Work visa applicants stung by market rate wages

Do your homework before you hire. Pay rates under the AEWV are under closer scrutiny.

Since 10 March 2025, people applying for an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) must be paid at the market rate for the job they have been offered, and at least the minimum wage. The minimum wage increased to $23.50 per hour on 1 April 2025.

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Problems emerging with pay rates

We are seeing some employers and visa applicants run into problems when Immigration New Zealand (INZ) decides that the job offer is not being paid at the market rate. The focus of the problem is usually because the low end of the advertised pay rate is considered below the market rate. While there is usually a fix, it can be time consuming and cause delays. Best to just avoid having the argument.

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INZ uses public pay data

INZ uses several sources to assess whether or not a role is being paid at market rate. Most of these are publicly available, such as Seek or careers.govt.nz. In our experience, INZ appears to rely more heavily on Seek, as its pay/wage data is more current.

Before posting a job advert or lodging a job check, it pays to check on Seek. Is the pay rate (both the lower and top end) within the typical range? Look at both the national average and the local rates in the city or region where the job is based. Check out both the salary and hour wage ranges on the Seek platform.

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AEWV uptake remains high

Employer accreditation opened on 23 May 2022, followed by job check applications on 20 June 2022 and AEWV applications from 4 July 2022.

As at 19 May 2025:

• 148,813 AEWV applications have been approved
• 24,334 employers are accredited
• 81,899 people hold an AEWV

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Plan ahead and get advice

Don’t let pay rates spoil your international recruitment plans. Talk to our employer specialists to get the best immigration advice for your business.