Immigration New Zealand has recognised 134 new National Occupation List occupations for the Accredited Employer Work Visa across two updates since late 2025. The first 87 occupations took effect on 3 November 2025, followed by 47 more on 9 March 2026, alongside the annual median wage increase.
National Occupation List and AEWV
The National Occupation List is New Zealand’s replacement for the Australia and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations as the official job classification standard. It became the official standard in November 2024 and is updated annually.
The NOL groups occupations by skill level:
- Skill Level 1: most skilled
- Skill Level 5: least skilled
For AEWV and job check applications, Immigration New Zealand currently recognises only NOL Skill Level 1 to 3 occupations. NOL Skill Level 4 and 5 codes are not currently accepted for any visa category; those roles still use ANZSCO.
Two occupation updates
| Update | Effective date | New occupations added | Skill levels |
|---|---|---|---|
| First round | 3 November 2025 | 87 | Levels 1 to 3 |
| Second round | 9 March 2026 | 47 | Levels 1 to 3 |
| Total | As at July 2026 | 134 | Levels 1 to 3 |
The November 2025 update focused heavily on primary sector and trades roles, including crop and livestock supervisors, joinery trades, agricultural technicians, and production supervisors in food, meat, and seafood processing. Health and social care roles such as Dementia Navigator and Support Worker (Mental Health and Addiction) were also added, along with tourism and hospitality roles such as Concierge and Adventure Tourism Operator.
The March 2026 update added more senior and higher-skill roles, including Chief Sustainability Officer, Enterprise Architect, Executive Assistant (CEO/Board Level), Head Chef, Sous Chef, Chef de Partie, Virtual Reality Specialist, and Augmented Reality Specialist.
November 2025 additions
Skill Level 1
| NOL code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 832117 | Horticulture Post-Harvest Leading Hand |
| 841227 | Fruit Production Leading Hand |
| 841228 | Indoor Crop Production Leading Hand |
| 841231 | Outdoor Crop Leading Hand |
Skill Level 2
| NOL code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 399522 | Foley Artist |
Skill Level 3
| NOL code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 311113 | Irrigation Technician |
| 311417 | Calibration Technician |
| 311418 | Drug and Alcohol Tester |
| 312917 | Wind Turbine Technician |
| 312918 | Geothermal Technician |
| 312921 | Non Destructive Testing Technician |
| 312922 | Irrigation Performance Assessor |
| 312924 | Cabinetry CAD Drawer |
| 312925 | Joinery Detailer |
| 312926 | Lifting Equipment Technician |
| 321112 | Electric Vehicle Mechanic or Technician |
| 321215 | Bicycle Technician |
| 323114 | Vehicle Integration Technician |
| 323216 | Agricultural Equipment Technician |
| 323217 | Heavy Equipment Technician |
| 323218 | CNC Programmer, Solid Timber Joinery |
| 323221 | Senior Fleet Tyre Technician |
| 331113 | Concreter (Commercial) |
| 331215 | Joinery Site Joiner |
| 331217 | Joinery Installer |
| 333312 | Waterproofer |
| 361116 | Animal Trainer |
| 393214 | Milliner |
| 394112 | Cabinetry Installer |
| 394215 | Joinery Machinist |
| 394216 | Joinery Technician |
| 394217 | Joinery Practitioner, Generalist |
| 394218 | Joinery Finisher |
| 399518 | Performing Arts, Entertainment and Events Technician |
| 399921 | Fibre Composite Technician |
| 399922 | Electronic Security System and Alarm Technician |
| 399923 | Snowsport Equipment Technician |
| 411718 | Dementia Navigator |
| 423124 | Dementia Homeshare Coordinator |
| 423125 | Support Worker (Mental Health and Addiction) |
| 423126 | Health Coach |
| 431312 | Senior Gaming Worker |
| 431413 | Concierge |
| 431914 | Winery Senior Cellar Hand |
| 451313 | Crematorium Technician |
| 452114 | Personal Trainer |
| 452218 | Adventure Tourism Operator |
| 452326 | Tennis Coach, Performance |
| 452415 | Athlete |
| 711115 | Production Supervisor, Clay, Concrete, Glass and Stone Processing |
| 711315 | Production Supervisor, Paper, Pulp and Wood Processing |
| 711517 | Production Supervisor, Plastics and Rubber Production |
| 711717 | Production Supervisor, Textile and Footwear Production |
| 711915 | Hazardous Materials Removalist |
| 712214 | Horizontal Direction Drilling Worker |
| 712312 | CNC Operator, Solid Timber Joinery |
| 721113 | Agrichemical Spraying Operator |
| 721114 | Groundspread Nutrient Applicator |
| 731113 | Oversize Load Pilot Escort |
| 811212 | Power Wash Technician |
| 821413 | Solar Installer |
| 821715 | Rope Access Technician |
| 821716 | Load Lifting Rigger (Rope Fabrication) |
| 831122 | Production Supervisor, Food and Drink Processing |
| 831314 | Production Supervisor, Meat Processing |
| 831315 | Production Supervisor, Poultry Processing |
| 831316 | Production Supervisor, Seafood Processing |
| 832116 | Horticulture Post-Harvest Supervisor |
| 841112 | Aquaculture Farm Supervisor |
| 841218 | Field Crop Farm Supervisor |
| 841221 | Outdoor Crop Production Supervisor |
| 841222 | Fruit Production Supervisor |
| 841223 | Indoor Crop Production Supervisor |
| 841224 | Vineyard Supervisor |
| 841226 | Mixed Crop Farm Supervisor |
| 841314 | Forestry Supervisor |
| 841317 | Silviculture Operator |
| 841413 | Nursery Production Supervisor |
| 841521 | Mixed Livestock Farm Supervisor |
| 841526 | Beef Cattle Farm Supervisor |
| 841527 | Sheep Farm Supervisor |
| 841531 | Other Livestock Farm Supervisor |
| 841532 | Poultry Farm Supervisor |
| 841533 | Senior Piggery Stockperson |
| 841612 | Mixed Crop and Livestock Farm Supervisor |
| 841918 | Irrigation Manager |
| 899416 | Senior Tyre Technician |
March 2026 additions
Skill Level 1
| NOL code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 132314 | Chief Remote Officer |
| 132418 | Chief Sustainability Officer |
| 141113 | Head Chef / Executive Chef |
| 223312 | Organic Conservation Specialist |
| 232114 | Building Information Modeller |
| 232416 | Accessible Format Specialist |
| 253115 | Physician Associate |
| 261214 | Virtual Reality (VR) Specialist |
| 261215 | Augmented Reality (AR) Specialist |
| 261331 | Enterprise Architect |
| 511113 | Joinery Manager |
| 511114 | Joinery Project Manager |
| 512112 | Chief of Staff |
| 512113 | Executive Assistant (CEO/Board Level) |
Skill Level 2
| NOL code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 311115 | Wine Laboratory Technician |
| 312914 | CAD Draftsperson |
| 312915 | Biomedical Technician |
| 312916 | Environmental Engineering Technician |
| 312923 | Reinforcing/Structural Steel Detailer |
| 313114 | Digital Imaging Technician |
| 311423 | Environmental Technician |
| 312117 | Energy Assessor |
| 351314 | Chef de Partie |
| 351315 | Sous Chef |
| 362215 | Urban Forester |
| 362412 | Nursery Production Leading Hand |
| 399521 | Videographer |
| 411115 | Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) |
| 411717 | Aged Care Coordinator |
| 451312 | Embalmer |
| 452221 | Skydiving Instructor (Solo) |
| 452222 | Tandem Skydiving Master/Instructor |
| 512114 | Administrative Professional |
| 512212 | Accounting Practice Manager |
| 512213 | Legal Practice Manager |
Skill Level 3
| NOL code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 272126 | Consumer Advisor |
| 323115 | Launch Technician, Mechanical |
| 351311 | Other Chef |
| 351313 | Demi Chef de Partie |
| 423127 | Peer Support Worker |
| 452416 | Ski Patroller |
| 711316 | Timber Machinist |
| 712925 | Senior Timber Treatment Plant Operator |
| 721115 | Advanced Agricultural and Horticultural Mobile Plant Operator |
| 831123 | Ice Cream (Process Control) Machine Operator |
| 831215 | Meat Boner/Meat Cutter |
| 899924 | Site Traffic Management Supervisor (STMS) |
Existing AEWV holders
An AEWV holder currently working in a NOL Skill Level 4 or 5 role may be able to move into one of the 134 newly recognised Skill Level 1 to 3 occupations and extend their maximum continuous stay to 5 years.
To qualify, the worker needs either:
- at least 2 years of directly relevant work experience in the new role; or
- a recognised qualification relevant to the new occupation.
The experience threshold was reduced from the 3 years originally signalled when the November 2025 changes were announced. Workers who previously did not qualify under the 3-year threshold may need to check again under the revised 2-year threshold.
Skill Level 1 to 3 AEWV roles also have stronger family settings than lower-skilled AEWV roles. Workers may be able to support a partner and dependent children for their own visas, and the visa allows a longer continuous stay before a stand-down period applies.
First-time AEWV applicants and employers
Employers can submit a job check for any of the 134 recognised roles. Before lodging a job check, three requirements need to align:
- The employer must advertise the role and make a genuine attempt to appoint a suitable New Zealander before hiring a migrant worker.
- The employer must hold active Immigration New Zealand accreditation.
- The job description and pay must match the tasks, responsibilities, and skill level of the specific NOL occupation selected, not merely the closest-sounding job title.
Standard AEWV wage thresholds still apply to Skill Level 1 to 3 roles. Pay must meet at least the median wage, currently NZ$35.00 per hour, unless a higher occupation-specific rate applies.
NOL codes do not apply to every visa
NOL occupation codes recognised for the AEWV cannot currently be used for other visa categories.
Applicants for the Skilled Migrant Category resident visa or another work visa still need the equivalent ANZSCO code, even if their job title matches one of the 134 new NOL roles.
A role newly recognised under the NOL for AEWV purposes does not automatically change a person’s position under the Skilled Migrant Category or the Green List. Both continue to use ANZSCO codes for now.
If an intended occupation appears on the NOL list but is not separately listed on the Green List or does not have a matching ANZSCO entry, the AEWV may be the only immediate visa option. Any residence pathway would need to be assessed separately once the person is working in New Zealand.
Practical checks
Before relying on a new occupation code, workers and employers should check:
- whether the role is one of the 134 recognised NOL occupations;
- the NOL skill level of the role;
- whether the job description matches the selected occupation;
- whether pay meets the median wage or any higher occupation-specific rate;
- whether an existing Skill Level 4 or 5 worker meets the revised 2-year experience threshold or has a relevant recognised qualification;
- whether a separate ANZSCO code is needed for a future residence or Green List pathway.
If a role is not included in the new NOL list, it may still qualify under existing ANZSCO settings. The Aria tool on the Statistics New Zealand website provides detailed task and responsibility definitions for each code.
Source article: www.newzealandshores.com
