Accredited Employer Work Visa Wage Settings Adjusted with Annual Median-Wage Increase in New Zealand
What changed
New Zealand has changed the wage rules for the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV). This happened after the yearly increase in the immigration median wage. From 9 March 2026, New Zealand's immigration median wage rose from NZD $33.56 to NZD $35.00 per hour. This change is based on wage data from June 2025. It is important to know that this change does not bring back a general minimum wage for the AEWV. New Zealand removed the general median wage requirement for AEWV applications on 10 March 2025. Employers must instead pay migrant workers at least the market rate in New Zealand for the job. They must also follow the minimum wage laws and any rules specific to the occupation. However, several AEWV rules that still use the median wage have increased: * NZD $28.00 per hour: This is 80% of the median wage. It applies to certain rules for partner work visas. * NZD $35.00 per hour: This is the median wage. It includes some rules for the Green List and family visas. * NZD $52.50 per hour: This is 150% of the median wage. It applies to some lower-skilled AEWV holders who support partners and to some maximum stay rules. * NZD $70.00 per hour: This is twice the median wage. It applies to some cases where jobs do not need to be advertised or meet minimum skill requirements. So, the main policy change is an automatic update to wage-related limits. These limits change with the median wage. It is not a general increase in the salary needed to get an AEWV.
The detail
Policy history
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