The application process for employers to apply for accreditation with Immigration New Zealand (INZ) opened on May 23 2022. Under the new Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV), which began on July 4 2022, every employer in NZ who intends to employ migrant workers must be accredited by INZ. AEWV also requires employers to complete a job check before hiring a migrant from offshore.
The AEWV replaced six work visa types – Essential Skills Work Visa, Essential Skills Work Visa–approved in principle, Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa, Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa, Silver Fern Job Search Visa and Silver Fern Practical Experience Visa.
Talking about AEWV, Immigration Minister Michael Wood had said, "The AEWV is at the heart of the government's Immigration Rebalance and is focused on providing New Zealand with the skills we need while ensuring that migrants are fairly treated. We believe that the previous system, in some cases, facilitated a low-cost labour model that was neither good for our country nor migrant workers.”
“We look forward to working with key sectors to lift pay and conditions so that it is easier to attract NZ workers and for smoother pathways to attract migrant workers based on skill and need, not low-cost labour."
Indian Weekender recently requested (on December 19, 2022) information under the Official Information Act 1982, to find out the number of accredited employers registered under AEWV.
The response to the same by Jeannie Melville, Head of Accredited Employer Work Visa, INZ, dated February 7, 2023, read, "There are 17,186 accredited employers registered under the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) scheme. Of these, 896 had previously held accredited employer status under the old scheme.”
According to Melville, the AEWV policy is designed to ensure New Zealanders are first in line for jobs. Where genuine skill or labour shortages exist, accredited employers can hire migrant workers.
“The policy will reduce the risk of migrant exploitation and give migrants more certainty about the role they are applying for. Under the new system, the AEWV policy focuses on supporting a future economy that better addresses productivity, skills and infrastructure challenges, is less reliant on lower-paid temporary workers, and increases the overall skill level of migrants coming to work in NZ," Melville said.
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