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GuidesLast checked 17 Oct 2026

Post-accreditation checks: what INZ may ask for

What Immigration New Zealand’s guide to post-accreditation checks lists, quoted under INZ’s five headings, and the Operational Manual’s 10-working-day rule for information INZ requests.

Requirements are quoted word for word from INZ, with a link to each source. The text between the quotes introduces them and adds nothing to them. In the quotes, “we” and “us” mean INZ.

How INZ describes its checks

INZ’s guide to post-accreditation checks says:

“We check a proportion of accredited employers each year to make sure they continue to meet accreditation requirements.”

“A check can happen at any time while you are accredited.”

“Employers we check may include:

  • randomly selected accredited employers, from a range of sizes and types
  • targeted checks on a sample of all accredited employer types
  • all employers with valid triangular employer accreditation
  • any businesses that have been referred to us through a complaint or issue raised.”

“Our checks can be either desk-based or through site visits.”

Source: INZ, Guide to post-accreditation checks for AEWV employers. INZ publishes figures on recent checks on its AEWV key information and statistics page. Last checked 17 Oct 2026.

What INZ may look or ask for

“Examples of the information we may look or ask for as part of a post-accreditation check include:

  • that you have a viable and genuinely operating business
  • that you have a current, and the correct type of, accreditation
  • that key people in your organisation are meeting requirements
  • that you are being a responsible employer
  • that you are helping your AEWV workers settle here
  • if you are placing AEWV workers with a controlling third party, that you are meeting the additional accreditation requirements
  • if you are a franchisee, that you are meeting the additional accreditation requirements.”

“You should make sure that, wherever possible, you have systems collecting this information. You do not need to record information separately if you already collect it through HR, accounting or other processes.”

“As part of the post-accreditation check, we also use publicly available information and information already held by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).”

“If we need more information, we may contact you or do a site visit.”

Source: INZ, Guide to post-accreditation checks for AEWV employers. Last checked 17 Oct 2026.

INZ’s five headings

Under each heading, INZ’s guide lists examples of evidence. The headings and the lists below are INZ’s own words.

You have a viable and genuinely operating business

“Evidence may include, but is not limited to:

  • GST or PAYE records that show the IRD number for your business
  • financial statements that show your business is financially viable.”

“To show you are financially viable your financial statements need to show that your business has either:

  • not made a loss over the last 2 years, or
  • had a positive cash flow each month for the last 6 months, or
  • enough capital or external investment to remain viable, or
  • a credible 2-year plan to make sure it stays viable, for example, revenue forecast or cash flow projection.”

Source: INZ, Guide to post-accreditation checks for AEWV employers. Last checked 17 Oct 2026.

You have a current, and the correct type of, accreditation

“Your accreditation needs to be correct for your business type and the number of migrants you intend to, or currently, hire.”

Source: INZ, Guide to post-accreditation checks for AEWV employers. Last checked 17 Oct 2026.

Key people in your organisation must meet requirements

“You may need to provide evidence that key people in your organisation continue to meet immigration requirements.”

“Evidence may include, but is not limited to:

  • documentation to show you regularly check to make sure key people have not been temporarily stopped from recruiting migrant workers (that is, they are not on the Employer stand-down list, or the Immigration stand-down list)
  • declarations from key people that they have not breached any employment or immigration laws or have any pending cases against them
  • details of key people and their consent to share relevant information with us.”

“You have to contact us within 10 working days if there are changes to the key people in your organisation.”

Source: INZ, Guide to post-accreditation checks for AEWV employers. Last checked 17 Oct 2026.

The 10 working days guide quotes INZ’s page on telling INZ about changes to key people.

You are being a responsible accredited employer

“You need to show that you are complying with the relevant employment and immigration legislation.”

Visa conditions

“Evidence may include:

  • documentation of the checks on the visa status of your AEWV workers and the expiry dates on their visas (you can check VisaView: VisaView for employers)
  • records that show you remind AEWV workers about their visa expiry date
  • if there is a minimum and maximum number of hours on their visas, documentation of how you make sure AEWV workers are not allowed to breach those limits.”

Other employment responsibilities

“Evidence may include:

  • records of any complaints, and proof you have followed the correct resolution procedures
  • keeping a risk and accident register
  • proof that you offer your employees health and safety training
  • records of the hours worked, payment of wages and PAYE, and holidays and leave taken by your AEWV workers
  • showing employment agreements for every AEWV worker.”

Source: INZ, Guide to post-accreditation checks for AEWV employers. Last checked 17 Oct 2026.

You are helping your AEWV workers settle here

“You need to meet the requirements around helping AEWV workers settle in New Zealand within their first month of employment. Evidence could include:

  • copies of the settlement support information you have provided to your AEWV employees.”

Source: INZ, Guide to post-accreditation checks for AEWV employers. Last checked 17 Oct 2026.

The settlement information guide quotes INZ’s requirement, the nine topics and INZ’s template.

INZ’s guide also lists evidence under two more headings, “If you are placing AEWV workers with a controlling third party” and “If you are a franchisee”. Those lists are on INZ’s page.

The 10-working-day rule for information requests

Section WA2.55 of INZ’s Operational Manual, “Suspending and revoking employer accreditation”, includes this paragraph:

“(e) An immigration officer will revoke an employer’s accreditation where:

  1. as a result of verification, an immigration officer determines that the employer does not meet the requirements of employer accreditation set out in these instructions; or
  2. as a result of verification an employer refuses INZ entry to conduct a site visit without reasonable justification, and this results in the immigration officer not being satisfied that the employer meets the accreditation requirements set out in these instructions; or
  3. an employer does not provide information to INZ within 10 working days, without reasonable justification, where that information has been requested as part of verification or compliance activities being carried out by an immigration officer.”

Source: INZ Operational Manual, WA2.55 Suspending and revoking employer accreditation, effective 11 April 2024. Last checked 17 Oct 2026.

The free 10 working days calculator counts 10 working days from any date you enter and lists the days it skips. The 10 working days guide quotes the other 10-working-day timeframes.

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