Interview Prep
New Zealand AEWV Interview & Verification Questions (2026)
The AEWV doesn't work like a consular student-visa interview — there's no single face-to-face appointment where you're grilled across a desk. Instead, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) verifies your application in three stages: your employer must already hold accreditation, your specific role must pass a job check, and your own visa application is then assessed against both. Genuineness questions can come up at any of these stages, by email request for further information or, less commonly, a phone or video call — so it's worth knowing what INZ is actually testing at each step.
Q1Is your employer currently accredited, and for how long?
Confirm your employer's accreditation status and expiry date before accepting an offer — a job check and your resulting AEWV application both depend on accreditation being valid for the length of your intended employment.
Many established New Zealand employers are accredited, but a lot of small businesses are not. Ask your employer directly rather than assuming, since an application tied to a lapsed accreditation will stall.
Q2Does your specific role have an approved job check, and is it still valid?
State the job check reference and note that job checks are valid for six months or until your employer's accreditation expires, whichever comes first. Your visa application must be lodged while the job check is still current.
If your role sits on the Green List or National Occupation List (NOL) at an exempt skill level, a job check may not be required at all — confirm this with your employer before assuming the standard three-step process applies to you.
Q3What are your actual day-to-day duties, and do they match the job description on file?
Describe your real responsibilities in specific, concrete terms that align with the job description your employer submitted during the job check — vague or generic descriptions invite follow-up questions.
INZ's job check process exists partly to confirm the role is genuine and pays at least market rate — a mismatch between your described duties and the filed job description is one of the fastest ways to trigger extra scrutiny.
Q4What is your salary, and does it meet the market-rate and any applicable threshold for your occupation?
State your agreed salary clearly and confirm it matches your signed employment agreement — market-rate and, for lower-skilled roles, median-wage thresholds are part of what the job check assesses.
Keep your employment agreement, offer letter, and visa application figures identical — discrepancies here are treated seriously since they go directly to whether the job check approval still holds.
Q5Do you meet the English language requirement for your occupation's skill level?
Confirm your qualifying evidence — an accepted English test score, or another INZ-recognised pathway — matches the requirement tier for your role's National Occupation List skill level.
From mid-2026, the AEWV English-language requirement extends to additional skill levels beyond what applied under the 2024 rules — don't assume your role is exempt just because an earlier cohort didn't need to prove this.
Q6Why did your employer need to hire from outside New Zealand for this role?
If you know it, reference the genuine labour-market reasoning your employer provided — the size of the business, the specific skills gap, or evidence of recruitment efforts where a labour market test applied.
Since the redesigned job check form (effective September 2025), employers must give this context upfront rather than it being inferred — if you're asked about it, your employer's own submission is the source of truth, so check with them before answering INZ directly.
Q7What are your plans once your AEWV expires or your employment ends?
Describe your actual situation realistically — moving to another accredited role, applying for further study, applying for residence through an eligible pathway, or returning home — without implying intentions you haven't confirmed.
AEWVs are tied to a specific employer and role; if your employment ends early, you generally have a limited window to find new accredited employment or your visa conditions may be affected — know your own situation rather than guessing under pressure.
Sample answers are for preparation only — always answer truthfully and in your own words.
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