New Zealand Work Visa from Pakistan 2026: AEWV Rules, Pay and Costs
New Zealand's Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is the main route for a Pakistani worker to take up a job in New Zealand, and several of its rules moved during 2026. If you have been offered a New Zealand job — or an agent is selling you one — these are the facts to check before you pay anybody.
The AEWV has three stages, not one
You cannot apply for an AEWV on your own. First, the New Zealand employer must be accredited by Immigration New Zealand (INZ). Second, that employer must pass a job check, proving the role is genuine, advertised, and that no suitable New Zealander is available. Only then can you, the worker, lodge your visa application. Any offer that skips the first two stages is not a real AEWV offer.
What changed in 2026
Three changes matter most this year. The immigration median wage rose to NZ$35.00 per hour from 9 March 2026 — it is no longer a blanket minimum, but it still decides some longer-stay and residence thresholds. From 1 June 2026, English language requirements were extended to Skill Level 3 occupations, with a standard of around IELTS 4.0 or an accepted equivalent. And INZ is moving from the old ANZSCO codes to a new National Occupation List, with further occupations added in March 2026 — how your role is classified now affects both your English requirement and how long you may stay.
What you must actually be paid
The blanket median wage requirement was removed from the AEWV in March 2025. Pay must now be the genuine market rate for that role in that region — what a New Zealander doing the same job would earn — and at or above the adult minimum wage, which rose to NZ$23.95 per hour on 1 April 2026. An employer cannot pay minimum wage for a skilled role and expect the job check to pass.
How long you can stay
Lower-skilled roles (broadly skill level 4 and 5) generally carry a maximum continuous stay of about three years, while higher-skilled roles can run to five. Occupations on New Zealand's Green List can open a residence pathway rather than a temporary one, so it is worth checking the list before accepting any offer.
Costs to budget for
- AEWV application: from about NZ$1,540 (roughly NZ$480 application fee plus a NZ$1,060 immigration levy).
- Employer-side costs: accreditation from around NZ$740 and a job check of roughly NZ$610 — these are the employer's to pay, not yours.
- Medical examination and chest X-ray from an INZ-panel doctor.
- Police character certificate, plus attested and translated qualifications.
- English test fee if your occupation now requires one.
Be direct with any agent who asks you to reimburse recruitment or accreditation costs: charging a migrant premium is not permitted in New Zealand.
The Pakistan-side paperwork
Your degrees will normally need HEC attestation followed by MOFA and, where required, embassy attestation and certified translation. You will also need a police character certificate. Before you fly out on an employment visa, Pakistani workers must complete BEOE Protector registration — skipping it can stop you at the airport. See our full visa services page for the documents we handle in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Red flags
Treat these as warnings: a "guaranteed" visa, an employer who will not give you their INZ accreditation details, pressure to pay a large sum before any job check has been approved, or a contract with no named pay rate. Verify the employer, verify the job check, then pay.
Hijrat verifies employer accreditation, prepares your attestations, translations and police certificate, and handles BEOE Protector registration from our Aabpara Market office in Islamabad. Talk to us before any money changes hands.
Disclaimer: fees, wage thresholds and English requirements shown here were correct at the time of writing (August 2026) and change frequently. New Zealand immigration rules are set by Immigration New Zealand, and every visa decision rests with INZ alone. Always confirm current requirements on immigration.govt.nz before applying. Hijrat is a private visa consultancy and is not affiliated with any government.