What is a New Zealand Accredited Employer?
Do you frequently hire employees from overseas, or anticipate that your business will require additional talent from outside of New Zealand? If so, your business may benefit from becoming a New Zealand Accredited Employer.
Businesses must apply for and receive Accredited Employer status from Immigration New Zealand in order to sponsor and recruit staff from overseas for the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV).
NB: Accredited Employers will need to apply for a ‘Job Check’ in order to demonstrate the need to recruit from outside New Zealand.
The size and type of your business will determine what level of employer accreditation you will be able to apply for, as well as how many AEWV-dependent jobs you can offer.
The four levels of employer accreditation are:
- Standard accreditation
- Suitable for ‘standard’ businesses intending to hire up to five individuals on an AEWV
- High-volume accreditation
- Suitable for ‘standard’ businesses intending to hire six or more individuals on an AEWV
- Franchisee accreditation
- Suitable for franchise businesses, with no limit on the number of AEWV-dependent individuals they can hire
- Controlling third party accreditation
- Suitable for businesses who place AEWV-dependent individuals with third parties, but for whom they are the direct employer. There is no limit on the number of AEWV-dependent individuals that can be hired with this level of accreditation
Businesses who successfully gain Accredited Employer status are permitted to sponsor individuals for an Accredited Employer Work Visa,
How do I apply for my business to be a New Zealand Accredited Employer?
In order to receive accreditation, an employer must submit an application and demonstrate that:
- they are a financially viable and genuine business which complies with New Zealand immigration law, and with business and employment standards
- they are not banned or otherwise prevented from hiring migrant workers by the New Zealand Labour Inspectorate
- they will commit to supporting the training and integration needs of any employees they sponsor for an AEWV
It is permitted for businesses to apply and be granted one level of employer accreditation, and subsequently to apply to change to a different level of accreditation. The business must comply with the requirements of the requested new accreditation level, and pay the relevant application fee.
The application fee payable to Immigration New Zealand varies according to the level of accreditation requested:
- Standard accreditation – NZD $740
- High-volume accreditation – NZD $1220 (NZD $480 if upgrading from standard accreditation)
- Franchisee accreditation – NZD $1980
- Controlling third party accreditation – NZD $3870
Businesses which have their application rejected can pay NZD $240 to have their application reconsidered.
Once accreditation has been received, each Job Check costs NZD $610.
How long does Accredited Employer status last?
A business’ first accreditation will last for 12 months, after which it will need to be renewed. Standard businesses can renew for 24 months at a time, while other businesses can renew for only 12 months at a time.
