Guide on Employer Accreditation

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.