Accredited employer requirements to help AEWV workers settle in New Zealand

Giving your workers information about working and living in New Zealand is a requirement of being an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) accredited employer.

Recruiting and supporting a migrant to apply for an AEWV: process steps

Alert

The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) requirements are changing in 2025. Changes include removing the median wage requirement, reducing work experience requirements and redesigning the job check stage.

For more information about the announcement, including a list of key changes:

Changes to the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) and median wage

Meeting the settlement requirements

As an accredited employer you must provide AEWV workers with information about settling in New Zealand within their first month of employment.

Evidence to show you have done this can include:

  • copies of settlement information
  • communications with AEWV workers about the settlement information
  • your organisation's induction plans for new AEWV workers.

Providing AEWV workers with settlement information

As an accredited employer you must give your AEWV workers information to help them get settled in New Zealand.

You must provide the following information about the local community and services, and information about being an AEWV worker:

  • accommodation options
  • transportation options — including information on driving and driver licences, and public transport options
  • the cost of living
  • how to access healthcare services
  • Citizens Advice Bureau services
  • information on relevant community groups
  • how to get an IRD number from Inland Revenue
  • any industry training and qualification information and options, and
  • specific job or industry hazards.
Note

If you have given this information to the AEWV worker before, you do not need to give it again if the information has not changed.

Information you must provide

Accommodation

You must provide AEWV workers with information about accommodation options.

For example, you could include:

You should include some local information. This could include information on:

  • surrounding suburbs, the local schools and commute times to work
  • how to find accommodation, for example using property websites, real estate agencies and social media groups
  • what to look out for when choosing a place to live, such as checking that it has good heating, and it is not an earthquake-prone building
  • any accommodation the workplace provides.

Transport

You must provide AEWV workers with information about transport — including driving, driver licences and public transport options.

For example, you could include:

You should include some local information. This could include information on:

  • how to use public transport in your area
  • ways to get to work
  • how to buy a car
  • options for driving to work, carpools and company vehicles
  • workplace facilities for cyclists.

Cost of living

You must provide AEWV workers with information about the cost of living.

For example, you could include:

You should include some local information. This could include information on:

  • regional costs, like water and rubbish collection
  • heating costs
  • tips for saving money, for example shopping at local markets or buying second-hand items
  • any employee discounts offered through their job.

Accessing healthcare services

You must provide AEWV workers with information on how to access healthcare services.

For example, you could include:

AEWV workers whose visas allow them to be in NZ for 2 years or longer can use publicly funded health services in New Zealand. You could provide information on what they may be eligible for.

Guide to eligibility for public health services — Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand

You should include some local information. This could include information on:

  • local health centres and hospitals, including distances if they live out of town
  • what to do in an emergency or after hours
  • regional health websites
  • any health insurance, benefits or services available from the workplace including Employee Assistance Programme services.

Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) services

You must provide AEWV workers with information about CAB services.

For example, you could include:

Community groups

You must provide AEWV workers with information about relevant community groups.

For example, you could include:

You should include some local information. This could include information on:

  • local community groups including sports clubs, cultural groups, and places of worship
  • local and online English learning courses
  • councils involved in the Welcoming Communities initiative.

Getting an IRD number from Inland Revenue

You must provide AEWV workers with information about getting an IRD number.

For example, you could include:

Industry training and qualifications

You must provide AEWV workers with information about any industry training and qualifications.

For example, you could include:

You should include some local information. This could include information on:

  • English language courses
  • any training that the workplace offers.

Job or industry hazards

You must provide AEWV workers with information about specific job or industry hazards.

For example, you could include:

You should also provide information specific to the workplace. This could include information on:

  • protective gear for their job
  • health and safety training
  • any differences to how health and safety is managed in their home country
  • hazards in the workplace.

Optional information you could provide

Information for families with children

You could give AEWV workers information about:

  • helping children to adjust to a new country
  • the New Zealand school system
  • local schools and childcare
  • groups for parents
  • afterschool activities
  • tips on buying clothes, toys and school supplies.

Employment rights

You could give AEWV workers information about leave, holidays, wages, tax and discrimination and harassment at work.

Find more information on the Employment New Zealand website:

Home — Employment New Zealand

Other information you could include

You could give AEWV workers information about:

  • how people in New Zealand pay for things using EFTPOS, credit cards and debit cards
  • setting up bank accounts and transferring money
  • how to get a mobile phone and internet
  • local climate and weather
  • New Zealand emergency services and how to get help.

Use our template to give the required information

You can use our template to provide AEWV workers with settlement information. You can also use your own document.

The 'Advice to help you settle in Aotearoa New Zealand' template helps to make sure you give your AEWV worker the required information.

Advice to help you settle in Aotearoa New Zealand — template for AEWV accredited employers DOCX 605KB

This document contains sections for:

  • general information you must include for all AEWV workers
  • local or personalised information you could include, and
  • optional information you could include.

How to use the template

The sections you should personalise are highlighted in the document, with instructions and examples of information you could include.

  • Read all the highlighted instructions.
  • Replace the highlighted instructions with local information. Use the examples to help you.
  • Delete any remaining highlighted instructions.

After you have updated the document with information for your AEWV worker, email it to them or give them a printed copy.

Tip

You can include this settlement information in a welcome kit. Making a welcome kit is one of the things you can do to prepare for your new AEWV worker.

Preparing for migrant staff

Help for employers

Our employer helpline is open between 08:00 and 18:00, Monday to Friday.

Freephone from New Zealand landlines: 0508 967 569