# New Zealand Visa Sponsorship Jobs for Indians: How Hiring Works > How an Indian gets hired by a New Zealand employer: accredited employers, job checks, the AEWV application, eligibility, costs, family rules and the new India FTA visas. _Published: 2026-10-25 · Reading time: 5 min · Words: 1191_ ## TL;DR New Zealand's sponsored-job route is the Accredited Employer Work Visa: an INZ-accredited employer with an approved job check offers you a full-time role and sends you a link to apply. The visa costs NZD 1,540 and INZ decides 80% within 5.5 weeks. Employers and agents may not charge you for a job, and INZ warns that job offer scams are common in India. ## Key takeaways - The AEWV starts with the employer: INZ accreditation, an approved job check, then a full-time offer at the market rate. - You need 2 years of relevant experience or an NZQCF level 4+ qualification, unless the job is on the Green List or pays at least NZD 67.12 an hour. - AEWV fee: NZD 1,540 (NZD 480 application fee plus NZD 1,060 immigration levy); INZ decides 80% within 5.5 weeks. - Employers and agents cannot charge you for a job; INZ declines applications where money was offered for a job offer. - The NZ-India FTA (in force 20 October 2026) adds India Skilled Work and India Iconic Work visas, but INZ had not published application details. **According to Immigration New Zealand, a sponsored job for an Indian worker means an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV): an INZ-accredited employer with an approved job check offers you at least 30 hours a week at the market rate, then sends you a link to apply online. The visa costs NZD 1,540, and 80% are decided within 5.5 weeks.** ## Article In practice, the employer's INZ accreditation and the approved job check are what make a New Zealand job a sponsored one. Facts here come from INZ visa pages, New Zealand's immigration fee regulations, the Beehive and MFAT, as published on the official sources, checked on 2026-10-15. INZ's own site returned errors in mid-October 2026, so several INZ facts were read from archived captures of the official pages and are worth re-checking on the live site. For visitor and student visas, see our New Zealand visa guide for Indians. ### How does hiring through the AEWV work? - The employer gets accredited with INZ for the AEWV. - The employer passes a job check for the specific role. The role must be full-time, at least 30 hours a week, and pay at least the market rate. - The employer offers you the job and sends you a link to apply. - You apply online to INZ and pay NZD 1,540. - INZ decides. Its headline timeframe is 80% within 5.5 weeks, and AEWVs for Green List roles are prioritised without an escalation request. - You travel. At the border, AEWV holders may need to show evidence of their job offer. Your passport goes to a VFS centre in New Delhi, Chandigarh or Mumbai only if INZ asks for it. The VFS handling fee for online applications is INR 1,460. ### Who qualifies for an AEWV job? INZ sets skill, evidence and English rules on top of the employer's job check: - Experience or qualification: at least 2 years of relevant work experience, or a qualification at NZQCF level 4 or higher in the same field. A bachelor's degree or higher can be in any field. - Exemptions from that rule: the job is on the Green List, you hold the required New Zealand occupational registration, or you are paid at least NZD 67.12 an hour. - Qualification assessment: an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) from NZQA if your overseas qualification is below a bachelor's degree. - Proof of experience: third-party evidence such as employment certificates, payslips and tax certificates. A CV alone is not enough. - English: required for jobs at ANZSCO/NOL skill level 3 to 5. From 1 June 2026, the minimum (IELTS 4.0 or equivalent) also covers skill level 3 roles. Skill level 1 and 2 jobs are exempt. The AEWV is not available for horticulture or viticulture crop work, fishing crew or self-employment. ### Can an employer or agent charge you for a New Zealand job? No. INZ says employers and agents cannot charge you for a job or for recruitment costs. It declines applications where money was offered for a job offer, and it warns that job offer scams are common in India and South Asia. Treat these as warning signs: - Anyone asking for a fee to secure a job offer or a job check. - An offer that does not come with INZ's link to apply from the employer. - A role below 30 hours a week presented as an AEWV job. - Promises of horticulture, fishing or self-employed work on an AEWV. ### What does the AEWV cost and what else will you pay? ItemAmountNotesAEWVNZD 1,540NZD 480 fee plus NZD 1,060 immigration levy; exempt from the NZD 100 tourism levyGlobal Workforce Seasonal or Peak Seasonal visaNZD 1,540Employer-led seasonal routes for jobs on INZ's seasonal listsPartner of a Worker Work VisaNZD 1,630For an eligible partnerVFS passport handling (only if requested)INR 1,460Paid by demand draft to VFSExpect health and character checks too. A chest X-ray is needed if you will stay more than 6 months, because India is not a low-TB country. Police certificates are needed if you are 17 or older and your total time in New Zealand will be 24 months or longer. ### How long can you stay, and can your family join you? The AEWV can last up to 5 years depending on the job. The maximum continuous stay on AEWVs is 5 years for most jobs and 3 years for skill level 4 and 5 jobs, after which you normally spend 12 months outside New Zealand. Your partner and children cannot be included in your application, but may get visitor, work or student visas depending on your pay and skill level. For a Partner of a Worker Work Visa, an AEWV holder in an ANZSCO level 1 to 3 job must earn at least NZD 28 an hour. In a level 4 or 5 job outside a sector agreement the threshold is NZD 52.50 an hour, or NZD 35 an hour in a Green List job. A sponsored job can lead to residence. The Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa (aged 55 or younger, accredited employer, points-tested) and the Straight to Residence Visa for Green List Tier 1 jobs both list a cost from NZD 6,450. ### What changes with the India-New Zealand trade agreement? The NZ-India Free Trade Agreement enters into force on 20 October 2026. MFAT says New Zealand has committed to the equivalent of 1,667 three-year temporary employment entry visas a year, with no more than 5,000 at any time: 1,467 for 13 skilled Green List occupations and 200 for iconic Indian occupations such as yoga, music, chefs and ayurvedic practitioners. Regulations from 20 October 2026 exempt the new India Skilled Work and India Iconic Work visas from the NZD 100 tourism levy. INZ had not published opening dates or criteria for these visas when this was checked. The working holiday scheme of up to 1,000 places a year is also committed but not yet open; as at October 2026, Indians cannot get a New Zealand working holiday visa. Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visa files. Packages run from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for a reservation, hotel booking, itinerary and cover letter. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or use our contact page. ### Frequently asked questions #### Is IELTS required for a New Zealand AEWV? English evidence is required for jobs at ANZSCO/NOL skill level 3 to 5, either from citizenship or study evidence or a test result no more than 2 years old. From 1 June 2026 the IELTS 4.0 (or equivalent) minimum also applies to skill level 3 roles. Skill level 1 and 2 jobs are exempt. #### Do AEWV applicants pay New Zealand's NZD 100 tourism levy? No. Accredited Employer work visas are exempt from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy, which is why the AEWV total is NZD 1,540: an NZD 480 application fee plus an NZD 1,060 immigration levy. #### Where do I submit my passport for a New Zealand work visa in India? Only if INZ asks for it, at the VFS Global centre in New Delhi, Chandigarh or Mumbai. The handling fee for online applications is INR 1,460, paid by demand draft to VFS. #### Can Indians get a New Zealand working holiday visa in 2026? Not as at October 2026. India is not on INZ's list of working holiday countries. The NZ-India FTA commits to a scheme of up to 1,000 places a year, but INZ had not published an opening date or criteria. ## FAQ ### Is IELTS required for a New Zealand AEWV? English evidence is required for jobs at ANZSCO/NOL skill level 3 to 5, either from citizenship or study evidence or a test result no more than 2 years old. From 1 June 2026 the IELTS 4.0 (or equivalent) minimum also applies to skill level 3 roles. Skill level 1 and 2 jobs are exempt. ### Do AEWV applicants pay New Zealand's NZD 100 tourism levy? No. Accredited Employer work visas are exempt from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy, which is why the AEWV total is NZD 1,540: an NZD 480 application fee plus an NZD 1,060 immigration levy. ### Where do I submit my passport for a New Zealand work visa in India? Only if INZ asks for it, at the VFS Global centre in New Delhi, Chandigarh or Mumbai. The handling fee for online applications is INR 1,460, paid by demand draft to VFS. ### Can Indians get a New Zealand working holiday visa in 2026? Not as at October 2026. India is not on INZ's list of working holiday countries. The NZ-India FTA commits to a scheme of up to 1,000 places a year, but INZ had not published an opening date or criteria. ## Sources 1. [Immigration New Zealand - Accredited Employer Work Visa](https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/accredited-employer-work-visa/) — Immigration New Zealand 2. [Beehive (NZ Government) - English language requirement extended to AEWV skill level 3 roles](https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/english-language-requirement-extended-aewv-skill-level-3-roles) — New Zealand Government 3. [MFAT - NZ-India FTA key outcomes (temporary employment entry visas, working holiday scheme)](https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/trade/free-trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements-concluded-but-not-in-force/new-zealand-india-free-trade-agreement/key-outcomes) — New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade