Accredited Employer
Work Visa Policy
Facilitator guide

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Introduction
This guide gives you the information you need to run the Accredited Employer Work Visa Policy session.

Outcomes
Resources

•  Give an overview of the Accredited Employer Work Visa
•

  Accredited Employer Work Visa Policy PowerPoint
process and applying for an Accredited Employer Work
•  Accredited Employer Work Visa instructions

Visa.
•  Facilitator laptop and projector
•  Give an overview of the requirements of an Accredited

•  Learner laptops
Employer Work Visa.

•  calculate if a person or couple with a dependent child, or
children, meet the minimum income threshold.
•  Give an overview of the AEW visa timeframes and
conditions
•  Navigate the policy instructions to find answers to
questions.
Learners
Time

•  Immigration Officers and Managers

75 minutes
•  Immigration Officers

•

  Immigration Managers
•  Verification Officers

•  Verification Managers

•  Technical Advisors
•  Practice Leads
•  Visa Operations Managers (optional)
•  Head of Operations (optional)

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Course outline
Time
Topic
4 minutes
Welcome
5 minutes
About Accredited Employer Work Visa
15 minutes
Determining a Work Visa
25 minutes
Requirements the employment offer needs to meet.
15 minutes
Calculating income for a dependent child or children
5 minutes
AEWV conditions
6 minutes
Close
75 minutes
TOTAL

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Welcome
Outcome: Learners can describe what they will learn in this session.
Resources
•  Accredited Employer Work Visa Policy PowerPoint
Lesson plan
Time
Topic
Resource
Notes
4 mins
Session outline and learning outcomes
Slide 2

Explain that we will cover the topics listed on the slide. Also read out the learning outcomes, as

they differ slightly from the topic titles.
By the end of this session, you’ll be able to:
•  provide an overview of the Accredited Employer Work Visa process and applying for an
Accredited Employer Work Visa.
•  provide an overview of the requirements of an Accredited Employer Work Visa.
•  calculate if a person or couple with a dependent child, or children, meet the minimum income
threshold.
•  provide an overview of the AEW visa timeframes and conditions
•  navigate the policy instructions to find answers to questions.

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About Accredited Employer Work Visa
Outcome: Learners can provide an overview of the process for applying for an Accredited Employer Work Visa.
Resources
•  Accredited Employer Work Visa Policy PowerPoint
•  Accredited Employer Work Visa instructions
Lesson plan
Time
Topic
Resource
Notes
2 mins
The Accredited Employer Work Visa policy
Slide 3

Explain:
There are three stages in the Accredited Employer Work Visa instructions: These are:
1.  Employer Accreditation/Check - the employer must be granted employer accreditation
(WA2); then
2.  Accredited Employer Work Visa - the accredited employer must have an Accredited
Employer Work Visa approved by INZ for any vacancy the employer needs to fill with a
non-New Zealand citizen or resident worker (WA3); then
3.  Work Visa/Migrant Check - a non-New Zealand citizen or resident worker must be
granted an Accredited Employer work visa (WA4).
Today, we are going to learn about Stage 3: Accredited Employer Work Visa. The instructions are
in section WA4 of the Operational Manual.
3 mins
Accredited Employer Work Visa process overview
Slide 4

Show the slide and talk through the steps, emphasising that the policy focusses on the light blue

section. Then, explain the following related point:

•  The minimum guaranteed remuneration for the employment determines the ability of an
Accredited Employer work visa holder to support temporary visas for family members.

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Applying for an Accredited Employer Work Visa
Slide 5
Reveal each point on the slide and explain:
•  Applications will apply using a link sent to them by the employer. This link will take them
to Immigration Online.
•  They must include evidence demonstrating that they meet the AE Work Visa instructions,
including copies of the employment agreement and the signed offer of employment.
•  A fee must be paid.
These bullet points are a summary. See the policy for full detail.
Note - The signed offer of employment does not have to be a separate document to the
employment agreement, so long as it is signed by the applicant and employer and includes all
information required by WA4.10.1

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Determining a Work Visa
Outcome: Learners can determine when they are allowed to grant an Accredited Employer Work Visa, and when they are not allowed to.
Resources
•  Accredited Employer Work Visa Policy PowerPoint
•  Accredited Employer Work Visa instructions
Lesson plan
Time
Topic
Resource
Notes
11 mins
Before granting an AEWV
Slide 6

Ask the group to go to the instructions (WA4.10(a)) and find out what an immigration officer must

be satisfied with, before granting an AEWV. Summarise by showing the slide and the detail below:

An immigration officer may grant an AEWV if they are satisfied the applicant:

•  meets the ’generic’ work visa requirements for applicants (W2.10.1)
•

  holds an offer of employment that meets our requirements
•  is qualified to do the job they’ve been offered

•  where the pay-rate is below the median wage, is not subject to the stand-down period

•  is applying with an approved Job Check number that hasn’t been used.

Explain
•

  We will cover the middle three bullets, later in this session. The last one is a given, as the
Job Check number has either been used or not.

Next, we will discuss the Generic Work Visa requirements – the top bullet.

Generic Work Visa requirements (W2.10.1a)

Ask the group to go to W2.10.1 and see what point (a) requires. Ask someone to volunteer to call
Slide 7
out the four things that it requires an applicant must meet.

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Summarise

All applicants for work visas must meet the requirements for:

•  lodging an application for temporary entry E4;

•  bona fide applicants E5
•

  health A4
•  character A5.

Some of the learners may be familiar with the Generic Work Visa instructions. Summarise the

contents of each of the sections, if required for your group.

E4- Lodging an application

Explain and demonstrate

•  E4 talks about the generic requirements for Lodging an application for a temporary entry
class visa. The requirements for Temporary Entry are found under the letter E in the

Operational Manual. The easy way to remember this is to think E for Entry.

E5 – Bona fide

E5 is about the instructions relating to assessing a person against the ‘bona fide’ requirements.

A bona fide applicant for temporary entry is a person who:

1.  genuinely intends a temporary stay in New Zealand for a lawful purpose; and

2.  in the opinion of an immigration officer is not likely:

-  to remain in New Zealand unlawfully; or

-  to breach the conditions of any visa granted; or
-  to be unable to leave or be deported from New Zealand (see E5.10).

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A4 – Health requirements

The health requirements are assessed by HAT officers who will enter a health status (ASH

(Acceptable State of Health, or No ASH) into IHS. This status is sent to ADEPT, so Immigration

Officers can see whether the applicant meets the health requirements.

A5 – Character requirements

The requirement of good character (A5.1) states: Applicants for all visas must:

1.  be of good character; and

2.  not pose a potential security risk.

If any person included in the application fails to meet the necessary character requirements and
the character requirements are not waived, the application may be declined.

Generic Work Visa requirements… (W2.10.1 b & c)
Slide 8
Show slide and explain

The remaining two requirements, B&C, overlap a little bit with the requirements in the WA4.5.

The ‘generic’ work visa requirements are a little more specific, in relation to evidence for Dental

and Medical roles.

Read through the remaining requirements on the slide. Then emphasise:
These are core requirements for many Work Visas. If you are already familiar with these

requirements you may not need to revise them, but if you are new, you will rely on the guidance

here, and in the Standard Operating procedures, which teach you about how to specifically check
if these requirements are met.

4 mins
Postponing or declining an application
Slide 9

Explain
We are now going to jump back to the AEWV instructions and pick up where we left off- in
WA4.10.

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Show the slide and ask the group to look at the WA4.10 instructions and find out what to do in
the three situations shown on the slide. Ask for volunteers to suggest the answer for each
situation.
Reveal the answers and confirm the correct actions.
Explain
Applicants who hold a work visa with remuneration as a condition, may be required to provide
evidence of their payment, such as an Inland Revenue income summary and bank statements.
Ask
What would happen if they don’t provide that evidence?
Answer: An immigration officer may postpone making a decision on the application until the
employer is determined to meet the requirements, or until the employer’s accreditation is
revoked.

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Requirements the employment offer needs to meet
Outcome: Learners can provide an overview of the requirements for the offer of employment.
Resources
•  Accredited Employer Work Visa Policy PowerPoint
•  Accredited Employer Work Visa instructions
Lesson plan
Time
Topic
Resource
Notes
2 mins
Overview of the requirements
Slide 10

Summarise:

The offer of employment must:

•  be from an accredited employer

•  be genuine
•

  have the same details as the approved job
•  have the same (or more favourable) Terms and Conditions as the approved job

•  still meet ‘acceptable employment’ requirements.

We are going to look at these requirements in some more detail now.
2 mins
Offer must be genuine
Slide 11

Explain
The offer of employment must be genuine and include the following information:
•  name, address & phone number of the employer
•  name & address of person the job is offered to
•  a full job description including:

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-  job title, address, type of work, duties and responsibilities, details of pay, conditions
of employment, hours of work, duration of the job, and how long the job offer is
open.

Note - This is paraphrased. See instructions for exact wording.
2 mins
Have the same details as the approved job
Slide 12

Explain
These details of the employment offered must be the same as in the approved job, from the Job
Check stage:
•  Location and occupation
•  Hours of work (the minimum guaranteed hours must not be less, and the maximum must
not be more, than the approved job)
•  the remuneration must be within the approved range
•  the direct employer.
Ask: what do you think you need to consider if the approved job gives a range of hours?
Answer: Again, the hours in the offered employment must be within the range provided in the
approved job.
2 mins
Have the same (or more favourable) Terms and Conditions as the approved job
Slide 13

Explain

All other terms and conditions of the employment offered must be the same as, or more
favourable to the applicant than, those provided as part of the Job Check application.
Ask: What sort of things would you be looking for, when assessing this part of the instructions.
Answers may include Leave entitlements and notice periods, employment related allowances,
(such as tool, accommodation, or uniform allowances) or any other condition of employment.

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3 mins
Employment offered must still meet ‘acceptable employment’ requirements
Slide 14

Explain
The employment must continue to meet all other requirements for acceptable employment as
specified at WA3.15, including the remuneration thresholds in effect at the time the Accredited
Employer work visa application is made.

Click the link, to remind the group of the requirements of WA3.15.
Note - Some of the learners will be familiar with the requirements, from Job Check policy training.
4 mins
Is the applicant suitably qualified to do the job? (WA4.10.5)
Slide 15

Explain
•  The applicant is suitably qualified if they have the minimum role requirements listed in
the Job Check, including qualifications, work experience, skills, and other specifications.
•  An immigration officer may accept that an applicant is suitably qualified, without seeing
evidence, where:
-  an IO has already assessed and accepted evidence as part of a previous application; or
-  the applicant holds evidence of full or provisional occupational registration, when the
job requires registration.
Explain
There are some specifics about the role of a chef, that we can see in the policy.
Ask: Can someone tell me the specific qualification a chef requires?
Reveal slide layer to show answer:
Answer: If the job is as a Chef, they must have:
•  a NZQF Level 4 or higher certificate which includes credit and knowledge requirements of
a NZ Certificate in Cookery (Level 4).
•  a comparable overseas qualification.

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•  For comparable overseas qualifications, an International Qualification Assessment from
NZQA stating the comparable NZQF qualification is required, unless an overseas
qualification is listed on the List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment.

Ask: Why do you think there are specific details for Chefs?
Answer: It is relatively common for employers to overstate the requirements of a role to make it
out to be a different role. There are differences between a cook and a chef, that we need to
define using qualification levels to prevent misrepresentation of roles.
3 mins
AEWV timeframes/currency (WA4.15a&b)
Slide 16

Explain
We are going to skip past some of the details in WA4.10 to look at the length of time you can
grant a AEWV for, to help us work through the next topic of stand-downs.
Explain Visa timeframes using the slide
An Accredited Employer Work Visa may be granted for the offered employment period, up to a
maximum of:
•  3 years for employment at, or above, the median wage
•  2 years for employment below the median wage, unless a 2-year visa would exceed the
maximum allowed period for applicants who are subject to a ‘stand-down period’
under WA4.10.10. In which case the visa can be granted for the remainder of the 2-year
period.
7 mins
Applicants subject to a stand-down period (WA4.10.10)
Slide 17

Ask: Is anyone familiar with stand-down periods for work visas, specifically the Essential Skills

work Visa?

Allow the group to offer their understanding.

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Explain

•  The stand-down periods for AEWV are distinct from those used in ESW. Any stand-down

periods from ESW don’t apply to AEWV.
•

  A person may hold AEWVs for employment paid below the median wage for a maximum
of 2 years.

•  Then, they are subject to a stand-down period of 12 consecutive months outside New

Zealand.
•  Then, they are eligible for an AEWV again.

Activity - Determining AEWV timeframes
Slide 18
Ask the group to read the scenario, and in pairs discuss what the answers are.
Scenario
It is now July 24, 2023. Pablo has been working in New Zealand on an AEWV for exactly one
year. He is paid the Construction sector minimum hourly rate, which is under the median wage.
He submits an AEWV application for a different job, with an accredited employer, still paying
under the median wage. You receive his application. He meets all the requirements for the
Visa.
Can you grant him an AEWV? If so, for how long?

Note – Pablo has two options, a variation of conditions (VOC) of the existing AEWV (to change the
name of the employer on that visa) or to apply for a new AEWV. At 17/6/2022 the instructions
were still being written for VOCs.

Ask- What rate of pay would he need to earn in his new job to allow him to stay in NZ on an
AEWV, for a further year?
Answer: Median wage = $27.76 as of July 4, 2022 allows a 3 year visa grant.

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Calculating income for a dependent child or children
Outcome: Learners can calculate the renumeration for a job, based on detail in an employment agreement.
Resources
•  Accredited Employer Work Visa Policy PowerPoint
•  Accredited Employer Work Visa instructions
Lesson Plan
Time
Topic
Resource
Notes
5 mins
Minimum income requirement for dependent children (WA4.10.15)
Slide 19

Summarise the slide points:

•  Accredited Employer work visa holders who wish to support their dependent child's

visitor or student visa application, must meet a minimum income threshold.

See V3.10.10 or U8.20.

•  The dependent child will be assessed against criteria in V3.10/U8.20.

•  Parents holding AEWVs may be liable for deportation if the dependent child's visa
application is declined under these instructions and the dependent child becomes

unlawful.

•  It will be a condition of the dependent child and parent/s visa(s) that the parent/s must

maintain the minimum income threshold for the duration of their child's visa. If the
threshold is not maintained the parent/s and child may be liable for deportation.

Note - Where both parents hold AEWVs (or AEWV and Essential Skills work visas), their incomes

may be combined to meet the minimum income threshold (which excludes employment-related

allowances) and must be calculated using no more than 40 hours’ combined work per week.

Activity - Treasure hunt, Minimum income
Slide 20
Provide these instructions:

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•  Open V3.10.10 from the Operational Manual & answer these questions. Locate the page

with this path: Temporary entry class visa/Visitor Visas/Special Categories/V3.10
-  What is the minimum income threshold?
-  What is the exception to this wage threshold?
-  Complete this phrase: The minimum income threshold must be …… …… …………..
………. by the salary or wages of a parent or parents holding an Essential Skills work
visa.
Provide the answers
•  NZ$43,322.76 gross per annum.
•  If the dependent child is included in a Samoan Quota or Pacific Access Category
application, the minimum income threshold is the amount specified in Samoan Quota or
Pacific Access Category instructions.
•  The minimum income threshold must be met and maintained wholly by the salary or
wages of a parent or parents holding an Essential Skills work visa.

Notes
•  Use of the term ‘Essential Skills Visa’ in the instructions relates to the context of the Visa
instructions, but it still applies to AEWV.
•  The minimum income figure may change in the future. If there is a change, use the figure
that is listed in the Operational Manual at the time of the application, to assess if this
requirement is met. You may need to check with your TA to determine what the figure was
at the time the application you are processing was submitted.
10 mins
Activity - Calculating income.
Slide 21

‘Go figure’ activity

Explain

Let’s calculate the income of two parents or guardians, who have one child and who have applied

for AE work visas separately. Use the figures in the slide to calculate if this couple meet the

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minimum required income for an AEWV. They both have offers with 12 months continuous

service.
Allow the group five minutes to work this out, individually.
Reveal the answer by clicking the slide.
MUSIC TEACHER
Calculation
Running total
Base salary
$54,571
$54,571
Uniform allowance (not counted) $520. $10 per week x 52 weeks
FARM WORKER
Calculation
Running total
Wages
$27.76p/h x 30 hours x 52 weeks
$43,305.60

Overtime
N.A. as this was not guaranteed. An upper limit was
imposed, but some weeks could be no hours.

Annual leave
This is accounted for because we have included in the 52
weeks in top line.
Tool allowance (not counted) $1,040. $20 per week x 52 weeks
Policy states NZ $43,322.76 gross per annum. This is for one or many dependent children.

Ask the following extension questions:
•  Ask if they partnership was to end, would either of them be able to stay on in NZ with the
child, given this income. Which parent/s?
Answer: The Farm worker earns the absolute minimum that he could for a person on the
AEWV, without an occupational exemption (for Construction, Care sector and
Tourism/Hospitality roles)- $27.76 per week x 30 hours. At $43,305.60, the dad couldn’t
bring stay alone with the child. But mum could.

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AEWV conditions
Outcome: Learners can describe the conditions under which a AEW Visa is granted.
Resources
•  Accredited Employer Work Visa Policy PowerPoint
•  Accredited Employer Work Visa instructions
Lesson Plan
Time
Topic
Resource
Notes
5 mins
AEWV Conditions (WA4.15c&d)
Slide 22

Ask the group to go to WA4.15 c & d and read the content. After two minutes, ask a volunteer to

summarise it.

Reveal the paraphrased summary, as shown below:

When granted, the AEWV holder must:
•  work in a specified occupation and location, for a specified employer
•  be paid at or above a specified remuneration level
•  provide evidence of the payment of remuneration, if requested by INZ
•  not be placed in a triangular employment arrangement unless the approved job
specifies that.

Remind the group
The Visa timeframes/currency topic is also contained in this area of the instructions, and that we
looked at that earlier in the session, as part of understanding the stand-down period rules.

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Close
Outcome: Learners reflect on what they’ve learnt and ask final questions.
Resources
•  Accredited Employer Work Visa Policy PowerPoint
Lesson Plan
Time
Topic
Resource
Notes
6 mins
Session close
Slide 23

•  Answer any final questions.
Reflect

Use a reflection activity from your facilitation toolkit that is different from the activity you used in
the previous workshop. For e.g. You may choose one of the following activities, or merge two
activities.
•  Small groups, different to those they’ve been working in during the course, share their
key takeaways.
•  Small groups write 1-2 of the hardest questions they have about the topic – Other groups
then answer those questions.
•  Sit learners in a circle - have them ask a question they have that is unanswered. They then
throw a ball to another learner – the learner who catches the ball answers the question.
•  Put key topic words on cards and put them in a bag/hat - have the learners draw a card
and talk about the topic for 30 seconds.
After the small group activity, ask the group to show 1-5 fingers in response to the question,
“How confident are you in completing the tasks you learned in this session?”

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Document Outline