# New Zealand Work Permit for Indians: Employer Steps and Timeline > How a New Zealand work visa actually moves: what the accredited employer does first, what you supply, what INZ charges and how long each stage takes. _Published: 2026-10-25 · Reading time: 5 min · Words: 1252_ ## TL;DR The main employer-sponsored route to work in New Zealand is the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV). The employer must be INZ-accredited and pass a job check before it sends you a link to apply online. INZ charges NZD 1,540 and decides 80% of AEWV applications within 5.5 weeks. ## Key takeaways - The AEWV starts with the employer: INZ accreditation, then an approved job check, then a job offer and an application link. - The job must be at least 30 hours a week and paid at least the market rate. - INZ fee from outside New Zealand: NZD 1,540 (NZD 480 application fee + NZD 1,060 immigration levy). - INZ decides 80% of AEWV applications within 5.5 weeks; Green List roles are prioritised. - Employers and agents cannot charge you for a job or recruitment costs. **To get a New Zealand work visa, the main route for Indians is the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV): an INZ-accredited employer with an approved job check offers a full-time job and sends you a link to apply online. Immigration New Zealand charges NZD 1,540 and decides 80% of applications within 5.5 weeks.** ## Article The AEWV is New Zealand's main employer-sponsored work visa, and the order of steps matters: you cannot start the process yourself. The facts below come from Immigration New Zealand (INZ), VFS Global and the New Zealand Government, as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For visitor and student visas, see our New Zealand visa guide for Indians. ### What must a New Zealand employer do before you can apply? Two employer steps come before any application from you. - Accreditation. The employer must hold AEWV accreditation from INZ. - Job check. The employer must have an approved job check for the specific role. The job must be full-time (at least 30 hours a week) and paid at least the market rate. Only then does the employer offer you the job and send you a link to apply online. If an employer asks you to apply first and promises to sort out accreditation later, the order is wrong. Some work cannot be offered under an AEWV at all: horticulture or viticulture crop work, fishing crew and self-employment. Seasonal roles go through separate employer-led visas, the Global Workforce Seasonal Visa and the Peak Seasonal Visa, which also need an AEWV-accredited employer with an approved seasonal job check. ### What do you need ready when the link arrives? INZ assesses you against the job. Most of these documents take time to collect from India, so start early. - Skills evidence: 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. This is not needed if the job is on the Green List, you hold the required occupational registration, or you are paid at least NZD 67.12 an hour. - Third-party proof of experience: employment certificates, payslips or tax certificates. A CV alone is not enough. - Qualification assessment: an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) from NZQA if your overseas qualification is below a bachelor's degree. - English: required for jobs at ANZSCO/NOL skill level 3 to 5, through citizenship or study evidence or a test result no more than 2 years old. From 1 June 2026 the minimum (IELTS 4.0 or equivalent) also applies to skill level 3 roles. Skill level 1 and 2 jobs are exempt. - Health and character: a chest X-ray if you will stay more than 6 months (India is not a low-TB country), and police certificates if you are 17 or older and will spend 24 months or longer in New Zealand. - Occupational registration, if the job needs it in New Zealand. ### How long does each stage take? INZ publishes a timeframe for its own decision, not for the employer's steps. The table shows what is and is not published. StageWho actsOfficial timeframe or costEmployer accreditationEmployerNot in the INZ pages checked; ask your employer where it standsJob check approvalEmployerNot in the INZ pages checkedJob offer and application linkEmployer to youFollows the approved job checkYour AEWV applicationYou, onlineNZD 1,540INZ decisionImmigration New Zealand80% within 5.5 weeks; Green List roles prioritised without an escalation requestPassport handling, if INZ asksYou, at VFS New Delhi, Chandigarh or MumbaiHandling fee INR 1,460INZ usually allocates applications in the order received. Escalation is considered only for a compelling or very important reason, such as compelling personal or business circumstances, humanitarian factors or the national interest, and it affects only when your file is allocated, not the decision. ### What does it cost, and what can an employer not charge you? The AEWV costs NZD 1,540 for an Indian citizen applying from outside New Zealand: an NZD 480 application fee plus an NZD 1,060 immigration levy. AEWVs are exempt from the NZD 100 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy. INZ publishes no rupee amount; only VFS fees are published in INR. INZ is clear on one point: employers or agents cannot charge you for a job or for recruitment costs. INZ declines applications where money was offered for a job offer, and it warns that job offer scams are common in India and South Asia. ### How do you check that a New Zealand job offer is genuine? - Ask the employer to confirm its accreditation and that the job check for your role is approved. A real offer comes with an online application link from the employer. - Walk away from anyone asking for money to secure the job. Paying for a job offer can get your AEWV declined. - Check that the role is not in an excluded category, such as crop work in horticulture or viticulture, fishing crew or self-employment. - Check the hours and pay: at least 30 hours a week and at least the market rate. ### How long can you stay, and what comes after? An 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 to 5 jobs, after which you normally spend 12 months outside New Zealand. Your partner and children cannot be included in your AEWV, but they may get visitor, work or student visas depending on your pay and skill level. For your partner to get a Partner of a Worker Work Visa, you must earn at least NZD 28 an hour if your AEWV job is at ANZSCO level 1 to 3. The AEWV can lead to residence. The Skilled Migrant Category and the Straight to Residence Visa (for Tier 1 Green List jobs) both need a full-time job with an accredited employer and an age of 55 or younger. On arrival, AEWV holders may be asked to show evidence of their job offer. One development to watch: the New Zealand-India Free Trade Agreement enters into force on 20 October 2026, with new India Skilled Work and India Iconic Work visas. INZ had not published application details when these facts were checked. If you need a flight reservation or a cover letter for a visitor visa while you job-hunt from India, Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares them, from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or contact us. ### Frequently asked questions #### Can I apply for a New Zealand work visa without a job offer? Not for the AEWV. It requires a job offer from an AEWV-accredited employer with an approved job check, and the employer sends you the link to apply. India is also not on New Zealand's working holiday list as at October 2026. #### Do I have to visit VFS for a New Zealand work visa? Only if INZ asks for your passport. The AEWV is applied for online, and VFS centres in New Delhi, Chandigarh and Mumbai handle the passport for a handling fee of INR 1,460. #### Is IELTS required for an AEWV? It depends on the job's skill level. Jobs at ANZSCO/NOL skill level 3 to 5 need English evidence, and from 1 June 2026 the IELTS 4.0 or equivalent minimum also covers skill level 3. Skill level 1 and 2 jobs are exempt. #### Can my spouse work in New Zealand if I get an AEWV? Your spouse cannot be included in your AEWV but may qualify for a Partner of a Worker Work Visa, which costs NZD 1,630 and has an INZ timeframe of 80% within 6 weeks. Eligibility depends on your pay and job level. ## Steps 1. **Confirm the employer's accreditation** — Ask the New Zealand employer to confirm it is AEWV-accredited with INZ and that the job check for your role is approved. 2. **Receive the offer and application link** — Accept a full-time offer (at least 30 hours a week, at least the market rate) and wait for the employer's link to apply online. 3. **Collect your skills evidence** — Gather third-party proof of at least 2 years' relevant experience or your qualification, and an NZQA International Qualification Assessment if your qualification is below a bachelor's degree. 4. **Arrange English, medical and police evidence** — Get an English test result if your job is skill level 3 to 5, a chest X-ray for stays over 6 months, and police certificates if they apply to you. 5. **Apply online and pay** — Submit the AEWV application through the employer's link and pay NZD 1,540; INZ decides 80% of applications within 5.5 weeks. 6. **Send your passport only if asked** — If INZ requests your passport, submit it at VFS New Delhi, Chandigarh or Mumbai and pay the INR 1,460 handling fee. ## FAQ ### Can I apply for a New Zealand work visa without a job offer? Not for the AEWV. It requires a job offer from an AEWV-accredited employer with an approved job check, and the employer sends you the link to apply. India is also not on New Zealand's working holiday list as at October 2026. ### Do I have to visit VFS for a New Zealand work visa? Only if INZ asks for your passport. The AEWV is applied for online, and VFS centres in New Delhi, Chandigarh and Mumbai handle the passport for a handling fee of INR 1,460. ### Is IELTS required for an AEWV? It depends on the job's skill level. Jobs at ANZSCO/NOL skill level 3 to 5 need English evidence, and from 1 June 2026 the IELTS 4.0 or equivalent minimum also covers skill level 3. Skill level 1 and 2 jobs are exempt. ### Can my spouse work in New Zealand if I get an AEWV? Your spouse cannot be included in your AEWV but may qualify for a Partner of a Worker Work Visa, which costs NZD 1,630 and has an INZ timeframe of 80% within 6 weeks. Eligibility depends on your pay and job level. ## Sources 1. [Immigration New Zealand - Accredited Employer Work Visa](https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/accredited-employer-work-visa/) — Immigration New Zealand 2. [English language requirement extended to AEWV skill level 3 roles (25 May 2026)](https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/english-language-requirement-extended-aewv-skill-level-3-roles) — New Zealand Government (Beehive) 3. [VFS Global - NZ Passport handling for online applications](https://visa.vfsglobal.com/ind/en/nzl/passport-handling) — VFS Global 4. [NZ-India FTA key outcomes](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