How to become an accredited employer immigration nz
The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) system in New Zealand has changed the way businesses hire skilled workers from other countries. If you own a business and want to hire people from other countries, you need to become an accredited employer in order to use the skilled immigration pathway.
This complete guide tells you everything you need to know about becoming an accredited employer in New Zealand. You’ll learn useful tips that can help your business hire skilled workers from all over the world, from knowing the benefits to figuring out how to apply.
This guide gives you all the information you need to get accredited and keep it that way, whether you’re a new business looking to hire your first employee from another country or an established business looking to hire more people from other countries.
What it means to be an accredited employer
The Accredited Employer Work Visa system took the place of the Essential Skills Work Visa in 2022. This made it easier for skilled workers to move to New Zealand. Employers must first get accredited before they can help workers from other countries get work visas through this system.
If your business is an accredited employer, it means that it meets Immigration New Zealand’s standards for hiring workers from other countries. It shows that you really have job openings, can take care of your employees, and know what your duties are as an employer.
There are two main steps to getting accredited: first, your business becomes an accredited employer, and then you can apply for Job Checks for specific jobs you want to fill with workers from other countries. This two-step process helps Immigration New Zealand make sure that they only bring in foreign workers when there is a real need and the right support.
The Most Important Benefits of Employer Accreditation
Getting accredited as an employer gives your business’s hiring strategy a lot of new opportunities.
A smoother hiring process
Once accredited, you can sponsor multiple overseas workers without repeating the employer assessment process. This saves a lot of time and money compared to the old system, where each application needed a lot of paperwork from the employer.
Access to a global pool of talent
Accreditation lets you hire skilled workers from all over the world to fill important positions in your business. This is especially useful in fields where there aren’t enough skilled workers and local talent may be hard to find.
Advantage in the market
Being on the list of accredited employers lets people from other countries know that your business is established, follows the rules, and has been approved by Immigration New Zealand. This can make your job offers more appealing to the best international workers.
Processing times are shorter.
When you hire an accredited employer, their sponsored visa applications usually go through faster, which helps you find good employees faster.
Less complicated paperwork
After initial accreditation, subsequent applications require less paperwork, making it easier to scale your international recruitment efforts.
Requirements for being an accredited employer
Make sure your business meets the basic eligibility requirements before you start your application.
Requirements for Business Standing
Your business must demonstrate genuine operation and good standing. This means that you need to have a real business presence in New Zealand, which can be done by registering a company, making a partnership agreement, or using another recognized business structure.
You will need to prove that your business is financially stable and can pay the wages that overseas workers are being offered. Immigration New Zealand looks at your financial records to make sure you can pay your bills while you are on the visa.
Compliance History
Immigration New Zealand looks at your history of following the rules for immigration, work, and taxes. If you have any serious violations or problems that haven’t been fixed, you may not be able to apply.
Your business must not be on Immigration New Zealand’s Stand Down Register, which is a list of employers who have not kept their promises to past migrant workers.
Real Job Openings
You need to show that there are real job openings that New Zealand workers can’t fill. This means showing proof that you tried to hire people and explaining why local workers weren’t a good fit or weren’t available.
Following the Law on Employment
New Zealand’s employment laws, such as those about minimum wage, working conditions, and employment agreements, must be followed by your business. Immigration New Zealand may ask for proof of your hiring and firing practices.
Step by Step How to Apply
To apply for an accredited employer, you need to plan ahead and pay close attention to the details.
Step 1: Get Your Paperwork Ready
Get all the important business papers together first. These include your company’s registration certificates, financial statements, and tax records. You will need up-to-date financial information that shows your business is stable and can pay the proposed wages.
Gather proof of your hiring efforts, such as job ads, emails from recruitment agencies, and reasons why local candidates weren’t a good fit. This paperwork is very important for showing that you really need workers from other countries.
Step 2: Fill out the application form.
The application form for an accredited employer asks for a lot of information about your business, such as its history of operations, its financial situation, and its plans for hiring new employees.
Be thorough and accurate in your responses. Incomplete or unclear applications often lead to delays or requests for more information.
Step 3: Send in proof of your claim
Send in all the necessary supporting documents along with your application. These usually include:
- Documents for registering a business
- Tax returns and financial statements
- Proof of efforts to hire people
- Policies and procedures for hiring
- References for character for important people
Step 4: Reviewing the Applications
Immigration New Zealand looks over your application to see if you meet the requirements. Depending on how complicated your application is and how long it takes to process, this process can take a few weeks.
Immigration New Zealand may ask for more information or clarification during this time. To avoid delays, respond quickly to any requests.
Step 5: Get your decision and accreditation
If your application is approved, you will get your accredited employer status, which is usually good for 12 to 24 months. After that, you’ll be added to the list of accredited employers, and you can start applying for Job Checks for certain jobs.
Keeping Your Accredited Status
Getting accredited is only the first step. You need to keep following the rules and managing your responsibilities properly in order to keep your status.
Regular Monitoring of Compliance
Immigration New Zealand regularly checks to make sure that accredited employers are following the rules. This includes looking at how you hire people, pay them, and treat workers from other countries.
Keep detailed records of all your interactions with your sponsored employees, such as employment contracts, wage payments, and any changes to their working conditions.
Duties to Report
You need to tell Immigration New Zealand about some changes, such as:
- Changes to who owns or runs your business
- Big changes to your financial situation
- Changes in the lives of sponsored employees
- Any problems with following the rules or hiring
Renewal Process
An employer’s status as an accredited employer will end after a certain amount of time, usually 12 to 24 months after they are approved. Keep your paperwork up to date and take care of any compliance issues so that you can plan for renewal well in advance.
The process of renewing an accreditation is usually easier than the process of getting one in the first place, but it still needs proof of compliance and current financial information.
How to Avoid Common Mistakes
By avoiding common mistakes, you can save time and improve your chances of getting accredited.
Not enough proof of money
A lot of applications don’t go through because they don’t have enough financial paperwork. Make sure your financial statements are up-to-date, audited if necessary, and clearly show that you can pay the proposed wages for the entire visa period.
Give some background on any financial problems or strange situations that could make people wonder about the stability of your business.
Weak Evidence of Recruitment
A common reason for rejection is not showing that you are really trying to hire people. Document all recruitment activities thoroughly, including where you advertised, how long positions remained open, and specific reasons why local candidates weren’t suitable.
Keep records of all applications received, interviews conducted, and feedback provided to unsuccessful candidates.
Information that is missing or doesn’t match up
Make sure that all the information you give is complete, correct, and the same in all of your documents. When different sources don’t agree, it can raise red flags and slow down processing.
Before you send it in, make sure the dates, numbers, and other information are correct. Get someone else to look over your application to find any mistakes or things you forgot.
Not taking into account how long it will take to process
Make sure your recruitment schedule takes into account the time it takes to get accredited and then process the Job Check. If you start the process too late, you might miss out on chances or have to wait longer to hire someone.
Plan ahead for hiring by building in extra time and think about getting accredited before you need to hire someone right away.
Help and Resources That Are Available
There are a number of resources that can help you successfully go through the accredited employer process.
Official Immigration New Zealand Information
Immigration New Zealand’s website has a lot of helpful information, such as application forms, estimates of how long it will take to process your application, and detailed information about who can apply. Their operational manual gives detailed instructions on how to interpret policies.
The Immigration New Zealand website announces regular updates and changes to the system, so it’s important to check for new information throughout your application process.
Advice from an immigration expert
Licensed immigration advisers can give you personalized advice based on your unique situation. They can help you find possible problems, make your applications stronger, and deal with difficult situations.
Make sure the adviser you choose is licensed and has experience with applications from accredited employers.
Industry Networks and Associations
A lot of industry groups help their members become accredited employers by giving them advice and support. They often have resources that are specific to your industry and can put you in touch with other employers who have successfully gone through the process.
Help with the law and accounting
Accountants can help you present your financial information in a way that is clear and easy to understand, and employment lawyers can make sure that your policies and procedures meet the requirements of Immigration New Zealand.
Getting Ready for Success on Your Journey with an Accredited Employer
To become an accredited employer, you need to plan carefully, prepare thoroughly, and keep up your commitment to following the rules. The time and money spent on hiring people pays off because you can hire people from all over the world and the process is easier.
Begin early, collect all the necessary paperwork, and don’t be afraid to ask for professional help when you need it. The accredited employer system is meant to help with real hiring needs while keeping workers from other countries and the New Zealand job market safe.
To do well in the accredited employer program, you need to know what is expected of you, get ready well, and keep up high standards of employment practice during your accreditation period.
Are you ready to start your journey to becoming an accredited employer? Business Kiwi helps businesses with the immigration process in New Zealand. Our knowledgeable staff can help you with the difficult process of getting employer accreditation and come up with a successful plan for hiring people from other countries. Call us today to talk about how we can help your business with immigration issues and help you find the skilled workers you need to grow.
