What immigration changes can employers expect in 2025?4 Feb 2025

Over the last few years employers have been at the receiving end of a myriad of immigration policy changes which have significantly impacted on their ability to employ overseas workers. Visa compliance requirements and costs have also been significantly raised during this time, and when many businesses are simply trying to stay afloat.

While employers continue to seek the skills they need from the local market, the reality remains that these skills are not always available and employers have no choice but to look for these from offshore - and around 35,000 Accredited Employer Work Visas were issued in 2024.

It is understandable that employers are becoming “gun shy” of more policy changes but the recently announced below AEWV changes are a step in the right direction, and should lead to less changes being required in the longer term.


  • Removing the mandatory requirement for employers and migrant employees to complete the Employment NZ online modules (effective 27 January)

  • Reducing the local workforce threshold for employers of certain construction roles from 35% to 15% (also effective 27 January)

  • In March, the median wage threshold (currently $29.66ph) will be removed and employers will then need to pay the market rate relevant to the job and location. This change should see payrates better reflect market conditions rather than the arbitrary median pay threshold that has impacted on payrates

  • The requirement for relevant work experience of at least 3 years (for all AEWV applicants) will be reduced to 2 years in March. This will benefit a number of lower skilled roles that did not actually require 3 years’ experience to perform in the role

  • At this same time, the duration of work visas for lower-skilled roles will increase from 2 years to 3 years, and INZ will also accept an employer’s declaration that they have engaged in good faith with Work and Income to seek available NZ candidates for these roles

  • In April, AEWV applicants who are applying from any previous work visa, and from many student visas, can be issued interim visas with work rights to enable them to commence/continue in their work role while awaiting the outcome of their AEWV application

  • Around mid-year, a revised Job Check application process will be introduced to enable streamlining for low-risk employers. The Job Check is the process to evidence an employer has made genuine attempts to recruit a NZer for the role.

  • Last year, changes were also made to allow partners of AEWV holders to have non-restricted work rights and this benefited many NZ employers

It is also expected that the Skilled Migrant residence settings will be revised this year to refocus the eligibility criteria on the skillsets NZ wishes/needs to retain (eg; skilled tradespeople) in the long term. This revision is important to avoid these workers having to leave New Zealand when their AEWV expires. Having a pathway to residence for these workers will also help them plan their future in NZ rather than having to look offshore to achieve their residence goal.

So while employers are up for even more changes in 2025 the light is at the end of the tunnel, and, for once, we expect these changes will be welcomed by most employers!

Link: First Published in the Waikato Business News, February 2025 Edition, Page 9