AEWV Skill Levels 1 to 5 and Why They Matter
Your job's skill level is the single setting that controls the most on an Accredited Employer Work Visa. It decides how long you can stay — five years at skill levels 1 to 3, three years at levels 4 and 5 — whether you must prove English, how long the job had to be advertised, and what you must earn to bring a partner.
Quick Facts
| What it is | A 1-to-5 rating of an occupation, where 1 is the most skilled |
| Who assigns it | Immigration New Zealand, from the occupation classification — not you, and not your employer |
| Maximum continuous stay | 5 years at skill levels 1–3 · 3 years at skill levels 4–5 |
| English evidence | Not required at levels 1–2 · Required at levels 3, 4 and 5 |
| Minimum advertising | 14 days at levels 1–3 · 21 days plus MSD engagement at levels 4–5 |
| Which list applies | National Occupation List for Job Check and AEWV applications submitted from 3 November 2025 |
| Which list applies elsewhere | ANZSCO for the Green List, the Skilled Migrant Category and other visas |
| Most common band | Skill level 3 — around half of all AEWV applications |
| Levels 4 and 5 combined | About 16% of AEWV applications |
| Getting it wrong | Applying at level 1–3 for a job INZ assesses as 4–5 can lead to decline and re-application |
What a skill level actually is
A skill level is a rating attached to an occupation, not to a person. It reflects the level of education, training and experience an occupation typically requires. Skill level 1 covers occupations normally requiring a bachelor's degree or higher; skill level 5 covers occupations requiring the least formal preparation.
You do not choose it, and neither does your employer. It comes from where your occupation sits on a published classification list, and INZ assesses it against the actual duties of the role.
What your skill level decides
| Skill levels 1–3 | Skill levels 4–5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum continuous stay | 5 years | 3 years |
| English evidence required | Level 1–2: no · Level 3: yes, from 1 June 2026 | Yes |
| Minimum advertising before Job Check | 14 days | 21 days plus good-faith engagement with Work and Income |
| Pay needed to support a partner's work visa | Lower threshold | Higher threshold, unless a sector agreement or Green List role applies |
| Typical residence exposure | Broader | Narrower |
The three-year figure at levels 4 and 5 is itself recent: it was two years until the March 2025 package extended it. See AEWV maximum continuous stay.
Note what is not on that list. Skill level does not change the visa fee, and it does not change the standard processing time. It changes duration, English, advertising and family.
Two classification systems are running at once
This is the part that confuses everyone, and it is genuinely confusing rather than badly explained. New Zealand is mid-transition between two occupation classification systems, and a single migrant journey can need both.
ANZSCO — the legacy system
The Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations is the old shared trans-Tasman system. Each occupation has a six-digit code and a skill level. It is still the classification used for skilled residence — the Green List is indexed by ANZSCO code, and the Skilled Migrant Category runs on ANZSCO skill levels. See what is ANZSCO and how to find your ANZSCO code.
The National Occupation List — the replacement
The National Occupation List (NOL) is New Zealand's own replacement classification, released on 20 November 2024. It exists because ANZSCO was built for two labour markets and had drifted out of step with New Zealand's.
The NOL applies to Job Check and AEWV applications submitted on or after 3 November 2025. That is the operative date for work-visa purposes. See the National Occupation List, explained.
Which list applies where
| Purpose | Classification |
|---|---|
| AEWV application | National Occupation List |
| Job Check | National Occupation List |
| Occupations not on the NOL | ANZSCO |
| Green List (Tier 1 and Tier 2) | ANZSCO |
| Skilled Migrant Category | ANZSCO |
| Other visa categories | ANZSCO |
INZ states the fallback rule directly: "If you work in an occupation that is not on these lists, or you are applying for a different visa, you must use the ANZSCO list instead."
The practical consequence is that a person who arrives on an AEWV and later applies for residence will be classified twice, under two systems, and the two do not always agree. INZ's own AEWV page reflects the parallel operation — it refers to jobs at "ANZSCO or NOL skill level 3 to 5" when setting the English requirement.
If you are trying to hold both in your head at once, ANZSCO vs the National Occupation List and ANZSCO vs NOL skill levels compare them side by side.
How to find your job's skill level
INZ publishes both lists and a search tool, and the classification turns on the duties actually performed, not on the job title in your offer letter. A title like "Operations Manager" can sit at several different levels depending on what the role does.
Three things determine the answer:
- The occupation your duties match, not the title used by the employer.
- Which list applies — the NOL for the AEWV and Job Check, ANZSCO otherwise.
- The version of the list in force when the application is submitted, because occupations move.
Employers work this out at the Job Check stage, since the advertising period depends on it. By the time you apply, the classification has usually been settled for your role. See occupation skill levels explained.
What changed on 9 March 2026
The NOL was expanded and adjusted:
- 47 additional occupations were recognised at skill levels 1 to 3. For workers in those occupations the effect is significant — a move into the 1–3 band brings a five-year maximum stay and, at levels 1 and 2, no English requirement.
- Three occupations moved down from skill level 3 to skill level 4: pet groomer, nanny and kennel hand. For those roles the maximum continuous stay drops from five years to three, and the higher partner-support threshold applies.
- Some occupations now require a higher pay step to stay eligible. Teachers must be on Step 5 of the pay scale, where Step 4 was previously accepted.
The same date carried the median wage increase to NZ$35.00 an hour, which re-indexed the residence and family thresholds. Those are separate changes that happened to land together.
An earlier adjustment came with the March 2025 package, which reclassified seven occupations as skill level 3 and added four roles with specified qualification or experience requirements.
Why skill level 3 is now the centre of gravity
The Minister's own framing when extending the English requirement: "Skill level 3 is now the largest part of the AEWV cohort. Around half of AEWV applications are for skill level 3 roles, compared with 16 per cent for skill levels 4 and 5 combined."
That reshapes what "typical" means for this visa. Skill level 3 covers a great deal of the trades and technical workforce — the roles that keep construction, engineering, transport and hospitality running. It is also the band that changed most in 2026, because from 1 June 2026 those roles need English evidence at IELTS 4.0 or an accepted equivalent, where previously they did not.
A transitional exemption covers existing holders whose visas expire on or before 1 December 2026 when they renew into a skill level 3 role. See English language requirements for work visas.
Getting the skill level wrong
INZ flags a specific failure mode: applying as skill level 1–3 for a job that INZ assesses as level 4–5 can result in decline and re-application. It is a costly mistake, because the fee is not refunded and the Job Check may have been built around the wrong advertising period.
The mismatch usually comes from one of three places:
- An inflated job title. "Manager" in the title with no management duties in the description.
- A duty list copied from a template rather than written from the actual role.
- Using the wrong list, most often an ANZSCO skill level for a Job Check that runs on the NOL.
Because the classification drives the advertising period, an error here can invalidate the labour market test as well as the visa application. That is why it is normally worked out before the advertisement is written, not after. See AEWV declined: common reasons.
Skill level and the road to residence
Skill level shapes residence exposure, but it does not decide it. Residence runs on ANZSCO and on the specific category:
- Green List Tier 1 and Tier 2 roles have their own pathways, indexed by ANZSCO code. See the Green List, explained.
- The Skilled Migrant Category uses ANZSCO skill levels 1–3 as the band that qualifies at the standard pay threshold, with a higher threshold for levels 4–5 and unlisted occupations. It is being restructured from 24 August 2026 — see Skilled Migrant Category changes explained.
- Some occupations have no residence pathway at all, regardless of skill level. See occupations with no Green List pathway.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is my AEWV skill level?
It is the skill level attached to your occupation on the applicable list — the National Occupation List for AEWV and Job Check applications submitted from 3 November 2025, or ANZSCO where the occupation is not on the NOL. It is determined by the duties of the role, not by the job title.
What is AEWV skill level 3?
Skill level 3 covers occupations that typically require a trade qualification, a diploma, or several years of relevant experience. It is the largest band on this visa — around half of all applications — and since 1 June 2026 it requires English evidence.
What is the NOL skill level?
The National Occupation List assigns each occupation a skill level from 1 to 5, in the same way ANZSCO does, but using a New Zealand-specific classification. It replaced ANZSCO for Job Check and AEWV applications submitted on or after 3 November 2025.
How do I find my job's skill level in NZ?
Match the actual duties of the role to an occupation on the applicable list, then read off the skill level. INZ publishes the lists and a search tool. Where an occupation is not on the National Occupation List, ANZSCO applies instead.
Does skill level change how long my visa lasts?
Yes. Skill levels 1, 2 and 3 allow a maximum continuous stay of five years. Skill levels 4 and 5 allow three years. After the maximum stay, a stand-down of normally 12 months outside New Zealand applies.
Which occupations changed skill level in 2026?
From 9 March 2026, 47 occupations were recognised at skill levels 1 to 3, and three occupations moved down from level 3 to level 4: pet groomer, nanny and kennel hand. Teachers were also moved to a higher required pay step.
Does the Green List use the same skill levels?
The Green List is indexed by ANZSCO code, not by the National Occupation List. A role can be classified one way for your work visa and another way for a residence application, which is why both classifications matter across a single migration journey.
What happens if the skill level on my application is wrong?
INZ assesses the skill level itself. If it decides the job sits at level 4 or 5 when the application was made on the basis of level 1 to 3, the application can be declined and would have to be made again. Fees are not refunded on a decline.
Does skill level affect whether my partner can work?
Indirectly. The pay you must earn to support a partner's work visa depends on your job's skill level, with a lower threshold for skill levels 1 to 3. Partner of a Worker Work Visas granted since 2 December 2024 carry open work rights. See bringing family on a work visa.
This page is general information, not immigration advice. New Zealand regulates immigration advice under the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, and we do not assess anyone's individual circumstances. For advice about your own case, use a licensed immigration adviser or a New Zealand lawyer, and check the licence on the Immigration Advisers Authority register.
