Applying for the balance of your Accredited Employer Work visa

Are you eligible for a 2-year extension?

If you are on a 2 or 3-year Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) you may be eligible to apply for another one. This section details eligibility criteria and the steps to take if you wish to extend your stay in New Zealand on an AEWV, including how to check your eligibility and what is required for a new application.

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Am I eligible for another AEWV?

To apply for another AEWV, ensure that the total time you’ve spent in New Zealand under the AEWV doesn’t exceed the maximum allowed duration, which is typically between 3 to 5 years. If you have already had multiple AEWVs, the combined total of these periods must still be within the allowed time frame. If you have reached the maximum duration on one or more AEWVs, you must leave New Zealand for 12 months before applying for a new one, unless you have a Skilled Migrant Category residency application in process.

Understanding the Duration of Your Stay in New Zealand

The total time you can stay on an AEWV depends on the ANZSCO skill level of your job and the date your first AEWV was granted. The maximum duration for which you can stay ranges from 3 to 5 years.

More about Maximum Stay

How to Apply for Another AEWV

If you meet the criteria to apply for another AEWV, the first step is to ensure that your employer provides a job token, which is an essential part of the job check process. This token is a unique link sent to your employer, or their legal representative, by Immigration New Zealand. The ability to reuse a job token depends on when you applied for your initial AEWV.

When to Apply

It’s important to apply for a new AEWV before your current visa expires. Ensure that any required medical or police certificates are still valid at the time of your application. We can advise on the need to renew (or not) certain documents to ensure you meet the requirements of the application and thus avoid delay, but also do not renew unnecessarily, thus avoiding unnecessary costs. Additionally, we can verify that your employer will have a valid job token when you are ready to apply.

Reusing a Job Token

In some cases, you may be able to reuse the job token from your previous AEWV application. To do so, certain conditions must be met, including the requirement that you continue working in the same role, for the same employer, and in the same location. You also need to meet salary and employer accreditation requirements.

However, if your AEWV application was made after March 10, 2025, you will need a new job token. Furthermore, if you were earning less than NZD $29.66 per hour when your AEWV was granted and your role is one of the specified occupations (such as meat processor or outdoor adventure instructor), you cannot reuse the job token, although as is often the case exemptions apply.

Applying with a Reused Job Token

If you are eligible to reuse your job token, your employer will send you a request to apply for another AEWV. You will receive an email with a job token and instructions on how to begin the application process. You can only accept the link to reuse a job token once, after which you can log in to continue your application.

Applying with a New Job Token

If you are not eligible to reuse a job token, your employer must go through the job check process again and obtain a new job token. We guide employers very closely as the job check is a rather delicate exercise, with strict immigration requirements. Once this is done, they will send you a new job token to begin your AEWV application.

Family Applications

If your partner or dependent children are accompanying you, they will need to apply for visas that align with the length of your new AEWV. To support their applications, you must meet specific pay and skill requirements depending on your job. Note that the minimum yearly salary to be able to support family applications increased in March 2025.

Extending your AEWV may not always be a straightforward exercise. It involves meeting eligibility requirements, ensuring your employer provides the correct job token, and completing the necessary application steps. Be mindful of deadlines and document validity to ensure a smooth process, and avoid wasting time and money.
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