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These include removing the median wage threshold, reducing experience requirements to 2 years and introducing new seasonal visa pathways to support employers to fill skill gaps.
The changes announced today will be rolled out beginning January 2025.
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is also re-designing the Job Check step of the AEWV process. The changes will help streamline the Job Check for low-risk employers and improve processing timeframes.
Read the Government’s announcement on the Beehive website:
Securing the skills and experience NZ needs
Key changes
Removing the median wage requirement
Wage requirements will instead rely on the New Zealand minimum wage.
New earning threshold
AEWV migrants will need to earn at least NZD $55,844 a year to bring children, along with meeting other criteria. This threshold has not been updated since 2019.
Reducing the experience requirement for migrants
The experience requirement for migrants will be reduced from 3 years to 2. This ensures migrants are sufficiently skilled while addressing key issues raised during consultation.
Introducing new pathways for experienced seasonal workers
Two new pathways for experienced seasonal workers will be introduced in late 2025, with further engagement undertaken on the detailed design in the interim. These will support key seasonal skills and labour needs where the AEWV has struggled to in the past.
Increasing the visa duration for ANZSCO Level 4 or 5 AEWV holders to 3 years
Following feedback through consultation, the visa duration will increase to 3 years for new AEWVs issued for jobs assessed as skill level 4 or 5 on the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO). The visa length will change from 2 years (with the option of 1 additional year) to 3 years to align with the total time these workers can stay in New Zealand (their maximum continuous stay). Those currently on a 2-year visas will be able to apply for a further AEWV for 1 year.
Amending the MSD engagement requirement
The current requirement for employers to engage with the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) will be amended to be declaration based. Employers must declare that they have, in good faith, advertised ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5 jobs with MSD and interviewed candidates who could have been suitable for the job. This can be done alongside the recruitment that employers will already be undertaking in the domestic labour market. There will also no longer be a set 21-day timeframe.
Greater work rights for those on interim visas
Interim work rights will be extended to AEWV applicants who are applying from any work visa type or from a student visa that allows them to work during term time, supporting migrants to maintain employment while their visa is processed.
Removing the requirements for completion of Employment New Zealand online modules
The requirements regarding online modules will be removed from 27 January 2025 for all current and future accredited employers and Recognised Seasonal Employers (RSE).
INZ will instead provide employers and workers with links to freely available Employment New Zealand or INZ webpages that set out employment rights and obligations at the most appropriate points in the immigration process.
Reducing the domestic workforce threshold for certain construction roles
The domestic workforce threshold for employers of certain construction roles is being reduced from 35 per cent to 15 per cent.
More information about the changes will be available in early 2025.
Interim visas
From April 2025, some work and student visa holders who apply for an AEWV can receive an Interim Visa that allows them to work while their AEWV application is processed.
