Document Checklist
New Zealand AEWV Checklist (2026): Documents for the Job Check & Visa Stages
The AEWV is a three-stage system — employer accreditation, job check, then the migrant's visa application — and most delays happen because applicants prepare only for the last stage. This checklist, based on Immigration New Zealand's (INZ) own published job check guidance, covers what the employer's job check needs and what you, the applicant, assemble once that's approved. Pair this with the [New Zealand AEWV work visa interview questions](/interview-questions/new-zealand-aewv-work-visa-interview) once you reach the visa stage.
Before anything: confirm the employer side is in order
- Employer holds current AEWV accreditationStandard accreditation allows up to 5 migrants at a time — confirm your employer has room in that allocation before relying on the offer.
- Role isn't awaiting a pending job checkA job check must be approved before you can apply for the visa itself — ask your employer for the job check reference/token once approved.
- Job check token validity window notedAn approved job check token is commonly reported to expire around 6 months — your visa application needs to be submitted within that window, so don't delay once your employer has it.
What the employer's job check covers (so you can sanity-check your offer)
- Job description matches your offerTitle, ANZSCO/NOL code, qualifications and experience required, work location and employment type should all match what's in your signed offer — mismatches between the job check and your visa application are a common delay cause.
- Pay details consistent across documentsSalary or hourly rate, deductions, benefits, allowances and weekly hours should match between the job check, your employment agreement and your visa application.
- Advertising requirement understood (unless exempt)Jobs are exempt if on the Green List, paying at least NZD 70/hour, or under a Green List work visa job check. Otherwise, minimum advertising is 14 days for ANZSCO levels 1–3 / eligible NOL roles, 21 days for levels 4–5, closed within 90 days of the employer's application.
- Employment agreement complianceYour employer declares (rather than uploads) that the agreement meets NZ employment law — paid leave, maximum hours/overtime, pay period, no trial period. Read your actual agreement against this before signing.
Your visa application: core documents
- Valid passportScan of the photo page plus all pages with prior visas or travel stamps.
- Signed job offer and employment agreementMust align with the approved job check — job title, pay, hours and location should not have drifted since the job check was approved.
- Evidence of qualifications and experienceCertificates, diplomas, or employer reference letters supporting the skill level claimed in the job check.
- Payslips or employment records (if applicable)Useful where experience, rather than a qualification, is the basis for meeting the skill requirement.
- English language evidence (where required)IELTS or another INZ-approved test result — requirements vary by role and have changed in recent INZ updates, so confirm current thresholds for your ANZSCO level before assuming you're exempt.
Fees and submission
- Job check and visa application feesINZ's own job check page does not publish a fixed figure on every view; third-party guides cite ranges, so confirm the current fee directly on immigration.govt.nz before paying.
- Application methodBoth employer accreditation/job check steps and most visa applications go through Immigration Online, which requires a RealMe login.
Tips
- Ask your employer for the job check approval date and token expiry in writing — this is the one deadline entirely outside your control, so track it yourself.
- Any gap between what the job check approved and what your actual offer says (pay, hours, title) should be resolved before you submit the visa application, not explained afterward.
- INZ's accreditation rules changed recently (median wage requirement removed, job check form simplified) — don't rely on older third-party guides without checking immigration.govt.nz for the current version.
- Keep digital and physical copies of every job-check-related document your employer shares with you, even the ones they file rather than you.
Requirements change — always confirm the current list with the official source before you submit.
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