Employer Accreditation & Job Check Support — Auckland
Hiring a migrant worker in New Zealand means clearing three separate hurdles: your business must be accredited, the role must pass a Job Check, and the worker must be granted a visa. Each is assessed independently, each can be declined, and a failure at any stage stops the hire. We handle the process end to end for New Zealand employers.
Accreditation
Standard accreditation covers employers hiring up to five migrant workers; high-volume accreditation is required beyond that; and labour hire businesses placing staff with third parties need controlling third party accreditation. Which category you fall into determines what Immigration New Zealand will ask you to demonstrate — your financial position, your employment practices, and your systems for meeting minimum standards. We work out which applies, prepare the application, and put the supporting evidence together.
Job Check
Accreditation lets you hire; a Job Check approves a specific role. This is where most employers run into difficulty, and usually for the same two reasons: the advertising didn't meet the requirements, or the role wasn't classified correctly. Advertising has prescribed content, duration and placement requirements, and getting any of them wrong means starting again. Classification determines the wage threshold and the visa duration attached to the role. We check both before you advertise rather than after.
Post-accreditation checks
Immigration New Zealand has been increasing scrutiny of accredited employers, and a check can arrive without warning. It typically asks you to evidence that you've done what you said you'd do — paid the agreed wage, provided the agreed hours, met employment law obligations, and kept the records that prove it. We help employers prepare for these, and we respond to them when they arrive.
Ongoing obligations
Accreditation isn't a one-off. Your obligations continue for the life of every visa you support, and they include things employers routinely miss — the employment agreement matching what was approved, settlement support requirements, and reporting changes to INZ. We advise on these as they arise.
Situations we often help with
- First-time employer accreditation
- Accreditation renewals
- Job Checks, including advertising that meets INZ requirements
- Post-accreditation checks and audits
- Changes to your business, such as new ownership, structure or locations
- Supporting employees on their path to residence
Questions clients often ask
Do I need to advertise before a Job Check?
In most cases, yes. INZ requires genuine advertising that meets its requirements, unless the role is exempt. Advertising mistakes are one of the most common reasons Job Checks are delayed or declined.
What happens at a post-accreditation check?
INZ can check that you are meeting your accreditation obligations, including pay, employment agreements, settlement support and record-keeping. Our guide to post-accreditation checks explains what INZ looks at.
Working with us
Here's what to expect when you engage us.
How it works
- Initial consultation. We talk through your situation, your goals and anything in your history that Immigration New Zealand will want to know about.
- Case analysis and quote. We assess your options against current Immigration New Zealand rules and give you a written quote.
- Service agreement. We agree the scope of work and our fees with you in writing before any work starts, as the Licensed Immigration Advisers Code of Conduct requires.
- Document checklist. You receive a checklist tailored to your application, so you know exactly what to gather.
- Preparing your application. We prepare your application and any supporting submissions, and check every document before anything goes to Immigration New Zealand.
- Submission with your approval. Nothing is lodged until you have reviewed and approved the final application.
- Through to a decision. We handle all contact with Immigration New Zealand on your behalf until a decision is made.
Fees
Our initial consultation is 30 minutes for $99 NZD (incl. GST where applicable). Clients in New Zealand are invoiced afterwards; clients outside New Zealand prepay via PayPal. Every case is different, so we quote after the initial consultation, once we understand your situation. Your quote, and exactly what it covers, is confirmed in your written service agreement before any work begins.
Timelines
We can usually meet you the same day or the next day, or at another time that suits you. Once your application is lodged, the processing time is set by Immigration New Zealand and varies by visa type. INZ publishes its current processing times here: How long it takes to process an application (Immigration New Zealand).
Your adviser
Your application is handled by Ishvinder Singh (IAA licence 201401130) or Shaveta Khanna (IAA licence 202100174), Licensed Immigration Advisers.
Our results
You can see examples of our published ministerial and appeal outcomes on our homepage.
Start with a 30-minute consultation ($99 incl. GST where applicable). Call +64 9 213 1677, message us on WhatsApp at +64 21 227 4246, or email contactus@livinginnz.co.nz.