Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission has released the Terms of Reference and announced that the review will be led by Jenn Bestwick, who has extensive experience working in large complex organisations across the public and private sectors.

The review will consider and report on the appropriateness of all aspects of the employer accreditation and job check processes undertaken by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) as part of the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) scheme.

The review will also consider the external post-COVID context, as well as:

• service delivery performance
• operational decision-making including management and internal controls
• verification and monitoring
• resourcing and capability
• any other matter considered relevant to achieving the purpose of the review.

The review will identify any appropriate next steps for improvement in the administration of the AEWV scheme with a focus on mitigating the risk of migrant exploitation and irregular migration.

The Terms of Reference had an indicative completion date of 15 December.

But Te Kawa Mataaho (Public Service Commission) has advised us that the review will now be released early in the New Year. 

This is to take the time to ensure that all interested parties are properly consulted, taking into account the imminent holiday break.

The final report is expected to be made public.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) — which includes Immigration New Zealand (INZ) — is supportive of the review.

It is important that there is trust and confidence in the immigration system and we remove opportunities for migrant exploitation. We are committed to improving any policies and processes deemed necessary.

The AEWV was implemented in May last year as an employer-led model. This allowed us to reopen our borders and bring migrants into the country to support industries who really needed them.

While the review is being carried out, we will continue our work, including the processing of applications and responding to cases of migrant exploitation as a priority.

Terms of Reference Assurance Review of Accredited Employer Work Visa Scheme PDF 71KB