Employer accreditation renewals - what's the process?

May 16 2024

Employer accreditations will begin to expire in July 2024. We asked Immigration Director – New Zealand Arno Nothnagel of Absolute Immigration to tell us about the renewal process, including when and how to renew your employer accreditation, and what happens if it expires. 

Who should renew their accreditation? 

You need to renew your accreditation if you want to: 

  • employ new workers on an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) or Partner of a Worker Work Visa holders; 
  • change accreditation types, for example, from high volume to standard accreditation; 
  • support an AEWV holder to apply for their AEWV balance (also called maximum continuous stay); 
  • support a migrant worker to apply for a skilled residence visa (such as a Work to Residence Visa, Green List or Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa). 

Who doesn’t need to renew their accreditation? 

You don’t need to renew your accreditation if you don’t want to employ any new migrants on AEWVs or support an AEWV holder with further visa applications. This also applies to Partner of a Worker Work Visa holders.  

You don’t need to renew your accreditation if you haven’t used your current accreditation or valid job tokens. 

What happens if you don’t renew your accreditation? 

You can continue to employ any migrants already working for you for the duration of their visa, including AEWV or Partner of a Worker Work Visa holders until those visas expire. If they want to continue working for you on another AEWV or Partner of a Worker Work Visa, you must hold a valid accreditation. 

You cannot apply for another Job Check to hire new workers or support a worker to apply for their AEWV balance. 

What are the processing times? Who can get interim employer accreditation? 

Immigration New Zealand recommends that you apply for your renewal at least six weeks before your current accreditation expires. 

You may qualify for an interim three-month accreditation if your accreditation expires while you are waiting for the outcome of your renewal application. You must submit your application before your current employer accreditation expires. 

What evidence do you need to provide? 

When you renew your employer accreditation, you must provide supporting documents showing how you met the accreditation requirements and the commitments you made during your initial application. 

Evidence showing Employment New Zealand employer modules have been completed: 

  • If your business has fewer than five people making recruitment decisions about an AEWV holder or applicant, you must provide all the employer module completion certificates for each person making recruitment decisions; 
  • If your business has more than five people making these recruitment decisions, your evidence should show the number of people making recruitment decisions about an AEWV holder or applicant, and completion certificates for five people making recruitment decisions. 

Evidence showing Employment New Zealand employee modules have been completed:

  • Evidence that you gave your employee time to complete the Employment New Zealand employee modules, for example, references to time to complete these modules in the settlement information you provided to your employee, or emails sent to new AEWV holders with instructions to complete the modules. 

Evidence of settlement support - examples include:

  • copies of any documents or information that you gave your employee to help them settle in New Zealand, for example, emails to the employee, letters and invoices from relocation specialists, or settlement training courses completed; 
  • copies of your onboarding or induction policy. 

 Other information that INZ may request: 

  • Evidence showing that your business is viable and genuinely operating. This can be in the form of financials; 
  • PAYE records and employee visa tracking records; 
  • organisational chart showing the structure and positions in the business. 

What happens if you haven’t met all the accreditation requirements? 

If you declare that one or more of your accreditation commitments were not met during the accreditation term, you will be asked to provide an explanation and evidence. This may include: 

  • an explanation as to why these obligations were not met; 
  • evidence of steps taken to rectify any issues; 
  • evidence of policies and procedures implemented to ensure that the accreditation obligations are met. 

Connect with Arno Nothnagel to find out more about immigration solutions