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Employer Accreditation Hiring Process
The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) system came into effect 4 July 2022, replacing the Essential Skills Work Visa along with 5 other visas. It has 3 checks that need to be submitted to, and approved by, INZ in order to be able to hire a migrant:
- Employer Check – ‘Is your business able to employ migrant workers?’
- Job Check – ‘Can this job be offered to a migrant?’
- Migrant Check – ‘Does the proposed migrant worker meet INZ and job check standards?’
Applications for Employer Check initially require only an online form to be completed as long as you have an NZBN and satisfy financial status. You also declare that you will comply with INZ’s new migrant protection work to keep or renew your accreditation (MBIE are checking so compliance is important. Find out about obligations here).
The Job Check was traditionally included in the visa process but now is separate and has more thorough and scrutinised requirements.
The bit of good news is that that INZ have confirmed that Immigration Advisers are able to act on the Employers behalf to undertake the required accreditation work.
The 3 checks are broken out as follows:
Employer Check (Accreditation)
Employer Check (Accreditation)- Type: Accreditation is ‘Standard’ if its for employees of up to and including 5 workers needing visas or ‘High Volume’ if 6+
- Duration: 12 Months. At renewal, approved applications will last for 24 months
- Cost & Process Times: Standard is $740; High Volume is $1,220 with processing INZ “target” is 10 business days
- INZ Requirements:
- Be a Genuinely Operating Business = Have a NZ Business Number;
- Be Financially Viable = attest to historical positive wage pay or future sufficient cash flow
- Be Compliant = No recent history of non-compliance with Employment and Immigration law (not on Labour Inspectorate stand down list (same for business’ ‘Key People’)
- Minimise Exploitation = providing specific settlement information, having migrants complete online modules along with hiring authorities, meet employment and immigration law
Employers of workers holding working holiday, RSE, post study, partnership visas are exempt from accreditation until 2024. Also workers on current visas don’t have to do anything until/unless they need visa changes (expiries, variations, etc).
Employers who have Talent accreditation which expires after 23 November 2022 have initial AEWV accreditation fee waived.
Job Check
Job CheckThese last for 6 months (or end of employer accreditation) and are specific to a role. So, if you have two identical farm assistant roles, that would be one check but a farm assistant and senior farm assistant would be two job checks.
The stand alone check is new but the steps required are similar to what FRENZ do for pre- submission work for immigration but more strict that perhaps many employers or agencies are currently doing:
- Compliance with market rate terms and conditions, including median wage payment of $29.66 (averaged over pay period and accomodation inclusive)
- Compliance with employment law; assessment of job offer and employment agreement
- A “genuine” labour market test has been done.
- Two weeks’ minimum on national advertising
- Clear and full disclosure on pay, accommodation, minimum/maximum hours, requirements and duties
- Lower threshhold for what makes a Kiwi applicant ‘unsuitable’
Cost: $610 and INZ Processing target: 10 business days following 14 days of market test
Migrant Worker Check
Migrant Worker CheckSame requirements as former Essential Skills visa now reframed for the AEWV.
- Health (eMedicals)
- Character (e.g. Police Certificates)
- Identity (Passport; Digital photo)
- Skills/Qualifications – Work evidence/certificates/diplomas
This cost will sit with the worker unless otherwise agreed.
Cost: $750 (a 50% increase. It is not clear from INZ have this helps ensure that migrants aren’t exploited…) and INZ Processing target: 20 business days
What’s Next
If you’re a trust or partnership without an NZBN and you have or plan to hire migrant staff, you should talk to your accountant about structure changes.
If you’d like to read what INZ have to say, you can go here Employer Accreditation .
We will be working with employers to undertake the requirements on their behalf through an accreditation service. You can complete the form here to get a quote on what you may need. Of with other questions, you can contact us at 09 303 3505 or through email here.
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