{"id":185,"date":"2024-02-20T08:10:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-20T07:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/?p=185"},"modified":"2026-09-14T15:31:56","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T14:31:56","slug":"guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\/","title":{"rendered":"New Zealand Accredited Employer Work Visa: 2026 Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong>Accredited Employer Work Visa<\/strong> lost its national salary floor in March 2025, and it was the largest liberalisation of any English-speaking work route in recent years. It got almost no attention, and a lot of advice still quotes a threshold that no longer applies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The important part is what replaced it, because the constraint moved rather than disappeared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_88 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\/#What_the_salary_rule_is_now\" >What the salary rule is now<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\/#The_median_wage_still_decides_four_things\" >The median wage still decides four things<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\/#Accreditation_is_the_real_filter\" >Accreditation is the real filter<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\/#Where_the_AEWV_leads\" >Where the AEWV leads<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\/#How_New_Zealand_compares\" >How New Zealand compares<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\/#What_to_do\" >What to do<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_the_salary_rule_is_now\"><\/span><strong>What the salary rule is now<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There is <strong>no national salary threshold<\/strong> on the AEWV. Instead, two conditions apply together:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Your pay must be the <strong>market rate<\/strong> for that job, in that region. What a New Zealander doing the same work in the same place would be paid.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It must be at or above the <strong>adult minimum wage<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That is a meaningfully different test and it cuts both ways. A role that failed the old median wage test can now be sponsored, which opens the route to a great many jobs it previously excluded. But &#8220;market rate&#8221; is assessed locally, so a national figure you find online tells you nothing about whether a specific offer qualifies. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.immigration.govt.nz\/about-us\/media-centre\/changes-to-the-accredited-employer-work-visa-and-median-wage\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Immigration New Zealand sets out what changed<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_median_wage_still_decides_four_things\"><\/span><strong>The median wage still decides four things<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is where people get caught. The median wage rose to <strong>NZD 35.00 an hour on 9 March 2026<\/strong> and remains embedded in the rules, just not as an entry threshold:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>What it gates<\/th><th>The multiple<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Exemption from advertising, and from minimum skill requirements<\/td><td>Roles paid at least <strong>twice<\/strong> the median wage<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>The maximum five-year stay for certain lower-skilled roles<\/td><td>Roles paid at least <strong>1.5 times<\/strong> the median wage<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Income thresholds for supporting a partner and dependent children<\/td><td>Indexed to the median wage<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Skilled residence pathways, including the Skilled Migrant Category, Green List residence and Transport Work to Residence<\/td><td>Indexed to the median wage<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption>What the NZD 35.00 median wage still controls in 2026.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Read the third row carefully if you are moving with family. The entry threshold for you was removed; the income threshold for bringing your partner and children was not, and it rises with the median wage every year. A job that gets you in does not automatically get them in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Accreditation_is_the_real_filter\"><\/span><strong>Accreditation is the real filter<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The clue is in the name. You cannot be sponsored by any New Zealand employer, only by an <strong>accredited<\/strong> one, and accreditation is something the employer applies for and maintains rather than something you can supply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In practice that is what filters the market. Large employers and established recruiters hold accreditation; many small businesses do not and will not go through the process for one hire. So the productive search is not for a job and then a visa, it is <strong>for an accredited employer<\/strong>, and then a job with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ask the question directly and early. An employer who does not know whether they are accredited is not accredited, and the conversation can stop there rather than three interviews later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_the_AEWV_leads\"><\/span><strong>Where the AEWV leads<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The AEWV is a work visa, not residence. The residence step is the <strong>Skilled Migrant Category<\/strong>, and it changed too:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You must be <strong>55 or younger<\/strong>. A hard limit, not a scoring factor.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You need <strong>six points from a single skill category<\/strong>: occupational registration, a qualification, or income. You cannot add categories together.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If your strongest category falls short of six, <strong>the balance can only come from skilled work experience gained in New Zealand<\/strong>. Which is precisely why most people arrive on an AEWV first.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Two pathways were added in 2026 and both widen eligibility: a <strong>Skilled Work Experience Pathway<\/strong> for roles at ANZSCO skill levels 1 to 3, and a <strong>Trades and Technician Pathway<\/strong>. If you assessed this route before and did not qualify, it is worth reassessing. Detail in <a href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/how-to-get-a-skilled-migrant-visa-for-new-zealand\/\">the Skilled Migrant Category and its six points<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_New_Zealand_compares\"><\/span><strong>How New Zealand compares<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Worth putting beside the alternatives, because on the entry test New Zealand is now among the easiest English-speaking destinations and almost nobody has noticed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Country<\/th><th>What you must clear<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>New Zealand<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Market rate and the minimum wage.<\/strong> No national threshold<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Ireland<\/td><td>EUR 40,904 with a relevant degree<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Australia<\/td><td>AUD 79,423, and AUD 4,015 per adult in visa charges<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>United Kingdom<\/td><td>GBP 41,700, plus GBP 1,035 per person per year in health surcharge<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption>Entry thresholds compared, 2026. New Zealand&#8217;s is the only one that is not a number.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The trade-off is accreditation, which is a narrower employer pool rather than a higher bar. Full comparison in <a href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/the-easiest-countries-to-move-to-from-the-us-as-a-skilled-worker\/\">the easiest countries to move to<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_to_do\"><\/span><strong>What to do<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Search for accredited employers, not for jobs.<\/strong> It is the binding constraint and it is a fact about them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ignore any national salary threshold you read.<\/strong> Ask what the market rate is for that role in that region.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>If you are bringing family, check the partner and dependent income thresholds separately.<\/strong> They are still indexed to the median wage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Plan the residence step from the start.<\/strong> The Skilled Migrant Category top-up points can only be earned in New Zealand, so the work visa is the route to residence rather than a detour.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Never pay for a job offer.<\/strong> The employer carries the sponsorship cost.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/new-zealand-recovery-visa-get-a-free-work-visa-in-1-week\/\">New Zealand&#8217;s fast-track work visa<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/common-visa-application-mistakes\/\">common visa application mistakes<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/jobs\">Browse shortage jobs with visa sponsorship<\/a> on our board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Last checked September 2026. The median wage is reviewed annually and rose on 9 March 2026. Employer accreditation status changes, so confirm it with Immigration New Zealand rather than taking an employer&#8217;s word for it.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Accredited Employer Work Visa lost its national salary floor in March 2025, and it was the largest liberalisation of any English-speaking work route in&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":645,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"2","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\/","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-185","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general","category-new-zealand"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>New Zealand Accredited Employer Work Visa: 2026 Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Accredited Employer Work Visa dropped its median wage requirement in 2025. What replaced it, and what the median wage still decides.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"New Zealand Accredited Employer Work Visa: 2026 Guide\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Accredited Employer Work Visa dropped its median wage requirement in 2025. What replaced it, and what the median wage still decides.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Shortage Jobs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/facebook.com\/shortagejobs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-02-20T07:10:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-14T14:31:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/NZAccredited.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Shortage Jobs\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@shortagejobs\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@shortagejobs\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Shortage Jobs\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Shortage Jobs\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/04fe41817fbcc9d32d0b6ecfd9eb32ec\"},\"headline\":\"New Zealand Accredited Employer Work Visa: 2026 Guide\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-02-20T07:10:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-14T14:31:56+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":889,\"commentCount\":3,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/02\\\/NZAccredited.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"General\",\"New Zealand\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\\\/\",\"name\":\"New Zealand Accredited Employer Work Visa: 2026 Guide\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/02\\\/NZAccredited.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-02-20T07:10:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-14T14:31:56+00:00\",\"description\":\"The Accredited Employer Work Visa dropped its median wage requirement in 2025. What replaced it, and what the median wage still decides.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/02\\\/NZAccredited.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/02\\\/NZAccredited.png\",\"width\":1280,\"height\":720,\"caption\":\"New Zealand Accredited Employer Work Visa\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"New Zealand Accredited Employer Work Visa: 2026 Guide\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Shortage Jobs\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Shortage Jobs\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/01\\\/cropped-logo-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/01\\\/cropped-logo-1.png\",\"width\":1668,\"height\":699,\"caption\":\"Shortage Jobs\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/facebook.com\\\/shortagejobs\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/shortagejobs\",\"https:\\\/\\\/instagram.com\\\/shortagejobs\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/04fe41817fbcc9d32d0b6ecfd9eb32ec\",\"name\":\"Shortage Jobs\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cd517821a0f48b6ebdcc8eb9581de6b8bf5d1a0c522f9bbf2395c1cf744de17f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cd517821a0f48b6ebdcc8eb9581de6b8bf5d1a0c522f9bbf2395c1cf744de17f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cd517821a0f48b6ebdcc8eb9581de6b8bf5d1a0c522f9bbf2395c1cf744de17f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Shortage Jobs\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shortagejobs.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/targ\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"New Zealand Accredited Employer Work Visa: 2026 Guide","description":"The Accredited Employer Work Visa dropped its median wage requirement in 2025. What replaced it, and what the median wage still decides.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"New Zealand Accredited Employer Work Visa: 2026 Guide","og_description":"The Accredited Employer Work Visa dropped its median wage requirement in 2025. What replaced it, and what the median wage still decides.","og_url":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\/","og_site_name":"Shortage Jobs","article_publisher":"https:\/\/facebook.com\/shortagejobs","article_published_time":"2024-02-20T07:10:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-09-14T14:31:56+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1280,"height":720,"url":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/NZAccredited.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Shortage Jobs","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@shortagejobs","twitter_site":"@shortagejobs","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Shortage Jobs","Estimated reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\/"},"author":{"name":"Shortage Jobs","@id":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/04fe41817fbcc9d32d0b6ecfd9eb32ec"},"headline":"New Zealand Accredited Employer Work Visa: 2026 Guide","datePublished":"2024-02-20T07:10:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-14T14:31:56+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\/"},"wordCount":889,"commentCount":3,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/NZAccredited.png","articleSection":["General","New Zealand"],"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\/","url":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\/","name":"New Zealand Accredited Employer Work Visa: 2026 Guide","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/NZAccredited.png","datePublished":"2024-02-20T07:10:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-14T14:31:56+00:00","description":"The Accredited Employer Work Visa dropped its median wage requirement in 2025. What replaced it, and what the median wage still decides.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/NZAccredited.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/NZAccredited.png","width":1280,"height":720,"caption":"New Zealand Accredited Employer Work Visa"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/guide-to-new-zealands-accredited-employer-work-visa\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"New Zealand Accredited Employer Work Visa: 2026 Guide"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/","name":"Shortage Jobs","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Shortage Jobs","url":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/cropped-logo-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/cropped-logo-1.png","width":1668,"height":699,"caption":"Shortage Jobs"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/facebook.com\/shortagejobs","https:\/\/x.com\/shortagejobs","https:\/\/instagram.com\/shortagejobs"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/04fe41817fbcc9d32d0b6ecfd9eb32ec","name":"Shortage Jobs","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cd517821a0f48b6ebdcc8eb9581de6b8bf5d1a0c522f9bbf2395c1cf744de17f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cd517821a0f48b6ebdcc8eb9581de6b8bf5d1a0c522f9bbf2395c1cf744de17f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cd517821a0f48b6ebdcc8eb9581de6b8bf5d1a0c522f9bbf2395c1cf744de17f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Shortage Jobs"},"url":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/author\/targ\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/NZAccredited.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/185","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=185"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/185\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1741,"href":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/185\/revisions\/1741"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/645"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=185"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=185"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=185"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}