NZ skilled work visas for Brits: AEWV and SMC

New Zealand doesn't give Brits any special treatment for work visas, so the job offer comes first and residence comes later.

The short version

The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is the main work visa. You need a job offer from an accredited employer with an approved job check, at least 30 hours a week, and two years' relevant experience or a qualification at level 4 or above [2].
It lasts up to five years for most jobs (three years for lower-skilled roles), costs from NZD 1,540 (about £640), and 80% of applications are decided within five weeks [2].
The Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) resident visa uses a six-point system: points for a qualification, NZ occupational registration or pay, topped up by NZ work experience. Two newer pathways reward work experience and trades [3].
The Green List gives some jobs a shortcut: Tier 1 for a Straight to Residence Visa, Tier 2 for a Work to Residence Visa after 24 months in the job [4][5].
Residence visas under the SMC and Work to Residence cost from NZD 6,450 (about £2,690) and you must be 55 or younger when you apply [3][5].

The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)

Think of the AEWV as the Kiwi version of the UK's Skilled Worker visa, with the employer doing much of the heavy lifting. It works in three stages:

Employer accreditation. The business must be accredited by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) to hire migrants on the AEWV [2]. Many large Auckland employers already are; smaller firms may need to apply.
The job check. The employer shows INZ that the job, pay and conditions meet the rules, and gets an approved job check for your specific role [2].
Your visa application. Only then do you apply, with your passport, evidence of experience or qualifications, and health and character documents.

What you need

According to INZ [2]:

a job offer for at least 30 hours a week, paid at least the required wage for that job (INZ publishes the rates on its wage rates page)
two years or more of relevant work experience in the same field, or a qualification at level 4 or higher on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (a bachelor's degree or higher can be in any field)

If the job pays at least NZD 67.12 an hour (about £28), which is twice the 2024 median wage, you don't need to show experience or qualifications at all [2].

How long it lasts and what it costs

AEWV detail	What INZ says [2]
Maximum stay	Up to 5 years for most jobs; 3 years for jobs at ANZSCO or NOL skill level 4 or 5
Fee	From NZD 1,540 (about £640)
Processing	80% within 5 weeks
Partner and children	Can't be included on your AEWV, but you may be able to support their own visas, depending on your pay and job skill level

That last point surprises a lot of British families. Your partner and children apply for their own visitor, work or student visas, and whether you can support them depends on what you earn and how skilled the job is. Check this before you sign a contract, not after.

Pound conversions use the Bank of England spot rate of 5 November 2026 (£1 = NZD 2.4016).

The Skilled Migrant Category: six points to residence

The SMC is the main route to a resident visa for people already working in New Zealand. You need six skilled resident points [3]. Take three to six points from one of these, then add up to three for skilled work in New Zealand.

Points from qualifications, registration or pay

Category	Points [3]
Doctorate (level 10), NZ or international	6
Master's (level 9)	6 if done in NZ with 30 weeks full-time study and a bachelor's; otherwise 5 for NZ, 5 for international
Honours or postgraduate (level 8)	5 from NZ (with a bachelor's), 4 international
Bachelor's (level 7)	5 from NZ, 4 international
NZ occupational registration	6 for 6 years' training, down to 3 for 2 years'
Pay at 3 times the SMC wage threshold	6
Pay at 2 times the threshold	4
Pay at 1.5 times the threshold	3

INZ says three times the threshold is currently NZD 105 an hour (about £44), which puts the threshold itself at NZD 35 an hour (about £15) [3]. International qualifications usually need an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) from the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, and its reference number goes on your application [3].

Points for NZ work experience

Most British applicants won't hit six points from a degree alone, which is where Kiwi work experience comes in [3]:

Skilled work in NZ	Extra points
1 year	1
1.5 years	2
2 years	3

The work must be full-time (30 hours or more a week) and meet the pay rule [3]. So a British graduate with a bachelor's degree (4 points) needs two years of skilled work in Auckland to reach six. That's why the usual British route is AEWV first, SMC second.

The two newer pathways

INZ has added two routes for people without enough points [3]:

Skilled Work Experience pathway: a job at ANZSCO skill level 1 to 3 paid at least 1.1 times the SMC threshold, three years' relevant experience within the last 10 years, and two years' skilled work in New Zealand. Jobs on the Red List or at skill levels 4 and 5 don't qualify.
Trades and Technician pathway: an eligible trades or technician job paid at least the threshold, a relevant qualification at level 4 or higher, two and a half years' post-qualification experience and one and a half years' skilled work in New Zealand.

For British electricians, plumbers, builders and engineering technicians, the trades pathway is worth a proper look.

How applying works

Check you meet a pathway and get your IQA if you need one.
Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) online. It's free [3].
If you qualify, INZ emails you an invitation to apply (ITA).
Apply within four months of the ITA, under the pathway you were invited for [3].

You must be 55 or younger, and you, your partner and dependants aged 16 or over must meet the English requirement. Where you use English test results, they can be no more than two years old when you apply (five years for some occupational registrations) [3]. Being British doesn't automatically tick this box, so check which evidence INZ accepts before booking a test you may not need. The visa costs from NZD 6,450 (about £2,690) [3].

The Green List shortcut

The Green List names jobs New Zealand is short of. It has two tiers [4]:

Tier 1 jobs can lead to a Straight to Residence Visa, so you can apply for residence straight away.
Tier 2 jobs lead to a Work to Residence Visa after 24 months in the job, within the 30 months before you apply. The 24 months can be split into stretches [5].

For Work to Residence, you must work for an accredited employer, in a full-time job that is permanent or at least 12 months long, paid at least the required wage, and be 55 or younger. It costs from NZD 6,450 [5]. Many healthcare, engineering and construction roles are on the list, but the list changes, so search INZ's Green List tool for your exact job title and qualification before you plan around it.

What to sort out back home

A work visa in Auckland isn't the end of the paperwork in Blighty.

Tell HMRC you're leaving. If you don't normally do Self Assessment, that usually means form P85 [1]. Our guide to leaving the UK and the P85 explains the last tax year, and split-year treatment may apply.
Get your police certificate early. INZ asks for police certificates for residence, and an ACRO certificate from the UK can take a while.
Think about your National Insurance record. Gaps can hurt your UK State Pension, and New Zealand is a frozen-pension country. See the frozen UK State Pension in New Zealand.

Immigration rules change regularly. If your case is borderline, a licensed immigration adviser or a lawyer can check it. Want to hear how other Brits got their AEWV sorted? Our community group for Brits in New Zealand is full of people who've been through it.

Skilled Migrant and Accredited Employer visas: how Brits get to work, and stay, in New Zealand