From 10 March 2025, important adjustments to the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) scheme will take impact, impacting how companies rent and retain migrant staff. In case your workforce consists of AEWV holders—or when you plan to recruit internationally—these adjustments might have an effect on your hiring technique, job test processes, and long-term workforce planning.
Right here’s what employers must know primarily based on official Immigration New Zealand (INZ) steering.
Hiring beneath the AEWV: What’s altering?
A number of key reforms will affect how employers recruit and handle migrant staff:
1. No extra median wage requirement for AEWV holders
- Employers are not required to pay AEWV holders at or above the median wage.
- As a substitute, wages should meet no less than the New Zealand minimal wage (NZD $23.15 per hour, rising to NZD $23.50 per hour from 1 April 2025).
- Pay charges should nonetheless be aligned with the market fee for the job and placement.
This variation permits extra flexibility in setting pay charges, however employers should nonetheless guarantee compliance with truthful wage requirements.
2. Sector agreements are ending
- All sector agreements that supplied median wage exemptions will likely be eliminated.
- Sector agreements providing residence pathways will stay unchanged (wage necessities for residence visas aren’t affected).
- Jobs beforehand coated by sector agreements will now comply with customary AEWV guidelines, which means no extra industry-specific visa caps or restrictions.
If what you are promoting beforehand relied on a sector settlement for hiring migrants, now’s the time to assessment your workforce technique beneath the brand new framework.
3. Job test course of updates
- Employers hiring for ANZSCO ability degree 4 and 5 roles should nonetheless interact with the Ministry of Social Improvement (MSD)—however the course of is altering.
- As a substitute of submitting an Engagement Examine report, employers should now declare they’ve:
- Marketed the position with MSD.
- Interviewed any candidates who could also be appropriate.
- Employers should maintain data of this course of in case INZ requests proof.
This replace goals to simplify the job test course of, however employers should nonetheless reveal good religion recruitment efforts.
4. Some roles at the moment are labeled as greater ability ranges
From 10 March 2025, sure jobs will likely be upgraded from ANZSCO ability degree 4 to ability degree 3, together with:
4 extra roles might also be handled as ability degree 3 in the event that they require a Degree 4 qualification or three years of labor expertise:
- Agricultural and horticultural cellular plant operator
- Excavator operator
- Forklift driver
- Cell plant operator (not elsewhere labeled)
This might have an effect on promoting necessities and job test processing for these roles.
Workforce planning: What ought to employers do subsequent?
Overview your pay constructions
- Guarantee all migrant employee wages meet no less than the market fee.
- In case you had been beforehand paying at or above the median wage as a result of AEWV guidelines, assess whether or not changes are wanted beneath the brand new system.
Replace recruitment and compliance processes
- In case you rent for ANZSCO ability degree 4 or 5 roles, guarantee your MSD engagement course of is aligned with the brand new declaration-based system.
- Observe adjustments to ability degree classifications, as this impacts job test necessities.
Contemplate visa durations in workforce planning
- AEWV holders in ANZSCO ability degree 4 and 5 roles will now be eligible for three-year work visas (as a substitute of shorter durations).
- Longer visa lengths might scale back renewal cycles and recruitment prices.
Need assistance adjusting your hiring technique?
With these AEWV adjustments, it’s vital for employers to remain forward of compliance necessities and plan strategically. Reviewing your workforce wants now may also help you navigate these updates easily.
📞 Guide a workforce or progress technique session to debate how these adjustments affect what you are promoting.
