There are two different levels of accreditation. Which one you need depends on how many workers you would like to employ under the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV). The accreditation must also be held by the direct employer named on the migrant worker’s employment agreement.
Levels of Accreditation
- Up to five migrant workers on AEWV’s at one time requires a standard accreditation.
- Six or more migrant workers on AEWV’s at one time requires a high-volume accreditation.
There is no difference in the accreditation requirements between standard and high-volume accreditation. Additional requirements for high-volume employers may be considered in the future.
Any migrants that you might have working for you on any other type of visa don’t count towards these limits, only workers on AEWV’s.
When you first become an accredited employer, you are accredited for 12 months. After that, if you renew your accreditation, you will get another 12 months if you are a franchisee or place migrants with AEWV’s with controlling third parties, or 24 months if you are an employer.
Minimum Accreditation Requirements
To hire migrants under the AEWV, employers must meet standard accreditation criteria including:
- Holding a New Zealand Business Number (NZBN)
- Being a genuine operating business
- Having no recent history of regulatory non-compliance
- Minimising the risk of exploitation of workers
In situations with controlling third parties, such as franchisees and labour hire companies, additional accreditation requirements need to be met.
Franchisees
In addition to the standard accreditation requirements, franchisees that want to hire migrants under the AEWV need to prove they have been operating for at least 12 months, and have a history of hiring New Zealand workers.
Controlling Third Parties
A controlling third party is a separate legal entity to the direct employer named on the workers employment agreement. Moving AEWV workers between different parts of a single business doesn’t count as placing them with a controlling third party.
A controlling third party is defined as:
- a separate legal entity to the direct employer named on the workers employment agreement
- has an arrangement or contract with the direct employer allowing its employees to perform work for the benefit of the controlling third party
- can direct or control those employees as if the controlling third party was the direct employer.
There are significant additional accreditation requirements if you want to place AEWV’s with a controlling third party. For more details please reach out and we can determine if you will meet the requirements.
How much are the fees?
There are different fees depending on the type of accreditation you get.
- Standard accreditation, up to 5 migrants at any one time, is NZD $740.
- High-volume, 6 or more migrants at any one time, is NZD $1220.
- Upgrade fee for employers who want to upgrade from standard to high-volume accreditation, is NZD $480.
- Employers wanting to place migrants with controlling third parties, is NZD $3870.
- Franchisees is NZD $1980.
- Reconsideration of a declined employer accreditation application is NZD $240.
Employers accredited under the Talent (Accredited Employer) scheme will have the fee for their initial AEWV accreditation waived, as long as their existing accreditation is valid for at least a further 6 months from 23 May 2022. The Talent (Accredited Employer) scheme has closed to new applications.
