New Zealand Expands AEWV Jobs List: Key Roles and Visa Changes for 2025

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is revising the assessment of job roles under the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) scheme following the addition of several new occupations to the National Occupation List (NOL) in its July 2025 update.

What’s Changing

The National Occupation List (NOL), which replaced the ANZSCO system in November 2024, is now New Zealand’s official job classification framework. INZ still relies on ANZSCO for visa settings, but is gradually shifting to the NOL structure.

To ease the transition, INZ will allow Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) applicants in around 90 newly recognised higher-skilled roles (levels 1–3) to apply based on their NOL classification starting 3 November 2025.

Employers will need to complete the full AEWV application process for these roles once the changes take effect. INZ will share more details on this in a few days.

Temporary Work Visa Pathway Before the Change

For workers reaching their Maximum Continuous Stay (MCS) before 30 November 2025, INZ has created a Temporary Specific Purpose Work Visa (SPWV) pathway.

This pathway is available from 8 September to 2 November 2025, giving certain visa holders a short-term option to stay employed if:

• They are currently in, or moving to, one of the 30 new NOL roles.
• They have at least 3 years of relevant experience or a recognised qualification.
• They hold a valid AEWV expiring on or before 30 November 2025.

Employers won’t need to advertise these roles when hiring through the SPWV pathway.

However, this is not a general visa extension or an alternative to AEWV. It applies only to a small group of affected workers.

Eligible Occupations for Temporary SPWV Pathway

Below you’ll find a full breakdown of the new NOL skill level 1 and 3 roles eligible for the interim pathway. Use this guide to check if a job matches your background, whether you’re applying directly or transitioning via the temporary pathway.

Skill Level 1 Occupations

Skill Level 3 Occupations

What This Means for Workers and Employers

These updates signal New Zealand’s gradual shift to a more modern job classification system. For foreign workers, this could open up new AEWV opportunities, especially for those in skilled trade and supervisory roles that were previously listed under lower skill levels.

Final Thoughts

For employers, it’s a reminder to stay updated with INZ’s evolving framework, as the move from ANZSCO to NOL will influence recruitment, visa eligibility, and compliance in the months ahead.