New Zealand Aged Care Worker Visa

New Zealand has a structured and currently operational visa pathway for internationally trained aged care workers, built around a sector-specific Care Workforce agreement within the Accredited Employer Work Visa framework and a dedicated Work to Residence visa that leads directly to permanent residence after 24 months of qualifying care work. The pathway is genuinely accessible, has a higher age limit for permanent residence than Australia, and was significantly simplified in March 2025 when the median wage requirement for AEWV eligibility was removed. But three things consistently catch applicants off guard. The skill level at which your role is assessed, either ANZSCO Level 3 or Level 4, affects your visa duration, your ability to bring family, and the timeline of your PR application, and the difference between the two depends on your qualifications and specific duties, not just your job title. The care workforce residence wage rate of NZD $28.25 per hour must be met throughout the 24-month qualifying period, and this is above what some employers actually pay. And the English requirement for the Work to Residence residence visa is IELTS 6.5 equivalent, which is materially higher than many applicants expect when they begin the pathway.

Before you read further: four corrections that shape your planning

The median wage requirement for AEWV eligibility was removed in March 2025. Many guides still describe a requirement to be paid at or above the New Zealand median wage to qualify for an AEWV. That requirement was abolished on 10 March 2025. The AEWV now assesses whether the role is genuine and paid at market rate, with minimum wage as the floor. Some thresholds linked to the immigration median wage still exist but they govern specific outcomes such as partner support and maximum visa duration, not basic AEWV eligibility. Applicants researching from articles written before March 2025 will find outdated wage requirements that no longer apply to entry.

Skill level assessment is the single most consequential variable in this pathway. The three main aged care ANZSCO codes, Aged or Disabled Carer (423111), Nursing Support Worker (423312), and Personal Care Assistant (423313), are all classified as ANZSCO skill level 4. But Immigration New Zealand can assess them at skill level 3 if the role requires either a relevant qualification at the NZ Certificate in Health and Wellbeing Level 4 or above, or if it involves specialist care in areas such as dementia, bariatric care, or high and complex needs with relevant experience. Skill level 3 assessment means up to a five-year AEWV, the ability to support a partner on a work visa, and a cleaner pathway through to the Work to Residence residence visa. Skill level 4 assessment means a shorter maximum continuous stay, a more limited ability to support dependants, and a requirement for the employer to engage with Work and Income as part of the Job Check process. The distinction is not automatic and depends on what the specific job actually requires.

Permanent residence through this pathway requires being under 56, not under 45. The Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa, which leads directly to New Zealand permanent residence after 24 months of qualifying care employment, requires applicants to be under 56 years of age at the time of their residence application. This is a notably more generous age threshold than the 45-year limit that applies to comparable care worker permanent residence pathways in Australia. For workers in their late forties or early fifties considering both destinations, this difference is significant.

The Work to Residence pathway requires the sector wage rate, not just minimum wage, throughout the qualifying period. The care workforce sector wage rate for the Work to Residence residence pathway is currently NZD $28.25 per hour. This is above the New Zealand minimum wage of NZD $23.50 per hour that governs AEWV entry. Workers who enter New Zealand on an AEWV at the minimum wage and do not progress to the sector wage rate do not accumulate qualifying time for the Work to Residence residence visa. Confirming that your employer pays at or above the sector wage rate before beginning the 24-month qualifying clock is essential planning.

1. Overview

New Zealand's population is ageing. Over 850,000 New Zealanders were aged 65 or over as of 2024, a figure projected to exceed 1.3 million by 2040. Aged care residential facilities, home and community support services, and disability residential care are all experiencing structural workforce shortfalls that domestic training and domestic labour supply cannot close. The New Zealand government's response to this shortfall includes the Care Workforce sector agreement, which is a specific policy framework within the AEWV system designed to manage the recruitment of overseas care workers at scale, with a structured wage floor, a defined residency pathway, and protections for both workers and employers.

For internationally trained care workers, New Zealand offers a combination of genuine labour market demand, a PR pathway with an above-average age limit, and a country where English is the working language and cultural adjustment from other English-speaking or English-educated backgrounds is relatively smooth. The major aged care employers, including Ryman Healthcare, Summerset Group Holdings, Bupa New Zealand, Metlifecare, Oceania Healthcare, and Arvida Group, are experienced at sponsoring international workers and have established HR and accreditation infrastructure that makes the process more predictable than dealing with smaller, first-time sponsors.

The AEWV system underwent major reforms in December 2024 and again in March 2025, making the entry requirements more flexible while also introducing new skill level assessment requirements that have made the details of eligibility more important to get right. Workers who understand the skill level distinction and the sector wage rate before they begin are substantially better positioned than those who discover these factors after arriving.

For workers considering both New Zealand and Australia for aged care employment, our guide to the Australia Aged Care Worker Visa Sponsorship covers the ACILA Labour Agreement pathway in detail. The two systems have different wage floors, different age limits for PR, different language thresholds, and different levels of employer administrative complexity. Reading both side by side is the most informed approach to choosing between them.

New Zealand also operates several other sector-based migration pathways for seasonal and lower-skilled work. Our guide to the New Zealand Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme covers a parallel programme that illustrates how New Zealand uses sector agreements across different industries, which provides useful context for understanding how the care workforce pathway is governed.

2. Eligibility

Occupation and ANZSCO code

The New Zealand Care Workforce sector agreement covers the following ANZSCO occupations: Kaiāwhina, also known as Māori Health Assistant (411512), Disabilities Services Officer (411712), Residential Care Officer (411715), Aged or Disabled Carer (423111), Nursing Support Worker (423312), Personal Care Assistant (423313), Therapy Aide (423314), Child or Youth Residential Care Assistant (423411), and Diversional Therapist (411311). For aged care workers specifically, the three most commonly used codes are 423111, 423312, and 423313. As noted above, these three codes are skill level 4 by default but can be assessed at skill level 3 under the conditions described in Section 1.

Employer accreditation

The employer must hold an active INZ employer accreditation before they can submit a Job Check for your role. Employer accreditation is applied for through Immigration Online and is subject to post-accreditation compliance checks by INZ. INZ aims to check approximately 16% of accredited employers each year. As of late 2024, there were approximately 29,000 accredited employers in New Zealand. Aged care groups of any meaningful size will typically hold accreditation, but smaller community care providers or private home care operators may not. Verify accreditation status with any employer before investing time in an application.

Job Check

Before a migrant can be hired, the employer must apply for a Job Check through INZ. The Job Check confirms that the role is genuine, that the offered wage is at market rate, and for skill level 4 and 5 roles, that the employer has engaged with the Ministry of Social Development to confirm no suitable New Zealand workers are available. As of March 2025, this engagement requirement became declaration-based rather than requiring evidence of specific advertisement outcomes, simplifying the process slightly. For skill level 3 roles, the MSD engagement requirement does not apply.

Work experience requirement

From 10 March 2025, the minimum work experience requirement for AEWV applicants was reduced from three years to two years. You must have two years of relevant paid work experience in a care role. Evidence of this experience must be provided with your visa application.

English language

For the AEWV entry stage in care workforce roles, basic English competency assessed as part of the visa application is required. For the Care Workforce Work to Residence residence visa, the requirement increases to IELTS 6.5 equivalent, with no individual band below 6.0. This can alternatively be demonstrated through citizenship of or study completed in an English-medium country, or through New Zealand or Australian tertiary qualifications taught in English. For most care workers, sitting an English test is the operative requirement for the residence stage. Beginning English language preparation well before the 24-month qualifying period ends is a practical recommendation, since IELTS preparation takes time and the test result must be from within two years before lodging the residence application.

Age for Work to Residence

The Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa residence requirement specifies that the main applicant must be under 56 at the time the residence application is lodged. Partners and dependent children under 25 can be included in the residence application.

Health and character

All applicants and any included family members aged 15 or older must complete a chest X-ray and medical examination. Police certificates less than six months old from all countries where you have spent 12 or more months in the past ten years are required. This applies to all countries of prior residence, not just the country of current citizenship.

3. Skills Employers Actually Want

A review of aged care and residential care job postings from SEEK NZ, Trade Me Jobs, and direct employer portals across Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and regional centres shows the following consistent requirements.

Direct personal care competency forms the baseline of every posting. Employers assess candidates on their ability to assist residents with activities of daily living including personal hygiene, mobility assistance, meal support, and toileting in a dignified and person-centred manner. Experience in a regulated or formally supervised care setting is consistently preferred over informal caregiving experience, because regulated environments develop the documentation habits and safety awareness that New Zealand aged care standards require.

Qualification holding or pathway toward NZ Certificate in Health and Wellbeing is a critical differentiator. Workers who hold a recognised qualification equivalent to this certificate have a much stronger basis for a skill level 3 assessment, which affects their visa duration and family support entitlements as described above. Workers who do not yet hold this qualification should discuss with their employer whether the employer will fund or support them toward completing it during employment, as this improves both the employee's skill level eligibility and the employer's ability to retain the worker through to residence.

Dementia and high complex needs care experience is weighted heavily by residential facilities where a significant proportion of residents have cognitive impairment. This specialism specifically features in the criteria for skill level 3 assessment and is worth documenting in detail in any application.

Accurate care documentation and competency with digital care management systems are expected at established facilities. Most major aged care groups in New Zealand have moved to electronic care planning and incident recording. Workers who have experience with any care management software have a practical onboarding advantage.

Physical fitness and reliability under shift work conditions are addressed explicitly in most postings. Aged care in New Zealand involves night shifts, weekend shifts, and public holiday cover, with shift premiums that add meaningfully to base hourly pay.

4. Step-by-Step Path

Step 1: Confirm your occupation code and document your qualification and experience

Identify which ANZSCO code most accurately reflects your care role. For most aged care workers this will be 423111, 423312, or 423313. Then assess honestly whether your role qualifies for skill level 3 treatment. If you hold a NZ Certificate in Health and Wellbeing Level 4 or higher, or an overseas equivalent assessed as comparable, skill level 3 assessment is strongly supportable. If your experience includes specialist areas such as dementia, high and complex needs, or bariatric care, document this experience in detail using reference letters from supervisors that specifically describe the nature of the specialist care you provided. These details matter at the Job Check assessment stage.

Step 2: Find an accredited employer or confirm accreditation before engaging

Target major residential aged care operators who are known to hold INZ employer accreditation and have established international recruitment processes. Ryman Healthcare, Summerset Group Holdings, Bupa New Zealand, Metlifecare, Oceania Healthcare, and Arvida Group are all large enough employers to have maintained accreditation and have HR teams familiar with the Job Check and visa processes. Community care providers and smaller private home care operators may not hold accreditation and would need to apply for it before being able to hire you, which adds three to five months to the process. Asking directly whether an employer holds active INZ accreditation during your first contact saves significant time.

Step 3: Apply for the position and confirm sector wage rate

Apply directly through employer career portals or through healthcare-specialist recruitment agencies. During the offer negotiation, confirm that the offered hourly rate is at or above the care workforce sector wage rate of NZD $28.25 per hour. This is the rate required throughout the 24-month period that qualifies you for the Work to Residence residence visa. If the offered rate is at the minimum wage of NZD $23.50, you can enter on the AEWV and work legally, but you will not be accumulating qualifying time for the residence pathway unless your rate is increased to the sector rate before the qualifying clock starts.

Step 4: Employer submits Job Check

Once you have a conditional offer, your employer submits a Job Check to INZ for your specific role. The Job Check confirms the role is genuine, the wage is at market rate, and for skill level 4 or 5 roles, that the employer has declared in good faith that they have engaged with Work and Income. INZ assesses whether the role meets skill level 3 or 4 criteria. The outcome of this assessment determines your visa duration, your ability to support a partner, and the conditions of your AEWV. If assessed at skill level 3, your AEWV can be issued for up to five years. If assessed at skill level 4, the maximum continuous stay is generally up to three years.

Step 5: Apply for your AEWV

Once the Job Check is approved, apply for your AEWV through INZ Immigration Online. Your application requires your passport, evidence of two years of relevant work experience, English language evidence, health and character documentation, and the Job Check approval code from your employer. Processing times for AEWV applications vary. Standard processing targets are several weeks for straightforward applications. You cannot begin work until the AEWV is granted.

Step 6: Arrive, begin work at the sector wage rate, and start your 24-month qualifying clock

On arrival, confirm with your employer that your hourly rate is documented in your employment agreement at or above the care workforce sector wage rate. Your employment agreement is a key document for the residence application. Maintain clear records of your payslips throughout your employment, as evidence of continuous payment at the sector wage rate is required for the Work to Residence application. Register your address, open a bank account, and obtain your IRD (Inland Revenue Department) number promptly after arrival.

Step 7: Begin English language preparation

If your English test result will be required for the residence application, begin targeted preparation within your first few months in New Zealand rather than leaving it until month twenty. IELTS 6.5 is a meaningful target that requires structured preparation for most non-native English speakers. The test result must be from within two years before you lodge the residence application, which means timing your test to fall within the final twelve months of your 24-month qualifying period is the most strategic approach.

Step 8: Lodge your Care Workforce Work to Residence application

After 24 months of continuous work in a covered occupation, paid at or above the sector wage rate, and confirming you are under 56 and meet the English requirement, apply for the Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa. This grants New Zealand permanent residence. Your partner and dependent children under 25 can be included in the application. The residence application fee is approximately NZD $6,450.

5. Real-World Challenges

The skill level assessment is often the critical path

The difference between a skill level 3 and a skill level 4 assessment in the care workforce context is not cosmetic. A skill level 4 worker gets a shorter maximum visa stay, has a more limited ability to support a partner on a work visa, and faces MSD engagement requirements in the Job Check that add to the employer's process. Workers who can genuinely meet the skill level 3 criteria, whether through qualification or through specialist care experience, should document and present those grounds carefully. Workers who cannot meet them should be aware of the implications before arrival.

Cost of living relative to care wages

The average aged care worker in New Zealand earns approximately NZD $26.92 per hour based on reported April 2026 salary data. Auckland's cost of living is among the highest in the southern hemisphere. A care worker earning NZD $28.25 per hour for 40 hours per week earns gross income of approximately NZD $58,760 annually. After income tax and ACC levies this is approximately NZD $43,000 to NZD $44,000 take-home. One-bedroom flat rents in Auckland average NZD $2,000 to NZD $2,400 per month. Workers who target facilities in Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Tauranga, and regional towns find markedly more affordable housing on the same wage, and many large aged care groups operate nationally, so geographic flexibility significantly improves financial sustainability.

Exploitation risk in the AEWV system

The independent review of the AEWV system published in February 2024 found systemic issues with worker exploitation, evidenced by 3,539 complaints against accredited employers by July 2024. The 2025 Employment Monitor Report found that 22% of migrant workers in New Zealand voiced concerns about their current employment conditions. While major aged care groups with established HR processes and union coverage are lower risk than smaller operators, care workers in any setting should know their rights under the Employment Relations Act 2000 before arrival. Minimum entitlements including annual leave, sick leave from day one of employment (which became a statutory right in 2021), break entitlements, and trial period rules all apply to migrant workers on AEWVs. The Employment New Zealand website and the Labour Inspectorate are the primary enforcement and information resources.

The sector wage rate versus employer payment practice

Not all aged care employers pay the sector wage rate of NZD $28.25 per hour. Some community care and home support operators pay rates closer to the minimum wage, particularly for new or part-time workers. If your employment agreement does not specify at least the sector wage rate, your time in employment does not count toward the Care Workforce Work to Residence qualifying period. Clarify this in writing before you arrive, not after.

The English language test as a late-stage surprise

The IELTS 6.5 requirement for the Work to Residence residence visa catches many care workers off guard in their twenty-second or twenty-third month of employment. This is not a trivial standard for workers whose English is conversational and functional in a care setting but has not been formally tested. IELTS 6.5 requires preparation, particularly in the writing and reading components which do not map directly to care work communication. Workers who treat the English requirement as a problem to solve in the last month of their qualifying period consistently experience delays or require additional time. Begin preparation at month six, not month twenty.

The AEWV complaint system as an important protection

INZ's employer accreditation system requires employers to meet and maintain standards. Migrant workers who experience issues including underpayment, unreasonable working conditions, or unlawful deductions can report concerns to INZ, which can remove employer accreditation and revoke the employer's ability to hire migrant workers. Workers who change employers on an AEWV must apply for a Job Change through INZ before beginning work with the new employer. Working for an unaccredited employer or beginning work with a new employer before the Job Change is approved constitutes a visa condition breach.

6. Where to Apply

Major residential aged care employer portals

Ryman Healthcare (rymanhealthcare.co.nz/careers) is one of New Zealand's largest retirement and aged care groups, operating villages across New Zealand and Australia, and actively recruits internationally. Summerset Group Holdings (summerset.co.nz/careers) is a large listed aged care and retirement village operator with a nationally distributed portfolio. Bupa New Zealand (bupa.co.nz/careers) operates residential care and home care services nationwide. Metlifecare (metlifecare.co.nz/careers) and Oceania Healthcare (oceaniahealthcare.co.nz) round out the major listed operators. Arvida Group (arvida.co.nz) operates retirement villages with integrated care facilities. All of these groups have INZ employer accreditation and HR teams experienced in the AEWV Job Check process.

Healthcare NZ and community care providers

Healthcare NZ (healthcarenz.co.nz) provides home and community support services nationally and is one of the largest employers of care workers in the home support sector. Presbyterian Support and Enliven services, Aged Care Association members in regional areas, and DHB-affiliated community care organisations are also significant employers. The NZ Aged Care Association (agecare.org.nz) maintains a member directory that serves as a starting point for identifying accredited operators in specific regions.

SEEK NZ and Trade Me Jobs

SEEK NZ (seek.co.nz) and Trade Me Jobs (trademe.co.nz/jobs) are the two dominant New Zealand job boards and carry the highest volume of aged care postings. Filtering by "visa sponsorship" or "accredited employer" and the relevant care occupation keywords surfaces positions from employers already set up for international recruitment.

Prospero Health and Social and specialist healthcare recruitment agencies

Recruitment agencies with documented New Zealand aged care placement experience, including Prospero Health and Social, Access Community Health, and specialist healthcare divisions within national recruiters, can assist with identifying accredited employers, confirming Job Check readiness, and preparing application documentation. Confirm any agency's knowledge of the current sector wage rate and the skill level 3 versus 4 assessment criteria before engaging.

INZ Immigration Online

All AEWV applications are submitted through INZ's Immigration Online portal. The Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa is similarly applied for online. The INZ website at immigration.govt.nz carries the current occupation lists, skill level criteria, sector wage rates, and English language requirements, all of which should be checked directly before finalising any application.

7. Timeline Expectation

Months 1 to 2: Research your ANZSCO occupation code and assess your skill level 3 qualification honestly. Gather employment reference letters from care employers specifying exact duties, specialist care areas, and length of service. Begin English language preparation if residence is your goal.

Months 2 to 4: Identify and apply to SEEK NZ and direct employer portals for positions from INZ-accredited employers. Confirm sector wage rate and skill level eligibility with any employer making an offer. Employer submits Job Check to INZ on receipt of your conditional acceptance.

Months 4 to 6: Job Check approved. AEWV application submitted. Health examination and police clearances obtained. AEWV processing typically takes several weeks. Visa granted.

Months 6 to 8: Arrive in New Zealand. Confirm employment agreement specifies sector wage rate. Obtain IRD number, open bank account, register with a GP. Begin work and confirm that your 24-month qualifying period has started at the sector wage rate.

Month 12 onward: Begin IELTS preparation in earnest if not already done. Research any upgrade training toward NZ Certificate in Health and Wellbeing Level 4 if skill level 3 assessment was not achieved at entry.

Month 24: Lodge Care Workforce Work to Residence residence application if you meet all conditions: 24 months continuous qualifying employment, sector wage rate maintained, age under 56, English at IELTS 6.5, health and character cleared. Residence processing typically takes several months.

Post-residence: New Zealand permanent residence allows you to live, work, and study in New Zealand indefinitely, to travel freely and return, and after five years of being ordinarily resident, to apply for New Zealand citizenship.

8. Mistakes to Avoid

Entering on an AEWV at minimum wage rather than the sector wage rate without understanding the PR implications. Minimum wage employment is lawful and sponsorable under the current AEWV settings, but it does not count toward the 24-month qualifying period for the Care Workforce Work to Residence residence visa. Workers who discover this in month twenty-two and still are not at the sector wage rate face a significant delay in their residence pathway.

Not addressing the skill level 3 question before or at the time of the Job Check. If you have qualifications or specialist experience that supports a skill level 3 assessment, present this evidence clearly to your employer for inclusion in the Job Check application. If INZ assesses your role at skill level 4 when it could have been skill level 3, the consequences for your visa duration and dependant support affect you immediately. Retrospective reclassification is possible but requires a new Job Check and adds delay.

Assuming that changing employers is administratively simple. Changing from one accredited aged care employer to another on an AEWV requires a formal Job Change application through INZ before you begin work with the new employer. Beginning work before the Job Change is approved is a visa condition breach. The new employer must also hold active accreditation. Always seek advice from a Licensed Immigration Adviser before making any employment change.

Leaving English language test preparation until the final months of the qualifying period. IELTS 6.5 is a meaningful academic standard. Preparation typically takes two to four months of structured study for workers whose English is fluent conversationally but untested formally. A failed test in month twenty-three delays residence and requires a retest. Begin preparation at month six to give yourself sufficient time and multiple opportunities to achieve the required score before your 24-month mark.

Comparing New Zealand and Australia only on salary headline figures. Nominal aged care wages in Australia expressed in AUD tend to appear higher than NZ wages in NZD due to currency and scale differences. But New Zealand's higher age limit for PR at 56 versus Australia's 45, the single AEWV mechanism versus Australia's ACILA Labour Agreement complexity, and New Zealand's generally lower property prices outside Auckland create a meaningfully different total package. Workers over 45 who are comparing both destinations should specifically note that the Australian PR pathway through aged care employment closes at 45 while the New Zealand pathway remains open until 56.

Not verifying employer accreditation before beginning the application process. Some aged care operators express genuine interest in sponsoring overseas workers but do not yet hold INZ accreditation. The accreditation process can take several months. Starting an application with an unaccredited employer wastes time and creates uncertainty. Ask directly, confirm in writing, and verify through INZ's published accredited employer information.

9. Next Action

Identify which ANZSCO code most accurately describes the care work you have done. Then open the INZ website and check the current care workforce sector wage rate and the skill level 3 assessment criteria for that code. If you hold any formal qualification in care, health support, or a comparable health and wellbeing field, gather the original certificate today and make a note of when and where it was awarded. That qualification is your single most powerful lever for securing a skill level 3 assessment, which materially improves your visa duration, family support eligibility, and the smoothness of your residence pathway. Once you know your qualification position, go to SEEK NZ and search for care worker roles at Ryman, Summerset, or Bupa in at least two different New Zealand cities. Reading five to ten live postings tells you the real hiring requirements and current offered hourly rates, giving you an immediate sense of whether the sector wage rate threshold is being met by that employer's current offers.

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