GuidesLast checked 17 Oct 2026
The 10-working-day timeframes for AEWV employers
Four timeframes of 10 working days, each quoted from its source: INZ’s Operational Manual on information INZ requests, the Immigration Act 2009 on employment documents, and INZ’s guidance on workers who stop working for you and on changes to key people.
Requirements are quoted word for word from INZ and legislation.govt.nz, with a link to each source. The text between the quotes introduces them and adds nothing to them. In INZ’s quotes, “we” and “us” mean INZ.
Information INZ requests
Section WA2.55 of INZ’s Operational Manual includes this:
“An immigration officer will revoke an employer’s accreditation where: … 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(e)(iii), effective 11 April 2024. Last checked 17 Oct 2026.
The full paragraph, with the two other situations it lists, is quoted in the post-accreditation checks guide.
Employment documents
Section 275A of the Immigration Act 2009, “Power to access employment documents”, says:
“(2) An immigration officer may require a supporting employer to supply a document (or a copy of it) that is—
(a) a wages and time record, or leave record kept in accordance with the provisions of any Act; or
(b) any other document relating to the remuneration or employment conditions of a supported employee (for example, an employment agreement).
(3) A supporting employer must comply with the requirement immediately after receiving it, or, if that is not practicable, within 10 working days of the date on which the requirement is received.”
The section defines “supporting employer”:
“(5) In this section, supporting employer means an employer in relation to either of the following people (who is a supported employee of that employer):
(a) a person who was required by immigration instructions to have an offer of employment to be granted a visa and had an offer from that employer; or
(b) a person who has work-related conditions of their visa specifying that they may only work for that employer.”
Source: Immigration Act 2009, section 275A (version as at 10 July 2026). The section was inserted on 6 January 2024 by the Worker Protection (Migrant and Other Employees) Act 2023. Last checked 17 Oct 2026.
When an AEWV worker stops working for you
INZ’s page “If things change for AEWV accredited employers” says:
“You must tell us if an AEWV worker has stopped working for you, in order to meet the requirements for accredited employers.”
The page then gives the details under these headings.
If your accreditation was approved, renewed or upgraded on or after 7 April 2024
“You must tell us within 10 working days if an AEWV worker has stopped working for you, including if they are on a fixed term contract. If you do not tell us that an AEWV worker has stopped working for you, you will not be meeting your accreditation requirements. Depending on the circumstances, we can suspend or revoke your accreditation.”
“If the AEWV worker has less than 1 month remaining on their AEWV, you do not need to tell us that they have stopped working for you. This includes if the worker has less than 1 month remaining and is on a fixed term contract.”
If your current accreditation was approved or renewed before 7 April 2024
“You can let us know but it is not a requirement. You will need to meet this requirement in the future if you apply for, renew or upgrade your accreditation.”
How to tell INZ
Under “How to tell us an AEWV worker has stopped working for you”, INZ lists these steps:
- “Log in to Immigration Online using RealMe®.
- Go to the 'Employ migrants' tab.
- Go to the 'My granted accreditations' section. Find the organisation the migrant worked for and choose the arrow in the 'Options' column.
- In the Options drop-down list, choose 'View accreditation'.
- You should now see a screen with your accreditation details. On this page, go to the 'Migrant workers with visas' section.
- Find the AEWV worker who has stopped working for you and choose the arrow in the 'Options' column.
- In the Options drop-down list, choose 'Notify INZ that employment has ended'.
- Complete the required sections of the form and as many optional fields as you can.
- Submit the form. We will be notified that the AEWV worker has stopped working for you.”
“Contact us if the AEWV worker is not showing on your dashboard.”
If your accreditation has expired
“If you are an employer but your AEWV accreditation has expired, you can notify us if an employee has left by completing the Confirmation of changes to migrant employees form and emailing us the completed form.”
Source: INZ, If things change for AEWV accredited employers. The headings above are INZ’s, and each section opens when you select it. INZ’s page has the form and the email address. Last checked 17 Oct 2026.
When key people change
The same INZ page says:
“You must tell us within 10 working days if key people in your organisation change. If you do not let us know, you will not be meeting your accreditation requirements, and your accreditation can be revoked or suspended.”
“Call our employer helpline if your situation changes or if you are unable to meet the requirements for accredited employers.”
Source: INZ, If things change for AEWV accredited employers. Last checked 17 Oct 2026.
INZ’s guide to post-accreditation checks says it this way:
“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.
Counting 10 working days
INZ’s definitions for employer accreditation (WA2.60) don’t define “working day”, and neither does the interpretation section of the Immigration Act 2009 (section 4). The free 10 working days calculator uses the general definition in section 13 of the Legislation Act 2019, which it quotes in full. It doesn’t count the start date (section 54 of the same Act), and it lists every day it skips, for start dates from 2026 to 2028.
Date arithmetic only, based on the definition quoted on the calculator page. Check INZ’s letter for the exact date it gives.