AEWV job offer from Zimbabwe: 4 checks before you accept

Visa guide · 2026-11-01 · 10 min read

A Zimbabwean man reviews a job offer beside a laptop at his kitchen table in Harare in warm morning light.

Yes, a Zimbabwean passport holder can work in New Zealand, but not through a working holiday: Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has no working holiday agreement with Zimbabwe. For most people in Harare, Bulawayo or Mutare, the realistic starting point is a written job offer from an accredited employer, which leads to the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV). Four things get mixed up on the way: the employer's accreditation, the job offer, your own skills evidence and the visa decision. This guide separates them so you can check each one before you resign from anything.

Why a job offer comes first for Zimbabwean passports

INZ publishes a list of countries that have a working holiday agreement with New Zealand. Zimbabwe is not on it, and INZ says that if a country is not listed it cannot give a working holiday visa. A different work visa may be possible instead. You can read the list on the INZ working holiday page.

That is why this page is about the AEWV. The AEWV is for people with a job offer from an accredited employer, who must send the applicant a link to the online application form. Our longer overview, working in New Zealand from Zimbabwe on the AEWV, covers the visa as a whole. If your first interest is Australia, read moving to Australia on the Skills in Demand (482) visa instead.

The four checks, in one table

Check	What it means	Where to confirm it
Employer accreditation	The employer is currently accredited by INZ	INZ accredited employer list
The job offer	At least 30 hours a week, an approved job check, pay at least the market rate	Your written offer and INZ's AEWV page
Your skills evidence	2 years or more of relevant job experience, or a level 4 or higher qualification in the same field	Your own documents and referees
The visa decision	INZ decides your application; nobody else can promise it	Your online application

A tick in one row does not give you a tick in the next. An accredited employer can still make an offer that fails the job requirements, and a strong CV does not make an employer accredited.

Check 1: is the employer accredited?

INZ's accredited employer list lets you check whether an employer is currently accredited by searching its 13-digit New Zealand Business Number (NZBN) or its company or trading name. The list is updated daily. Ask the employer for its NZBN in writing; a real business will have one.

There is one catch. Some accredited employers have chosen not to appear in INZ's search results, so if you cannot find a name, check directly with the employer rather than assuming the worst. The accredited employer list explains the search. For the employer's side of accreditation, Employer Sponsored Jobs has a guide to what a New Zealand business must prove to hire migrants.

Check 2: what a valid AEWV job offer looks like

INZ says the job offer must be for at least 30 hours of work a week, from an accredited employer with an approved job check for the job, and paid at least the market rate for the job. The employment agreement also cannot include unlawful deductions, a trial period or unacceptable bonding clauses.

Some work cannot be offered under the AEWV at all: planting, maintaining, harvesting or packing crops in horticulture or viticulture, foreign crew of fishing vessels, and self-employed work. If an offer from Zimbabwe says "orchard work on an AEWV", stop and ask INZ's page what applies before going further.

Read the offer for what it states, not what was said on a call. If hours, pay or the job title are missing, ask for them in writing. Browse real examples of sponsored roles on our jobs page, such as a fitter, turner and welder role in Christchurch or a commis chef role in Queenstown, to see how an ad states hours and conditions.

Check 3: your skills evidence

AEWV applicants must show 2 years or more of relevant job experience, or a qualification at level 4 or higher on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF), in the same field as the job. "Same field" matters: ten years in a different trade does not count towards a welding job.

This is where your Zimbabwean paperwork does its work. Many readers hold ZIMSEC O Level or A Level results, HEXCO certificates, polytechnic awards or degree certificates. ZIMSEC says on its website that it administers and certifies national school examinations in Zimbabwe, but its page does not set out New Zealand recognition, and these documents are not automatic equivalents of a New Zealand qualification level. Keep the originals and certified copies, and gather letters from past employers that describe your duties, hours and dates.

Your CV should show the same story as those papers. A tool such as Build AI CV can help you present your duties clearly in English, but the facts must match your documents exactly.

Check 4: the visa itself

The AEWV costs from NZD $1540 and lets the holder stay up to 5 years depending on the job. INZ shows AEWV processing as 80% within 5.5 weeks, which means some cases take longer. The employer must send you the link to the online application form, so you cannot start without a real offer.

Depending on the job, other conditions apply. Applicants whose job is ANZSCO or NOL skill level 3 to 5 must show they can speak and understand English, and English test results must be no more than 2 years old. Skill level 1 or 2 jobs do not need this. A Zimbabwean passport is not on the lists of passports that show English without a test for Australian visas, so do not assume an exemption applies; ask INZ's page what your job needs. If you plan to stay more than 6 months, you may need a chest X-ray if you are a citizen of, or spent more than 3 months in the last 5 years in, a country without a low incidence of tuberculosis; INZ's page sets out who this covers.

The total time on one or more AEWVs can be 5 years for most jobs, or 3 years if the job is ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5, after which the person normally must spend 12 months in a row outside New Zealand. Plan for that from the first day.

What changed in 2026

From 9 March 2026 the immigration median wage is NZD $35.00 per hour. The general median wage requirement for the AEWV was removed in March 2025, but some settings are still linked to it. These include exemptions from advertising and minimum skills for roles paid at least twice the median wage, and the maximum 5 year stay for some lower skilled roles, paid at least 1.5 times the median wage. Ask the employer how these settings apply to your job, and check the AEWV page on the day you read this.

Steps to take before you accept

Ask the employer for its full legal name and NZBN, then search for it on INZ's accredited employer list.
Get the job offer in writing, with hours, pay, duties and location.
Check that the hours are at least 30 a week and that an approved job check exists for the role.
Match your experience or qualification to the field of the job and gather certified copies and employer letters.
Wait for the employer to send the application link; do not pay anyone for it.
Decide whether to use an adviser, and if so check their licence before you pay.

Common mistakes

The first mistake is paying for a job. INZ will decline an AEWV application if the applicant or their agent offered or promised money to the employer, or its agent, in exchange for a job offer. A "job placement fee" asked for over WhatsApp or by phone is a warning sign. INZ also warns that job offer scams are common in India and South Asia, so scams in your own inbox should be treated seriously wherever they come from.

The second is treating accreditation as the whole story. The employer must be accredited, but the job also needs an approved job check, and you must meet the skills requirement.

The third is using a working holiday route in your planning. It does not exist for a Zimbabwean passport, so any website or agent that suggests one should be questioned.

The fourth is relying on an unlicensed adviser. By law, anyone giving New Zealand immigration advice must be licensed by the Immigration Advisers Authority unless exempt, and it is a criminal offence for anyone else to give it. The Authority's public register shows whether a person is currently a licensed immigration adviser. You are not required to use an adviser to apply, and INZ will not prioritise an application because an adviser is used.

Presenting your trade history on a verified profile can help an employer check your experience; a Talent Tabloid profile is optional and never required. For planning around visa rules that may shift, our post on New Zealand visa software faults and the note on New Zealand's trades and technician pathway are worth reading together.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get a working holiday visa for New Zealand with a Zimbabwean passport?

No. Zimbabwe is not on INZ's list of countries with a working holiday agreement, and INZ says a country that is not listed cannot give a working holiday visa. A different work visa may be possible.

Does an accredited employer mean I will get the AEWV?

No. Accreditation is only one check. The job needs an approved job check, you must meet the skills requirement, and INZ makes the visa decision on your application.

How do I check if a New Zealand employer is accredited?

Search INZ's accredited employer list using the employer's NZBN or its company or trading name. The list is updated daily, but some employers choose not to appear, so ask the employer directly if you cannot find it.

What skills evidence do I need?

You must show 2 years or more of relevant job experience, or a qualification at level 4 or higher on the NZQCF, in the same field as the job. Keep certified copies of your certificates and letters from past employers.

Should I pay a fee to get a job offer?

No. INZ will decline an AEWV application if the applicant or their agent offered or promised money to the employer or its agent in exchange for a job offer. Walk away from anyone asking for it.

Key takeaways

There is no New Zealand working holiday route for a Zimbabwean passport, so an accredited employer's job offer is the usual starting point.
Check the employer on INZ's accredited employer list, then check the offer: 30 hours a week or more, an approved job check, market-rate pay.
Match your experience or level 4 qualification to the field of the job.
Never pay for a job offer; it can lead INZ to decline your application.
Use a licensed adviser if you want help, and check the register first.

Last checked: 2026-11-01 against the official pages linked above.

Every case is different — book a consultation and our partner licensed or exempt New Zealand immigration advisers will assess yours.

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