If you're on an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV), there's a rule you need to understand before it catches you by surprise: the Maximum Continuous Stay. In 2026, it's beginning to affect thousands of migrants who arrived on three-year visas back in 2023 — many of whom have no idea the clock is ticking.
Here's the honest, plain-English version of what it means and, more importantly, what you can do about it.
What is Maximum Continuous Stay?
Maximum Continuous Stay (MCS) is the total amount of time you can hold an AEWV before you must leave New Zealand for 12 consecutive months to become eligible for another one.
The key word is total. Every day you've spent on an AEWV counts toward your limit — whether you were in New Zealand or not. Time on certain interim visas and some Specific Purpose Work Visas can also count. Once you reach your MCS limit, your employer cannot legally keep you on. Staying in the job past that point breaches both your visa conditions and your employer's accreditation.
According to Immigration New Zealand's own instructions, an application for a further AEWV must be declined if you're in New Zealand and have reached the end of your maximum continuous stay. You can read the official rule at immigration.govt.nz.
How long is your maximum stay — 3 years or 5?
Your limit depends mainly on your role's skill level and pay:
- Five years — most roles classified at ANZSCO/NOL skill level 1 to 3
- Three years — lower-skilled or lower-paid roles, typically skill levels 4 and 5
There are exceptions tied to when you first applied and the rate you were paid, so it genuinely pays to check rather than assume. The simplest way to know exactly where you stand is to have a licensed adviser confirm your category and your remaining time — getting this wrong is expensive.
Who is most at risk right now
This rule is hitting hardest in 2026 for people who arrived on three-year-capped roles in 2023. If that's you, your stand-down could be approaching faster than you realise — and the consequences are real. You may have built a life here over three years: a home, a routine, your children in school. An employer who has trained you for three years now faces losing you and starting recruitment from scratch.
That's exactly why understanding this early matters. The options below mostly require you to act before you reach your limit — once you've hit it and you're still in New Zealand, your choices narrow sharply.
Your options to stay in New Zealand
The good news: for many people, the 12-month stand-down is avoidable entirely. Here are the main routes.
1. Move onto a residence pathway. This is the cleanest solution. If you qualify for residence — through the Skilled Migrant Category, a Green List role, or one of the new 2026 pathways — the Maximum Continuous Stay issue disappears completely. Residence removes the cap. If you're anywhere close to eligible, this is where to focus first. Our SMC Pathfinder is a quick way to check where you stand.
2. A partner-based visa. If you have a partner or spouse in New Zealand — on a work, student, or resident visa, or a citizen — you may have a pathway through them that lets you stay without the stand-down.
3. Switch to study. Time spent on a student visa doesn't count toward your AEWV maximum stay. For some people, a genuine course of study is a way to remain in New Zealand and open a fresh pathway. Note, though, that time on a student or visitor visa also does not count toward the 12 months you'd otherwise need to spend outside the country.
4. Move into a higher-skilled role — before you hit the limit. If you're currently on a three-year cap because of your role's skill level or pay, moving into a higher-skilled, better-paid role earlier in your journey can change your trajectory. This only works if you act well before reaching your limit.
5. The AEWV extension (coming 2027). INZ has confirmed that migrants who need up to 12 more months of skilled work experience to qualify for residence will eventually be able to extend their AEWV to complete it. The detail is still to come, but it's a sign of where policy is heading.
What you should do today
Check your remaining time. INZ has an online tool, and your visa conditions show your dates — but the safest move is to have a licensed adviser confirm your exact MCS category and remaining months, then map your realistic options. The earlier you do this, the more doors stay open.
If you're within 18 months of your limit and not yet on a residence pathway, treat this as a priority. The difference between planning now and scrambling later can be the difference between staying in New Zealand and a forced 12 months away from the life you've built.
Talk to us
Maximum Continuous Stay is one of the most misunderstood rules in New Zealand immigration — and one of the most consequential. Our IAA Licensed advisers can confirm exactly where you stand and build a plan to keep you here. Call +64 9 213 1677, WhatsApp +64 21 227 4246, or email contactus@livinginnz.co.nz. No forms, no commitment — just a clear answer.