Immigration changes are coming
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) announced on 7 May 2021, a new Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) with the purpose of replacing six current Employer-assisted work visas (including Essential Skills). In short, this means Employers have to apply and be granted Accreditation in order to offer employment to migrant workers on employer-based work visas from 1 November 2021.
Key Dates
· Current Accredited Employer application process will close on 30 June 2021
· Essential Skills Work and Work to Residency Work Visas will close on 31 October 2021
· New Accredited Employer Work Visa application process will start 01 November 2021
The AEWV will be ‘Employer-Led’, meaning that there will be a 3-stage process where the Employer will need to be accredited, complete a labour market test and once INZ have approved this, the migrant will then undergo their checks.
It’s important to prepare for the application to show that your HR practices are of a high standard and that you have good workplace practices in place, this includes ensuring your Employment Agreements, Handbooks and Policies meet current employment legislation.
INZ will likely be inundated with AEWV applications from 1 November; as such it is recommended that you review the expiry dates of any current work visas for your Employees, and if these expire in November/December 2021, your Employee may be best to apply for another work visa (keeping the above dates in mind), to allow for a ‘grace period’, as they may be caught in limbo, or without a valid work visa, if your accreditation application does not get approved prior to their work visa expiring.
For more information on the new process and criteria, we recommend you click here to check out INZ’s update. If you would like a snap-shot complimentary review of your Employment Agreement, please contact the People Passion team.
Please note, People Passion are not licensed immigration advisors and this article is provided for general information purposes only. If you need immigration advice, specific to your needs, we recommend seeking specialist support from a licensed immigration advisor.
KRISTA MCDOWELL
HR Partner