Positive immigration changes for 2025

The government announced a raft of changes to the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) scheme. There is good news for employers and migrant workers. This year migrant workers can look forward to:

• The removal of the median wage as a requirement to qualify for an AEWV. In March 2025 the rules will require that employers pay at least the minimum wage (which will be $23.50 an hour from 1 April). Immigration NZ will still check that a job is paying the "market rate". Migrant workers and employers will need to make sure a job is not paying less than what a Kiwi would expect to earn to do the same job.

• From March 2025, migrant workers need to prove two years of work experience relevant to the job offered in NZ. This is a reduction to the 3 years of relevant work experience currently required. A qualification that is equal to a New Zealand Level 4 qualification or higher can substitute for the work experience requirement.

• People applying for AEWVs in lower-skilled jobs will be granted the maximum 3-year work visa in the first visa application rather than 2 years and then later have to apply for a further 1 year visa. A work visa valid for 3 years is the maximum time a person can work in New Zealand to work in lower-skilled jobs. Anyone who holds a 2-year AEWV can apply for another 1 year. These changes roll out in March.

• Migrant workers who want to bring their children to NZ on a temporary visa will need to earn at least $55,844 a year from March 2025. This minimum income requirement has not changed since 2019 so, it's quite a jump but to be expected.

• In April, there will be an opportunity for some workers and students to receive an Interim Visa with work rights while the AEWV is under assessment. This means people can get to work sooner rather than having to wait for the visa application to be processed and decided, which may take several months.

• The Skilled Migrant Category (points system) will be reviewed this year. Hopefully, changes will allow more people to qualify for residence without having to wait a minimum of 3 years before they can apply. There needs to be a solution for trade workers and several other occupations that are closed out from applying for residence once they start work in New Zealand.

• The Parent Boost Visa is expected later this year. This temporary visa will allow parents to be in New Zealand for up to 10 years. Eligibility criteria are yet to be worked out but expect a high standard of health and some form of comprehensive health/travel insurance to avoid anyone becoming a burden on the New Zealand health system.

The details of these changes and how they will work in practice are important to the outcome of visa applications. We will keep you updated through our regular newsletter. If you have questions or need immigration advice contact our team today.