Changing the conditions of a work visa or applying for a Job Change

You can apply for a Job Change to change your employer, occupation, location, or a combination of these. The time left on your visa does not change.

Your employer must be accredited to hire migrants for the AEWV and have a valid job check for your new job. You will need the job check approval number for your application.

Other requirements

If you want to change to a job paid at least NZD$29.66 an hour:

• you can change to any other job, if your current job is entitled to a maximum visa length of 3 years or less - from 7 April 2024 due to changes made to the AEWV.
• you cannot change to a job that has a maximum visa length of 3 years or less, if your current job is entitled to a maximum visa length of 5 years.

If you want to change to a job paid below NZD$29.66 an hour:

• it must be exempt from paying the February 2023 median wage rate.
• the time you have remaining on your AEWV (visa length) must be less than the maximum visa length of the role you are moving to. For example, if you have 4 years remaining on your current AEWV, you cannot move to a role that has a maximum visa length of 3 years.
• the time you have spent in New Zealand on your AEWV must be less than the maximum continuous stay of the role you are moving to. For example, if you have been in New Zealand for 4 years on an AEWV you cannot move to a role than has a maximum continuous stay of 3 years.

AEWV roles exempt from paying the February 2023 median wage rate

How long you can stay on an AEWV

If your employer is changing due to a business sale or restructure

You may need to apply for a Job Change if you are being transferred to another employer due to a business sale or restructure. This is so you can change the employer listed in your visa conditions to the employer that you are being transferred to.

The employer you are transferring to must:

• be an accredited employer, or
• have applied for accreditation.

You do not need a Job Check from your employer for the Job Change if you:

• will be paid the same rate of pay or higher
• are staying in the same location, and
• will have the same job title.

If any of these details are changing, you will need a Job Check approval number from your employer before you can apply.

When you apply for a Job Change we will ask for:

• evidence of the business sale or restructure
• evidence showing that your job will continue after the business sale or restructure, and
• the original Job Check number used when your applied for your AEWV.

You can apply to change your employer, job, location, or a combination of these.

If you are changing your job or location, your employer must:

• have advertised the job and
• been unable to find suitable or available New Zealand workers.

During your application you will need to upload a letter from your employer. In the letter they must declare they could not find suitable or available New Zealanders for the job.

Your employer does not need to advertise your new job, and you do not need to upload a letter, if the role is:

• on the Essential Skills in Demand List and you meet the requirements of the list
• on the Green List and you meet the Green List role requirements, or
• paid at least NZD$59.32 an hour (twice the February 2023 median wage rate).

If your new job has different skills and experience requirements to your old job, you will need to show that you are suitably qualified for the job.

Green list roles

How we calculate pay rates for AEWV

Before 4 July 2022 employers were able to apply for accreditation under the Talent (accredited employer) Work Visa policy. It was replaced by the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) from 4 July 2022. Visas granted under the Talent (accredited employer) policy are still valid.

You can apply for a variation of conditions to change your employer.

You can change to an employer:

• who is accredited under the Talent (accredited employer) policy
• who was previously accredited under the Talent (accredited employer) policy but their accreditation expired after 31 March 2021
• who is not accredited under the Talent (accredited employer) policy, if your current job is no longer available for reasons outside your control.

You do not need to complete an Employer supplementary form (INZ 1113) if your new employer:

• was accredited under the Talent (accredited employer) policy and their accreditation expired after 31 March 2021, or
• is currently accredited under the Talent (accredited employer) policy or the AEWV policy.

Your new job must pay the same or more than the minimum salary you needed to earn when you applied for your visa.

Talent (accredited employer) Work Visa

If your employer loses their accreditation

If your employer loses or does not renew their accreditation, you can keep working for them without applying for a variation to the conditions of your visa.

If you have a Partner of a Worker Work Visa with work conditions you can change to an open work visa. An open work visa lets you work for any employer.

To change your work conditions, your supporting partner must earn at least NZD$25.29 an hour (80% of the median wage) if they have an Accredited Employer Work Visa or an Essentials Skills Work Visa.

For more information about the requirements your partner must meet to support your visa:
Bringing family if you have an Accredited Employer Work Visa
Bringing family if you have an Essential Skills Work Visa

Apply for a variation of conditions if you want to study part time for more than 3 months. 

With your application you need to include:

• an offer of place from the education provider you want to study with, and
• evidence that you have paid the tuition fees.

Apply for a student visa if your study will be more important than your work. 

Visas that allow you to study

If you are planning to study for more than 3 months, you do not need to apply for a variation of conditions or a student visa if:

• your employer requires you to undertake the study as part of your employment, or
• you have a working holiday visa and are studying for less than 6 months.