From 1 June 2026, Accredited Employer Work Visa applications for skill level 3 roles need a valid English test. Skill level 4 and 5 roles have had this since last year - now skill level 3 is caught too, and that's about half the AEWV cohort.
Immigration New Zealand has extended the minimum English language requirement to AEWV applications for roles classed as skill level 3 in ANZSCO or the NOL. Any application lodged on or after 1 June 2026 needs it. Skill level 4 and 5 roles have had to meet this since last year - the change brings skill level 3 into line.
If you employ migrant staff as technicians, trades, manufacturing, healthcare assistants, cooks, or retail and hospitality supervisors, this affects you. Skill level 3 now makes up around half of all AEWV applications, so this is a significant shift, not a minor tidy-up.
What's actually changed
Staff applying for an AEWV or an AEWV extension in a skill level 3 role on or after 1 June 2026 need to meet a minimum English standard. The standard is IELTS 4.0, PTE 29 or equivalent - basic, everyday English for common workplace situations, not advanced proficiency.
There are exceptions. Citizens of Canada, Ireland, the UK or USA are exempt, as are people with a bachelor's or postgraduate qualification studied in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Ireland, the UK or USA for the required minimum periods. Citizens of other English speaking countries such as South Africa, India, Singapore and the Philippines do need to sit an English exam.
The transitional arrangements
No one with a current AEWV is affected retrospectively while their visa is valid. Two exemptions matter. People whose AEWV expires on or before 1 December 2026 are exempt when they apply for a further skill level 3 AEWV before that expiry - and on current information that includes people moving from a skill level 4 or 5 visa to a skill level 3 one. People who've already given INZ evidence of their English in a previous AEWV application are also exempt.
Job Change applications are not affected. If a staff member needs a variation of conditions to move to a different role on their existing AEWV, the English requirement doesn't apply to that application. The same goes for the Global Workforce Seasonal Visa and Peak Seasonal Visa.
What to do this week
Check your current pipeline. If you've got Job Checks approved or AEWV applications about to be lodged for skill level 3 roles, an English test may be needed depending on the person's current visa and expiry date. The date that matters is when the application is lodged, not when the Job Check was approved.
Map your existing staff against the December 2026 date. Any of your AEWV staff with visas expiring after 1 December 2026 will need English evidence when they renew. Work out who's in that group now, while there's time to plan. The renewals don't all hit at once, but they will hit.
Get test bookings in early. IELTS and PTE test centres have limited slots and waitlists can run several weeks. A result is valid for 24 months, so sitting one now covers most renewal scenarios in the next two years.
Plan for residence, not just renewal. The two new skilled residence pathways from August 2026 need higher English than the AEWV minimum - IELTS 6.5 or PTE 58. Someone on an AEWV aiming for residence has up to five years to lift their English between AEWV approval and residence application, but starting now gives them the longest runup.
If you've got skill level 3 staff and you're not sure who's exempt and who needs to plan, send us the list and we'll evaluate their requirements.
