Accredited Employer Responsibilities Under the AEWV
The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) scheme places clear and ongoing obligations on employers. While gaining accreditation through Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is a significant step, maintaining compliance is just as important.
Understanding your responsibilities helps protect your accreditation status and ensures your migrant workers are properly supported and legally employed.
Below is a practical overview of the key requirements.
Providing Settlement Information to AEWV Workers
As an AEWV accredited employer, you must provide settlement information to help your migrant workers successfully establish themselves in New Zealand.
This information must cover both the local community and what it means to be an AEWV worker.
You are required to provide guidance on:
Accommodation options
Transport options — including driver licence requirements and public transport
The cost of living
How to access healthcare services
Services offered by the Citizens Advice Bureau
Relevant community groups
How to obtain an IRD number from Inland Revenue
Industry training and qualification pathways
Specific job or industry hazards
INZ provides a settlement information template that employers can use. Once tailored with local information, it must be provided to the worker either electronically or in printed form.
Providing this information is not optional, it is a formal accreditation requirement.
Checking a Migrant is Suitably Qualified
Before asking a migrant to apply for an AEWV, employers must ensure the individual is suitably qualified for the role.
The skills, experience, and qualifications required must match what was listed in:
The job advertisement
The Job Check application
To verify suitability, employers may:
Conduct practical assessments or skills demonstrations
Request reference letters from previous employers
Obtain qualification certificates
Request evidence of occupational registration (where required)
Keeping proper records of these checks is essential in case INZ conducts a compliance review.
Notifying INZ When an AEWV Worker Stops Working
If an AEWV worker stops working for you including where they are employed on a fixed-term contract you must notify INZ within 10 working days.
Failure to notify INZ may result in suspension or revocation of your accreditation.
Exception:
If the worker has less than one month remaining on their AEWV, notification is not required.
Timely reporting is critical to maintaining good standing under your accreditation.
Reporting Changes to Key People in Your Organisation
If there are changes to key people within your organisation, you must notify INZ within 10 working days.
Failing to do so places your accreditation at risk.
Business Changes: Restructure, Liquidation or Bankruptcy
If your business undergoes significant changes, such as:
A restructure
Redundancies
Bankruptcy
Liquidation
You must contact INZ as early as possible.
If an AEWV worker’s role changes as part of a restructure, they may need to apply for a Job Change (Variation of Conditions). Allowing a worker to move into a different role without approval may result in:
An infringement notice for the employer
Deportation liability for the worker
If an AEWV worker loses their job, this can also impact their visa status.
Final Thoughts
AEWV accreditation is not a one-time approval, it is an ongoing compliance commitment.
Employers must:
Support migrant workers with settlement information
Properly verify qualifications
Notify INZ of employment and organisational changes
Proactively manage business changes that may affect visa holders
Taking a structured and compliant approach protects both your business and your migrant workforce.
Need Guidance?
If you are unsure about your obligations as an AEWV accredited employer, seeking professional advice early can prevent costly compliance issues later.
Please feel free to contact me to discuss your situation confidentially and ensure your business remains compliant and protected.
👩💻www.navigateimmigration.co.nz
📞+64274772088
