New Zealand job scams: 7 checks before you pay for an AEWV offer

Tips · 2026-11-09 · 9 min read

A worried young man holds his forehead while checking a laptop in a cafe overlooking green hills.

New Zealand job scams usually follow one script: an unexpected offer for work in New Zealand, an urgent deadline, and a request for money before you have signed anything real. A genuine Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) offer does not need a payment from you, and every part of it can be checked on official pages in about ten minutes. This guide shows what to check and in what order, whatever passport you hold.

What a real AEWV job offer looks like

The AEWV is built around the employer, so the offer is the first thing to test. INZ says the job must be full-time work for at least 30 hours a week, from an accredited employer with an approved job check for that job, paid at least the market rate, and still current when you apply. The employer must also send you a link to the online application form.

If any of those pieces is missing, vague or "coming later", the offer is not ready to rely on. Employer Sponsored Jobs explains what a New Zealand business must prove to hire migrants in its AEWV accreditation guide. Our practical guide to the AEWV covers the visa itself, and AEWV job offer checks explains what evidence an application needs.

Seven checks before you pay or send anything

Check	What a genuine offer shows	Warning sign
Employer accreditation	The employer appears on INZ's accredited employer list, or confirms accreditation when you ask	No NZBN, or a name that does not match the list
Job check	An approved job check for this exact job	"We will arrange it after you pay"
Hours and pay	At least 30 hours a week at or above the market rate, in writing	Pay or hours that change between messages
Fees	No charge to you, direct or through a third party	A "recruitment fee", "placement fee" or deposit
Payment method	INZ visa fees by card on its own forms, or at a Visa Application Centre	A bank account number for visa fees
Sender	Email addresses ending immigration.govt.nz or mbie.govt.nz for INZ	Free-mail addresses claiming to be INZ
Promises	Honest wording about what a temporary visa allows	A promise of a visa or residence

Check the employer on INZ's list

Start with INZ's accredited employer list. Search by the 13-digit NZBN or by the company or trading name. The list is updated daily, so a recent change in accreditation shows up quickly.

Not finding a name does not prove a scam on its own, because some accredited employers have chosen not to appear in the search results. In that case, ask the employer to confirm its accreditation and its NZBN directly, then check that the NZBN belongs to the business that is writing to you.

Why you never pay for a job

This is the clearest line in the whole process. New Zealand employers cannot charge you fees for a job or make you pay any of their recruitment costs, including indirectly through a third party. INZ will decline an AEWV application if you or your agent offered or promised money to the employer, or its agent, in exchange for a job offer.

That means paying does not just risk your money. It can damage a real application. INZ's own guide to protecting yourself from immigration scams is the page to read first, and INZ warns that job offer scams are common in India and South Asia, so people searching from there should be especially careful. Scammers target anyone who is hoping to move, though, so the checks apply to everyone.

The same principle applies when you look across the Tasman. Scamwatch lists these warning signs for job scams: unexpected contact on WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram, a quick hiring process with no interview, and being asked to pay a recruitment fee or for training materials before starting. Australia does not issue "work permits", so anyone offering one is running a scam.

How to test an offer step by step

Write down who contacted you, how, and what they promised. Keep every message.
Ask for the job title, hours, pay, location and the employer's full legal name and NZBN in writing.
Search the NZBN or name on INZ's accredited employer list. If it is missing, ask the employer to confirm accreditation directly.
Ask for the approved job check details for your job, then confirm the hours and pay match the offer.
Check every email address and web link. INZ email addresses end with immigration.govt.nz or mbie.govt.nz.
Apply only through the online application link the employer sends, then pay INZ's fee by card on INZ's own form.
Read the employment agreement. An AEWV agreement cannot include unlawful deductions, a trial period or unacceptable bonding clauses.

Protect your documents and your visa

Scamwatch advises never sending your passport or identity documents to an employer or recruitment firm unless you are certain they are genuine. Do the accreditation and offer checks first. Your CV only needs your work history and skills, so a tool such as Build AI CV can help you build one without including your passport number or home address.

Once you hold a visa, INZ's Visa Verification service can check that a New Zealand visa is real. A temporary visa does not promise residence, and scammers often overstate how likely residence is. Everyone in New Zealand, migrants included, has the same minimum employment rights, such as paid holidays and sick leave, so a contract that promises less is a warning sign too. You can compare what a real offer should pay with our minimum wage and pay comparison.

Who can legally give immigration advice

By law, anyone giving New Zealand immigration advice must be licensed by the Immigration Advisers Authority unless they are exempt, and it is a criminal offence for anyone else to give it. The public register on the Immigration Advisers Authority site shows whether a person is currently a licensed immigration adviser.

You do not have to use an adviser at all, and INZ will not prioritise an application because one is used. For Australia, the equivalent check is the Register of Migration Agents, and someone claiming to be an agent without a MARN or OMARA listing is not legitimate.

Compare with real jobs

A useful habit is to compare a doubtful message with genuine adverts. A real advert describes the work, the place and the conditions, and it does not ask you to pay to apply. Browse listings such as the Baker role in Mackay or the Community Services category to see how a normal ad reads, and keep the arrival checklist handy for what happens after a real offer arrives.

Common mistakes

Paying first to "secure" the job. No New Zealand employer can charge you for it, and an offered payment can lead INZ to decline the application.
Trusting a logo or a letterhead. Check the NZBN and the accredited employer list, not the design of the message.
Paying INZ fees to a bank account. INZ only takes card payment on its forms or payment at an approved Visa Application Centre.
Believing a residence promise. A temporary visa promises nothing about residence.
Sending identity documents too early. Verify the employer first, then share what is needed.
Skipping the written agreement. Unlawful deductions, trial periods and bonding clauses do not belong in an AEWV agreement.

Frequently asked questions

Can a New Zealand employer ask me to pay for a job offer?

No. INZ says New Zealand employers cannot charge you fees for a job or make you pay any of their recruitment costs, including indirectly through a third party. INZ will also decline an AEWV application if you or your agent offered or promised money to the employer in exchange for a job offer.

How do I check that an employer is accredited?

Search INZ's accredited employer list with the employer's 13-digit New Zealand Business Number (NZBN) or its company or trading name. The list is updated daily, but some accredited employers choose not to appear in the results, so ask the employer directly if you cannot find it.

Does INZ ever ask for visa fees to be paid into a bank account?

No. INZ never asks for visa fees to be paid into a bank account. It only accepts debit or credit card payment on its forms, or payment at an approved Visa Application Centre, so a request for a bank transfer is a red flag.

Do I need an immigration adviser to apply for a New Zealand visa?

You are not required to use one, and INZ does not prioritise an application because an adviser is used. If you do want help, the adviser must be licensed by the Immigration Advisers Authority unless they are exempt by law, and you can look them up on the public register.

Can a temporary visa promise me residence?

No. A temporary New Zealand visa does not promise residence, and INZ notes that scammers often overstate how likely residence is. Treat any promise of residence attached to a job offer as a reason to slow down and check.

What should I do if a message claims to be from INZ?

Look at the sender's address. Official INZ email addresses end with immigration.govt.nz or mbie.govt.nz, and INZ websites include .immigration.govt.nz exactly. If the address or link does not match, do not reply, pay or send documents.

Key takeaways

A genuine AEWV offer comes from an accredited employer with an approved job check, for at least 30 hours a week.
You never pay for a job, and an offered payment can get an application declined.
Check the employer by NZBN or name on INZ's accredited employer list, and ask directly if it is not shown.
INZ takes visa fees by card on its own forms, never into a bank account.
Only licensed advisers can give New Zealand immigration advice, and you can check the register.

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