026-10-10
- Presence in NZ requirements (citizenship by grant) · New Zealand Government (govt.nz, Department of Internal Affairs) · checked 2026-10-11
Accredited Employer visa and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accredited Employer visa | Needs income of NZD 67.12+ an hour ≈ $38 | 5 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Skilled Migrant Category | Needs income of NZD 105+ an hour ≈ $59 | – | – |
| Straight to Residence | – | – | – |
| LTR · Highly Skilled Thailand | Needs income of $80k+ a year | 5 yr, renewable | – |
| Engineer/Specialist visa Japan | – | 5 yr, renewable | Limited |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Accredited Employer visa?
Income of at least NZD 67.12 an hour (≈ $38). Hourly rate equal to 2 times the 2024 median wage; paying at least this removes the need for extra skill-requirement evidence. A fee of NZD 1,540 (≈ $860). Visa cost shown as from NZD 1,540 (≈ $860).
How long can I stay on the Accredited Employer visa?
Up to 5 years depending on skill level, pay and application date; up to 3 years for skill level 4 or 5 jobs.
Can I work on the Accredited Employer visa?
Limited. Work only for the accredited employer in the approved job and location; study up to 3 months in any 12 months.
Can I bring my family on the Accredited Employer visa?
Partner can get a visitor or work visa and dependent children a visitor or student visa under separate applications.
Is there a tax break for Accredited Employer visa holders in New Zealand?
Transitional tax resident exemption for most foreign-source income: New migrants and returning New Zealanders who qualify get roughly four years of exemption on most foreign-source income while they are New Zealand tax residents. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.
Tax
Special regime
Transitional tax resident exemption for most foreign-source income
Tax relief
Details
- On: Most foreign-source income
New migrants and returning New Zealanders who qualify get roughly four years of exemption on most foreign-source income while they are New Zealand tax residents.
Taxed on
Most foreign-source income; overseas employment and personal services income is not exempt.
Who it applies to
- Period begins on first day of New Zealand tax residence and ends four years after end of month of qualification, subject to earlier opt-out/termination events.
- The exemption can be used only once.
- The person was not a New Zealand tax resident at any time in the 10 years before qualifying.
Exclusions
- Overseas employment income and income from personal services is not exempt.
- Applying for Working for Families, opting out, reporting covered income, or confirming NZ tax to a foreign jurisdiction on covered income can terminate the exemption.
- Foreign-super withdrawals have their own rule.
Days in the country
- More than 183 days in any 12-month period · Tax residence begins by more than 183 days in New Zealand or a permanent place of abode
Tax residence
NZ tax residence can begin through more than 183 days in any 12-month period or permanent place of abode; this transitional exemption can apply during tax residence. After the exemption ends, worldwide income rules apply.
Visas
No particular visa is required by the tax rule; immigration and tax residence are distinct.
Other taxes
Tax exemption does not waive GST, PAYE on New Zealand work, KiwiSaver or other applicable levies; foreign employment/services carveout means remote work must be analyzed carefully.
Checked against official sources on Change log
More in New Zealand
Work visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-10 against 2 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Accredited Employer Work Visa · Immigration New Zealand · checked 2026-10-10
- Presence in NZ requirements (citizenship by grant) · New Zealand Government (govt.nz, Department of Internal Affairs) · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.