29 January 2025
Rav
[FYI request #29385 email]
DOIA-REQ-0007026
Tēnā koe Rav,
Thank you for your request on 29 November 2024 to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and
Employment (MBIE) requesting, under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following:
1) Number of AEWV work visas approved by month and provide the top 10 occupation codes
OR unit groups (or in any form where the actual Job group e.g. IT Developer (Tech), Doctor,
Nurse (Healthcare) is available) with their respective numbers each month.
2) Number of AEWV work visas approved by month and by top 10 nationalities.
3) Average salary of the ANZSCO job unit groups (top 10 approved) for AEWV visas across the
last 12 months (November 2023 - November 2024) and total number of approvals.
e.g. 2613 Software and Applications Programmers - 125K NZD - 1000 approved.
On 5 December 2024, we contacted you to advise that we are unable to provide salary details for
question three of your request, and to confirm if you are happy to receive hourly rate for these roles.
On 6 December 2024, you responded:
“Sure, I am happy to receive a response in terms of hourly rate.”
On 17 January 2025, we requested further clarification as to what you mean when you say “number
of AEWV work visas approved by month and …” in your questions (1), (2) and (3) and if you are
referring to:
(a) the total number of all approved AEWV work visas from 1 November 2023 to 30 November 2024,
broken down by months” PLUS the total number of top 10 occupations/top 10 nationalities,
broken down by months?
OR
(b) the total number of AEWV work visas for the top 10 occupations/nationalities and average salaries
of top 10 occupations (and broken down by countries).
On 17 January 2025, you responded:
The first option (a) seems closer to what I am looking for. I'll provide the description of rows
and columns I'm looking for if it helps. Basically, I want different details for every month for
those 12 months.
General numbers- I have simplified the first Qn to make it easier as other Qns will cover it.
Table 1 (Qn 1) - Total AEWV approved each month. 12 rows (1 for each month) and 1 column
(AEWVs approved).
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Occupation breakdown (top 10 only)- Table 3 (Qn 3) - Average salary of AEWV approved each
month (top 10 unit groups or occupations) - columns will be Month, Occupation or Unit Code,
Average Salary (in that month of that occupation or unit code), Approved AEWV (for specific
occupation or unit code). So, each month will have 10 rows.
Nationality breakdown (top 10 only)- Table 2 (Qn 2) - columns will be Month, Nationality,
AEWV approved (in that month for the specific nationality). So, each month again will have 10
rows.
On 27 January 2025, we extended the time available for us to make a decision on your request under
section 15A(1)(b) of the Act, as consultations necessary to make a decision on your request meant
that a proper response to the request could not reasonably be made within the original time limit.
Our Response
Please refer to the attached appendix for the requested Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) data.
Please note for your question 3, we are providing you the average hourly wage rate for the top 10
occupations as per your earlier confirmation received on 6 December 2024 and hence, we have not
requested any further data for the monthly breakdown of the hourly rate.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision. Information
about how to make a complaint is available
at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800
802 602.
If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request or this response, or if you require any further
assistance, please contact
[email address]
Nāku noa, nā
Sarah Clifford
Director Visa
Immigration New Zealand
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
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