AEWV job offer from New Zealand? Five checks for people in the UK before you say yes

Visa guide · 2026-10-14 · 10 min read

British carpenter in a bright New Zealand site office compares a printed job offer with his phone.

To work in New Zealand from the UK in a sponsored job, most people need the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV). It starts with a job offer from an accredited employer, for at least 30 hours a week at the market rate, and you then show 2 years of relevant experience or a qualification at level 4 or higher. The visa costs from NZ$1,540 and can run for up to 5 years, depending on the job. Before you hand in your notice in Leeds or Glasgow, it pays to check five things about the offer itself.

Why a British passport is not enough to start work

Brits can go to New Zealand as visitors without a visa for up to 6 months, but they need a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) first. The FCDO is clear that you must have a visa to work or study there.

gov.uk's Living in New Zealand guide adds the practical side. To work you need a work visa and an IRD number (New Zealand's tax number), you may need to register in your occupation, and you may need your qualifications recognised. The UK government also says it cannot help with New Zealand visa applications, so the process runs directly with Immigration New Zealand (INZ).

How the AEWV works, in plain terms

The AEWV is built around the employer, not around you. INZ describes it as a visa for people with a job offer from an accredited employer, and that employer sends you a link to the online application form.

Behind the link sit two employer steps. The business must hold accreditation, and it must have an approved job check for your specific role. Only then do you apply for the visa itself. You can read a fuller walk-through in our AEWV guide for people in the UK; this post is about testing an offer before you commit.

The five checks at a glance

Check	What INZ says	How to test it from the UK
1. The employer	Must be accredited	Search INZ's accredited employer list by name or 13-digit NZBN
2. The job	Needs an approved job check	Ask the employer to confirm the job check for your exact role
3. Hours and pay	At least 30 hours a week, at least the market rate	Read the written offer, not a phone summary
4. Your skills	2 years of relevant experience, or a level 4+ NZQCF qualification in the same field	Gather references and certificates that match the job title
5. Your time limit	5 years for most jobs, 3 years for skill level 4 or 5	Ask which skill level the role sits at

Check 1 and 2: is the employer really accredited, and is your job approved?

INZ publishes an accredited employer list. You can search it by the company or trading name, or by its 13-digit New Zealand Business Number (NZBN), and INZ updates it every day. Use the official accredited employer list rather than a screenshot someone sends you.

Some accredited employers choose not to appear in the search results. If yours is missing, ask the employer directly, in writing, to confirm its accreditation and the job check for your role.

Check 3: hours, pay and the employment agreement

The offer must be for at least 30 hours of work a week and pay at least the market rate for the job. INZ also says an AEWV employment agreement cannot include unlawful deductions, a trial period or unacceptable bonding clauses.

Some work is excluded altogether. An AEWV job offer cannot be for planting, maintaining, harvesting or packing crops in horticulture or viticulture, for foreign crew on fishing vessels, or for self-employed work.

Check 4: does your UK experience or qualification fit?

You need 2 years or more of relevant job experience, or a qualification at level 4 or higher on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF), in the same field as the job.

Be careful with the level numbers. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, gov.uk lists an HNC, a higher apprenticeship and a level 4 NVQ as level 4, while Scottish SVQs use SCQF levels. A UK "level 4" is a UK label, not an automatic NZQCF level 4. NZQA's International Qualification Assessment compares an overseas qualification with New Zealand ones, and NZQA currently quotes an average wait of 10 weeks.

Some trades also need registration on top of the visa. The Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Board says restricted plumbing, gasfitting or drainlaying work without a current New Zealand licence is illegal, and overseas-trained electrical workers apply to the Electrical Workers Registration Board before they can hold a practising licence. Our post on the Trades and Technician Pathway for British tradespeople shows where that experience can lead later.

English: who has to show it

If the job is at ANZSCO or NOL skill level 3 to 5, you must show you can speak and understand English, and any English test result must be no more than 2 years old. Jobs at skill level 1 or 2 do not need this.

INZ's AEWV page sets out the ways to show English, so check there how your own evidence fits before you book anything. If you do end up sitting a test, PractiseNow lets you practise the format first.

Check 5: how long you can stay

The total time you can spend on one or more AEWVs is 5 years for most jobs. If the job is ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5, the limit is 3 years. After that, you normally have to spend 12 months in a row outside New Zealand.

Ask the employer which skill level the role is at before you sell a house in Bristol. Our look at New Zealand's new residence routes covers what can come after a work visa.

Cost and timing, in pounds

The AEWV costs from NZ$1,540. That is roughly £650, a rough comparison worked out from the Reserve Bank of Australia's published rates for the New Zealand dollar and the pound on 22 October 2026; rates change, so check again when you pay.

INZ shows AEWV processing as 80% within 5.5 weeks. Add your own paperwork time. INZ asks applicants to check whether police certificates are needed, and if a UK one is requested, an ACRO Police Certificate costs £70 and can take up to 20 working days, plus postage. ACRO says it has no set validity period, so check what INZ accepts first.

How to apply, step by step

Get the job offer in writing, with the hours, pay and job title.
Search the accredited employer list; if the business is not shown, ask it to confirm accreditation in writing.
Ask the employer to confirm that the job check for your role is approved.
Collect proof of 2 years of relevant experience (references on headed paper with dates and duties) or your qualification, and apply for an NZQA assessment if you need one.
If the role is skill level 3 to 5, gather your English evidence, with any test result under 2 years old.
Check the character and health steps: police certificates if asked, and a chest X-ray if you are staying more than 6 months and have spent more than 3 months in the last 5 years in a country without a low incidence of tuberculosis. Medicals are done by a doctor on INZ's panel physician list where your country has one.
Apply through the link the employer sends you, and pay INZ by debit or credit card only.
Before you fly, tell HMRC you are leaving if you are going to work abroad full-time for at least one full tax year, and apply for your IRD number.

If you are still browsing, our current carpenter role in Christchurch and heavy excavator operator job in Auckland show what a New Zealand listing looks like. A clear, New Zealand-style CV from Build AI CV can help when you apply.

Common mistakes people in the UK make with the AEWV

Paying for the job. New Zealand employers cannot charge you fees for a job or pass on their recruitment costs, even through a third party. INZ will decline an AEWV if you or your agent offered or promised money to the employer for the job offer.
Starting work on an NZeTA. Visiting is not working. You need the visa before you start.
Treating a UK level as an NZQCF level. They are different frameworks. Use the experience route or get the qualification compared.
Trusting look-alike emails. Official INZ email addresses end with immigration.govt.nz or mbie.govt.nz, and INZ never asks for visa fees to be paid into a bank account.
Using an unlicensed adviser. Anyone giving New Zealand immigration advice must be licensed by the Immigration Advisers Authority unless exempt; check the IAA's public register.

INZ's systems are not perfect either, which is why it is worth keeping copies of everything; our piece on what New Zealand's visa software faults mean for your file explains why. And if you are weighing up a fresh start in a trade, read why New Zealand could be a career reset for tradespeople.

Frequently asked questions

Can I work in New Zealand on my British passport without a visa?

No. The FCDO says British citizens can visit New Zealand without a visa for up to 6 months with an NZeTA, but must have a visa to work or study there. For a sponsored job, that visa is usually the AEWV.

Do I need a job offer before I apply for the AEWV?

Yes. The offer must come from an accredited employer with an approved job check for the role, for at least 30 hours a week at the market rate or more. The employer then sends you a link to the online application form.

Does my UK level 4 qualification meet the AEWV skills rule?

Not automatically. The AEWV asks for a qualification at level 4 or higher on New Zealand's NZQCF, or 2 years of relevant experience instead. NZQA's International Qualification Assessment compares overseas qualifications if you need to show where yours sits.

How much does the AEWV cost and how long does it take?

INZ says the AEWV costs from NZ$1,540 and shows processing as 80% within 5.5 weeks. Fees and times change, so check INZ's AEWV page on the day you apply.

Can an employer or agent charge me for an AEWV job?

No. New Zealand employers cannot charge you fees for a job or make you pay their recruitment costs, including through a third party. INZ will decline the visa if money was offered or promised to the employer for the job offer.

Do I have to prove my English as a UK applicant?

It depends on the job. Roles at ANZSCO or NOL skill level 3 to 5 need evidence that you can speak and understand English, with test results no more than 2 years old. Skill level 1 or 2 roles do not need it.

Key takeaways

The AEWV starts with an accredited employer and an approved job check for your role.
The offer must be for 30 hours a week or more, at least at the market rate.
You need 2 years of relevant experience or an NZQCF level 4+ qualification, not both.
Most jobs allow 5 years in total; skill level 4 or 5 jobs allow 3 years.
Never pay anyone for a job offer, and pay INZ by card only.

Last checked: 22 October 2026 against the official pages linked above.

Every case is different — book a consultation and our partner registered migration agents (MARA) / licensed NZ advisers will assess yours.

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