Introduction
At the end of December 2024, the New Zealand Minister of Immigration announced a number of changes to be implemented progressively in 2025. The proposed changes are set to be positive for both employers and migrant workers, and aim to reduce the administrative burden for Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) applications and tackle local labour shortages. Major changes include removal of the median wage requirement for AEWV permits and improved processing times.
Impact:
High, medium, low
What has changed?
Some of the main changes implemented by the Minister of Immigration include:
- The removal of the median wages threshold for Accredited Employer Work Visas in March 2025. Employers will however still need to offer the appropriate market rate for the position and advertise the role.
- Improved processing times with Immigration New Zealand.
- Reduction in the minimum work experience requirements from 3 years to two years.
- From April 2025 the rules will be relaxed to enable those moving to an AEWV from other work or student visas to work during the transfer period.
- Labour market testing requirements will also be relaxed. Employers will still need to advertise the role with Work & Income and this will need to be supported with a declaration that genuine efforts have been made to recruit a suitable local New Zealand citizen or resident.
- Immigration New Zealand has also made a promise to re-design the job-check process.
- The minimum amount the principal applicant must earn to enable them to sponsor dependant partners and children on an accompanying visa will be adjusted to €55,844 per annum. This is an uplift from the current rate at $43,322 per annum.
- Employers will no longer need to complete the online Employment New Zealand modules or offer the employee modules to their AEWV holders. From late January, employers and migrant workers will receive this information directly via a link from INZ to the relevant webpages. This will notify them of their employment rights and obligations during the immigration process.
What to expect /impact?
The changes are expected to reduce the administrative burden on AEWV applications and address shortages in the labour market as they are implemented throughout 2025.
What you need to do:
Immigration updates for New Zealand are provided in partnership with Lane Neave Law. For further information on New Zealand immigration requirements please contact the Sterling Lexicon immigration team at immigration@sterlinglexicon.com.
Leanne Cottrell
As Head of Immigration with Sterling Lexicon, Leanne leads a team of specialists who are responsible for ensuring the entire immigration process is smooth and stress-free for clients, assignees and their accompanying family members. She brings over fifteen years of experience in strategic immigration management, planning and consultation to her role, and has cultivated invaluable knowledge and experience in processing countless global migration applications. As a trusted partner, she consults with clients on everything from policy considerations and cost or efficiency improvements, to the impact of opening offices in new locations. Leanne is a frequent presenter and author on global immigration topics and trends, and currently serves as a member of the Worldwide ERC (WERC) Immigration Advisory Council.
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