New Zealand English requirement for Kenya: which AEWV jobs need proof?
Visa guide · 2026-11-03 · 8 min read
If a New Zealand employer offers you a job on an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV), whether you must prove your English depends on the skill level of the job, not on your passport. Jobs at ANZSCO or National Occupation List (NOL) skill level 3 to 5 need proof that you can speak and understand English, and any English test result must be no more than 2 years old. Jobs at skill level 1 or 2 do not need it. Here is how to work out which side your job falls on, from Nairobi, Mombasa or anywhere else in Kenya.
What the AEWV English rule says
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) sets the rule on its Accredited Employer Work Visa page. It has two parts: the skill level of the job decides whether you must show English at all, and the age of any test result decides whether the result is still usable.
| Part of the rule | What INZ says |
|---|---|
| Job at skill level 1 or 2 | No English requirement for the AEWV |
| Job at skill level 3 to 5 | You must show you can speak and understand English |
| Age of an English test result | No more than 2 years old |
The rule belongs to the visa. It does not matter that English is widely used at work in Kenya: the visa rule decides, and the fact sheet we work from does not list any exemption by passport for the AEWV. Do not assume one. Read the INZ page before you pay for a test or skip one.
This is a New Zealand rule, not an Australian one
Many Kenyan applicants look at Australia and New Zealand together, and the two countries ask for English in different ways. Australia's Skills in Demand visa has its own test scores and its own exemptions, which are covered in our guide to the English test for Australia from Kenya. None of those scores or exemptions should be carried across to a New Zealand application. If you are comparing both countries, keep two separate notes, one for each rule.
Step by step: finding out whether your job needs an English test
- Get the job offer in writing from the employer and confirm it is from an accredited employer. INZ lets you check this on its accredited employer list by company name or 13-digit New Zealand Business Number (NZBN).
- Ask the employer which occupation and which ANZSCO or NOL skill level the job check was approved under. That one answer tells you whether you are on the skill level 1 or 2 side or the 3 to 5 side.
- If the level is 1 or 2, the English requirement does not apply to your AEWV. Keep the written answer with your papers.
- If the level is 3 to 5, open the INZ English language requirements page for the AEWV and read which tests and scores it names today. Our fact sheet does not carry those scores, so do not rely on a number from a forum or a friend.
- Book a test only after you have read the INZ page. Then check the date your result will count from, so that it is still no more than 2 years old when you apply.
- Apply through the online link the employer sends you. An accredited employer must send the applicant that link for the AEWV.
Why the skill level matters more than the job title
A title like "cook", "driver" or "technician" does not tell you the level. INZ has also been changing which occupations it recognises: from 9 March 2026, it recognises 47 additional skill level 1 to 3 occupations under the National Occupation List for AEWV applications, including chef roles split by skill and seniority. That is a good reason to ask the employer for the exact occupation and level rather than guessing from the advertisement.
If you are looking at live roles, browse the New Zealand jobs page and the full jobs list, and read each advertisement for the occupation named. An advertisement can still leave the level out, which is why the question to the employer matters.
Other AEWV conditions that sit beside English
English is only one check. INZ also says the job offer must be for at least 30 hours of work a week, from an accredited employer with an approved job check, and paid at least the market rate for the job. You must also show 2 years or more of relevant job experience, or a qualification at level 4 or higher on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF), in the same field as the job. Our AEWV guide for Kenyans covers these conditions in more detail.
The time you can spend on AEWVs is also tied to the job's level. The total can be 5 years for most jobs, or 3 years if the job is skill level 4 or 5, after which the person normally must spend 12 months in a row outside New Zealand. So a job at skill level 4 or 5 brings both an English requirement and the shorter limit, which is worth knowing before you accept. For the bigger picture of recent changes, see what New Zealand's rebuilt visa pathways mean if you apply from Kenya.
Common mistakes
- Booking a test before knowing the level. If the job is at skill level 1 or 2, you may pay for a test the AEWV does not ask for.
- Using Australian scores. The scores for Australia's Skills in Demand visa are a different rule. Check the INZ page for the AEWV.
- Letting a result go stale. A result that is more than 2 years old does not meet the rule, so an old certificate in a drawer may not help.
- Assuming Kenya's use of English counts. Studying or working in English in Kenya is useful experience, but the visa rule decides whether you need a test.
- Paying someone for a job or visa. INZ will decline an AEWV application if the applicant or their agent offered or promised money to the employer in exchange for a job offer, and New Zealand employers cannot charge you fees for a job. Our note on paying for a job abroad explains what to do instead.
Preparing if you do need a test
Once the INZ page tells you which test is accepted and what you need to reach, a practice routine helps more than last-minute cramming. A practice platform such as PractiseNow can help you rehearse the format, but it cannot tell you which test or score INZ accepts for your visa. For that, always go back to the INZ page. Test fees and booking rules differ between test providers, so check those directly with the provider.
If you need advice on your own case, New Zealand law says that anyone giving immigration advice must be licensed by the Immigration Advisers Authority unless exempt. Its migrant pages explain how to check whether a person is licensed. You are not required to use an adviser to apply, and INZ will not prioritise an application because one is used.
Frequently asked questions
Do all AEWV applicants from Kenya need an English test?
No. The requirement depends on the job's skill level. Jobs at ANZSCO or NOL skill level 3 to 5 need proof of English, while skill level 1 or 2 jobs do not. Ask your employer which level the job check was approved under.
How old can my English test result be?
INZ says English test results must be no more than 2 years old. Check on the INZ English page which date the 2 years is counted to, and plan your test so the result is still valid when you apply.
Does my Kenyan passport or schooling in English exempt me?
Do not assume it does. The sources we use do not list a passport-based exemption for the AEWV, and the visa rule decides, not the country you come from. Read the INZ English requirements page, and ask a licensed adviser if your case looks unusual.
Which English test scores does the AEWV ask for?
This article does not give scores, because we have not verified them. INZ publishes them on its English language requirements page for the AEWV. Take the figures from there on the day you book, as they can change.
Can I use the same English result for Australia and New Zealand?
A result may be accepted for more than one purpose, but each country sets its own accepted tests, scores and age limits. Check the Australian and New Zealand rules separately, and do not copy a score from one to the other.
Key takeaways
- The AEWV English requirement depends on the job's skill level: needed at ANZSCO or NOL skill level 3 to 5, not needed at skill level 1 or 2.
- English test results must be no more than 2 years old.
- Ask your employer for the occupation and skill level before you book any test.
- Take scores only from the INZ page, never from Australian rules or hearsay.
- Never pay anyone for a job offer: INZ can decline an application where money was offered for one.
Last checked: 2026-11-03 against the official pages linked above.
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