New Zealand First is taking aim at the country’s Accredited Employer Work Visa scheme, signalling plans to scrap the existing model as immigration becomes another major battleground ahead of November’s general election.
The party’s proposal would represent a significant change to the way New Zealand businesses recruit migrant workers, with potential implications for employers, international workers and industries facing ongoing skills shortages.
The Accredited Employer Work Visa, commonly known as the AEWV, allows eligible overseas workers to take up employment with approved New Zealand businesses when they meet immigration requirements.
Under the current system, employers must obtain accreditation and meet immigration requirements before recruiting workers through the scheme.
New Zealand First has made immigration reform a central part of its 2026 election campaign, arguing that successive governments have relied too heavily on migrant labour to support economic growth.
The party maintains that immigration settings should place greater emphasis on employment opportunities for New Zealand citizens and residents, while ensuring population growth does not outpace investment in housing, infrastructure and public services.
Its wider immigration platform proposes reducing what it describes as non-essential immigration and strengthening the focus on domestic workforce development.
Businesses and Workers Face Uncertainty
Scrapping the existing accredited employer model would raise important questions about how businesses recruit international workers and what alternative visa arrangements might replace it.
Sectors including healthcare, aged care, hospitality, agriculture and construction have historically relied on migrant workers to fill positions where employers have struggled to recruit locally.
Any replacement system would need to address those workforce requirements while balancing the party’s objective of prioritising employment opportunities for New Zealanders.
For migrant workers already employed under the AEWV scheme, transitional arrangements would be particularly important, including whether existing visas, employment conditions and pathways to residence would be affected.
Māori Employment and Workforce Development in Focus
The immigration debate also raises wider questions about employment and training opportunities for Māori, particularly rangatahi entering the workforce and whānau living in regions where access to apprenticeships, skilled employment and career development can be limited.
A stronger focus on training New Zealand workers could create opportunities for domestic workforce development, although the impact would depend on investment, employer participation and the details of any replacement immigration system.
The challenge for policymakers will be balancing opportunities for local workers with the need to ensure businesses and essential services can continue accessing the skills they require.
Immigration Set to Remain an Election Issue
The existing AEWV system has undergone several changes in recent years, including adjustments to wage requirements, work experience criteria and processes for employers recruiting overseas.
New Zealand First’s proposal goes further by seeking to replace the accredited employer model itself.
With the November election approaching, the party is positioning immigration as an issue closely connected to jobs, wages, housing, infrastructure and economic growth.
The debate will now turn to what alternative system New Zealand First proposes, how it would operate and what protections would be available for employers and migrant workers during any transition.
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