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How to Become an Accredited Business
In our latest LinkedIn newsletter, we took a deep dive into the most common visa employers will deal with, the 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐚 (𝐀𝐄𝐖𝐕). In this blog post we we will simplify the steps required to become an immigration-accredited business.
A few weeks ago, we welcomed Naoimh McAllister, a workplace law specialist from Copeland Ashcroft workplace lawyers, to host a workshop on the basics of the current common visa options. The most common visa employers will deal with is the Accredited Employee Work Visa (AEWV). There is a simple three-step process an employer needs to complete to become accredited. Becoming an immigration-accredited business means you have complied with the immigration standards required to hire a migrant worker.
Applying for Employer Accreditation
There are one in four different levels of accreditation your business can apply for:
Standard $750- The business is expected to employ up to five migrants
High volume $122- The organisation must employ six or more migrants
Franchise $1980- This applies to companies that are part of a franchise. No limit to how many migrants you can hire.
Third-Party $3870- A company hires employees from another employer and controls those employees as if they were the direct employer. No limit on hiring numbers.
All of the above costs need to be covered by the employer. Accreditation lasts 12 months. Before this expires, you must apply for a renewal that will last two years. The candidate owns the visa, but it is linked to the employer. The employer leads the process.
Job Check and Advertisement
For your application to succeed, the job advertisement, employee agreement document, and offer must all align with one another. E.g. job title and the duties of the role, remuneration and salary. If you do not meet the criteria, New Zealand immigration will require you to fix the advertisement and repost it for two weeks (it must be on Seek or TradeMe).
From February 2023, the median wage for AEWV visa holders will be a minimum of $29.66 hourly and a minimum of 30 hours a week. This will be the minimum a visa holder on an AEWV can earn. Estimate of $62,000 annually. An offer is suggested at $65,000 annually for additional flexibility if they work over 40 hours. There are temporary exemptions for some roles in hospitality and care sectors where the median wage is temporary $25.00 per hour and $25.39, respectively.
Migrant Application
$750 (candidate cost)- Once the job check has been approved, the migrant can apply for a visa. The final stage of the process is expected to take around 20 working days to complete.
Other current Visas which may be available depending on the personal circumstances of the applicant:
Partnership-Based Work Visa
Working Holiday Visa
Post-Study Work Visa
Student Visa
Thank you to Naoimh McAllister for giving our team so much valuable information. If you need any assistance applying for employer Accreditation, don't hesitate to get in touch with Naoimh.