The New Zealand Accredited Employer Work Visa 2026 — known as AEWV — is the single visa route that has carried the largest share of African skilled migration to Aotearoa since it replaced the old Essential Skills Work Visa in 2022. It is a three-check system (employer accreditation, job check, migrant check) that, when run in the right order, takes an African candidate from job offer to landed in Auckland or Wellington in 8-14 weeks. This guide is the executable step-by-step — not a rules summary.
Pick your section
- Step 1 — Confirm your employer is accredited
- Step 2 — Job check and salary floor
- Step 3 — Your migrant check application
- Step 4 — Landing, IRD and tenancy
- FAQ
Step 1 — Confirm your employer is accredited
Before you accept any offer, confirm the employer is on the Immigration New Zealand accredited employer list. Accreditation comes in four tiers: standard (up to 5 migrants), high-volume (6+), franchise, and triangular employment. If your offer is from an unaccredited employer, the visa cannot be issued — and many job ads still don’t make accreditation status clear. Ask the recruiter for the employer’s accreditation number, then verify it on the INZ accreditation register. Outbound: Immigration New Zealand.
Step 2 — Job check and salary floor
Your employer submits the Job Check after offering you the role. The check verifies that the position pays at or above the median wage (NZD 32.66/hour in 2026, equivalent to roughly NZD 67,930 annual full-time), that the role is genuine, and that local advertising has been done for ANZSCO 4-5 roles. Green List occupations (Tier 1 and Tier 2) skip the advertising step and unlock fast-track residence pathways. Typical Green List Tier 1 roles relevant to African applicants: registered nurses, civil engineers, secondary school teachers in STEM, ICT security specialists. Tier 2 adds construction trades, healthcare assistants, and primary teachers.
Kemi, a Lagos-based registered nurse, accepted an offer from a Christchurch hospital at NZD 78,000. Her employer’s Job Check cleared in 12 days; her own Migrant Check followed two weeks later; she landed in Christchurch six weeks after her visa was issued.
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Step 3 — Your migrant check application
Once the Job Check approves, you file your migrant check. Required documents: valid passport, signed employment agreement showing salary and hours, NZQA-recognised qualification or qualifying experience, IELTS 4.0 average (or alternative), full medical examination from an INZ-approved panel physician in your country, police certificate from your country of nationality and any country you have lived in for 12+ months in the past 10 years. Application fee in 2026: NZD 750 plus levies. Typical processing time at African posts: 4-8 weeks. Bring 3-12 months bank statements showing settlement funds for you and any dependants.
Step 4 — Landing, IRD and tenancy
Visa in hand, book your one-way flight. At Auckland or Wellington airport, present passport with eVisa label, employment letter and the IRD application form. Within 48 hours of landing: apply for an IRD number online; open a Kiwi bank account (BNZ, ASB and ANZ accept new-arrival applications with passport plus offer letter); secure short-term accommodation (Airbnb or motel for 2-4 weeks) while you hunt longer-term tenancy via Trade Me Property. Register with a GP in your first week — healthcare access starts only after enrolment.
Outbound: Work Here NZ for landed-worker resources.
Hold onto these
- Verify employer accreditation BEFORE accepting any NZ offer.
- Job Check needs median wage NZD 32.66/hour (2026) or above.
- Green List Tier 1 and Tier 2 unlock fast-track residence pathways.
- Realistic timeline from offer to landed: 8-14 weeks.
- Plan IRD, bank account and GP enrolment in your first week onshore.
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FAQ
Q: Can I bring my partner and kids on the AEWV?
Yes. Partner gets an open work visa; children under 19 get a Student Visa for free state school.
Q: How long is the AEWV valid for?
Up to 5 years depending on your employment agreement and accreditation tier.
Q: Does AEWV lead to permanent residence?
Yes — via Skilled Migrant Category or via Green List Straight-to-Residence (Tier 1 occupations).
Q: Do I need to pass IELTS?
Yes — minimum overall band 4.0, or alternative English evidence (NZ-recognised degree, etc.).
Q: What’s the AEWV fee in 2026?
NZD 750 for the migrant check, plus immigration levy NZD 240. Job Check fees are paid by the employer.
Related reads
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- NZ AEWV in 8 weeks: the full step-by-step for African workers.
- How a Lagos nurse landed in Christchurch on the Accredited Employer route.
- NZD 32.66/hour. 12-week timeline. Green List perks. AEWV decoded.