Overview
Getting an employer accreditation number with Immigration New Zealand would mean that the employer would be able
to offer a more attractive employment package to its key employees it wishes to secure long term.
The accreditation will enable key employees to apply for their work visas under the Talent Visa (Accredited
Employers) Category, which has a number of advantages. The advantages of applying under this category
are:
- Labour market test is not required (no waiting around to run advertisements)
- Applications will be prioritised by Immigration New Zealand
- If successful, work visa will be valid for 30 months (longer visa term means more stability)
- The holders of Talent Visas can, after 2 years of full time employment with the employer, can apply
for residence under the Residence from Work Category (from the employee's perspective, getting
the Talent Visa and going through the Residence from Work Category would be a more attractive
option compared to the Skilled Migrant Category, as the Skilled Migrant Category is tougher to
navigate through).
However, Getting an employer accreditation number is not a straight forward process and Immigration New Zealand will
want to see supporting documents that will show that the employer is:
- In a sound financial position
- Its human resource policies and processes are of a high standard
- Can demonstrate its commitment to employing New Zealand citizens and residents
- Has good workplace practices
All offers of employment provided as part of a Talent Visa (Accredited Employer) application will need
to meet certain criteria, including: the offered position being for a term of at least 2 years, base
salary of at least $55,000 per annum, full time, etc. An employer accreditation will be valid for
12 months, and a new accreditation application must be made at the expiry of the initial 12 months
term in order to retain the accreditation status.
Get advice
Many issues that you were not aware of could surface when you lodge an Employer Accreditation Number application to Immigration New Zealand,
so it will be worth getting proper advice and guidance from the beginning.
