Highlights: New Zealand has made significant modifications to its Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)

• The modifications made by New Zealand on its Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) have been revealed
• Changes have been made on trial period of 90 days, Job check application, Employer Accreditation, AEWV Labor Hire Employment, and Processing times
• This will  impact foreign immigrants looking for employment in New Zealand and as well as the employers
• These modifications are intended to streamline the visa application process and ensure equal treatment of migrants

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Details of the changes:

Trial period of 90 days

• Starting from October 29th, 2023, accredited employers will no longer be permitted to use trial periods in employment agreements when recruiting people on an AEWV. 
• This aim is to promote fairness in the hiring process by encouraging employers to hire migrants for legitimate labor requirements or skill gaps.
• Employment agreements provided with job check applications should not include trial periods. 
• Companies that violate this policy will be in danger of having their accreditation cancelled. Breaches can be found through Job Check procedures, post-decision checks, or re-accreditation checks.

Job check application

• After October 29, 2023, regardless of the submission date, AEWV Job Check applications under evaluation will be rejected if it contains an employment agreement with a trial period. 
• The Immigrants who applied for an AEWV before October 29th, 2023, are exempt from the restriction.

Updates on AEWV Employer Accreditation

• Technical updates have been made on Immigration Instructions to clarify the process of revoking or suspending an employer's accreditation under the AEWV. 
• As of October 29, 2023, an employer's accreditation can be cancelled if INZ actively checks the employer's compliance with immigration, employment, and business rules. 

Changes on the Labor Hire Employment Threshold

• As of November 27, 2023, authorized employers operating labor hire employment firms that place migrants in particular construction occupations are required to guarantee that 35% of their labor workforce comprises New Zealand residents and citizens who are employed full-time. 
• Compared to the previous minimum requirement of 15%, this threshold reflects an increase. 
• INZ will evaluate the New Zealand workforce threshold during the accreditation and Job Check phases. Job checks will only be successful if the new point is reached.

Increase in the Processing Times

• INZ has modified its AEWV evaluation methodology to guarantee the accuracy and legitimacy of job vacancies and the employer's ability to support the planned immigrant hires. 
• As a result, processing times have increased, with the majority of applications requiring more than ten days to complete.
• Given the processing times, employers must anticipate at least six weeks for job check applications and certification. 
• Employers may use the INZ employment visa escalation method if an urgent allocation is needed.

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Web Story:  Attention job seekers! New Zealand announces work visa changes, no more 90-day trials.