Immigration advice for New Zealand employers


Pitt & Moore & your team

Strategic, trusted and proven immigration advice to help your business support, recruit, retain and protect migrant workers. 

New Zealand’s immigration framework is complex and closely aligned with employment and regulatory obligations. For employers, non-compliance can result in stand-down periods, financial penalties and loss of access to crucial migrant labour. 

Pitt & Moore advises national, regional and international employers on all aspects of business immigration, providing commercially grounded and risk-focused guidance. 

Languages we speak: Afrikaans | German | Malay | Russian | Mandarin

Explore our immigration services for employers

Speak with our immigration team

If you need advice on employer accreditation, visa processes or immigration compliance, we are ready to assist with clear, strategic guidance tailored to your workforce needs. 

Contact us today to discuss your next steps

Supporting employers across the immigration lifecycle

We advise employers across the full immigration process, including:

Our focus is not simply visa approval but protecting your business from compliance risk. 

Accredited employer and AEWV advice

If you regularly recruit skilled overseas workers, employer accreditation is critical.

We assist with:

  • Assessing eligibility for accreditation

  • Preparing and lodging accreditation applications

  • Managing job check processes

  • Supporting employee visa applications

  • Ongoing compliance requirements 

Where appropriate, we provide advice if accreditation may not be achievable or has been revoked by Immigration New Zealand.

Approval in Principle and workforce planning for fishing crew

For employers in the fishing sector with high-volume or repeat hiring needs, Approval in Principle may provide a streamlined pathway.

We advise on:

Once Approval in Principle is obtained, we assist with fast-tracked worker visa applications. 

Compliance audits and risk management

Immigration New Zealand and Labour Inspectors hold significant enforcement powers. 

Non-compliance can result in:  

  • Stand-down periods preventing hiring of migrant workers

  • Inability for existing workers to renew visas

  • Financial penalties ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 per breach

  • Reputational damage 

  • Criminal proceedings

We provide structured immigration compliance audits designed to: 

Our aim is to help employers proactively manage compliance and minimise the risk of regulatory action. 

Immigration disputes and enforcement

Where issues arise, we advise on: 

  • Allegations of illegal or non-compliant employment

  • Responses to compliance investigations

  • Strategies to restore revoked employer accreditation

  • Stand-down periods

  • Character and visa condition issues affecting employees 

  • Appeals to the Immigration & Protection Tribunal

  • Judicial review and High Court proceedings

We work closely with our employment and litigation teams where immigration issues intersect with workplace or regulatory matters. 

Why work with Pitt & Moore?

Commercially focused advice.

We understand the operational impact immigration decisions have on your business. 

Integrated regulatory expertise.

Immigration law does not operate in isolation. We align immigration, employment and compliance obligations. 

Regulated solicitors with legal privilege.

As admitted solicitors, our advice is protected by legal professional privilege and subject to regulation by the New Zealand Law Society. 

Speak with our immigration team

If your business requires strategic immigration advice or compliance support, we are ready to assist. 

Key contact


Elly Fleming

Senior Associate 

“Working with Elly Fleming has been a consistently positive experience. She handles all immigration matters with clarity and professionalism, providing practical solutions while genuinely caring about our people. We greatly value her guidance and expertise.”

— NELSON PINE INDUSTRIES LTD

Related Publications