Notable Changes to the Job Check Form and How These Affect NZ Employers Hiring Staff on AEWV

If you're a New Zealand employer hiring staff on an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV), you may have noticed the changes on the Job Check Form.

From now on, employers are required to include the following information in their Job Check applications:

Employer contact details

Direct contact details for the person offering employment. INZ may contact employers to verify details. 

Number of employees employed in your organisation

This includes NZ citizens, residence visa holders, and work visa holders, including student visa holders with work rights.  

The reason for employing a non-NZ citizen/resident

This is the most significant change in the Job Check Form. Employers must provide more details about why the position was created and the nature of the role. If they request more than one job token, they must provide a sufficient explanation for the multiple tokens required.

Market rate declaration

Employers are now required to make an official declaration that they are offering a salary/wage that is on par with the current market rate for that particular role.

What do these Job Check questions mean for NZ Employers?

INZ is tightening up job check application process, which is long overdue. Since AEWV inception, we’ve had quite relaxed assessments with regard to labour market testing and for most applications, INZ have taken employer declarations at face value.

There will be a greater emphasis on:

• Showing that you’ve made a genuine attempt to recruit & employ locally

• Detailing your recruitment outcome and providing sufficient reasons why you couldn’t hire local 

• The genuineness of the position

• Ensuring that you’re paying a migrant the same as you’d pay a local staff member in the same role 

If you're hiring staff from offshore or those currently on an AEWV and have questions regarding the new changes to the Job Check process, please get in touch today. Email arno@nothandco.com for a chat.