Hi. I got my New Zealand Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) granted in Tier 2 qualification on 19-January-2023. The pay rate in my job offer contract from Accredited Employer was NZD$28.00 per hour and it was higher than the Median Wage at the time of my visa approval (19-January-2023). After my AEWV grant, I traveled and landed in New Zealand on 9th of March 2023, and I started my full time permanent Job on 10th of March 2023 based on NZD$28.00 per hour. This pay rate was originally outlined in the contract offered to me by my Accredited Employer in August 2022, which I agreed and signed in October 2022. I have now completed 1 year of my employment with my Accredited Employer this March in 2024, but my pay rate has remained the same (NZD$28.00 per hour) so far.
My question is, when I complete my 24 months of employment with same Accredited Employer next year in March 2025 (assuming on same NZD$28.00 per hour rate), would I still be eligible to apply for Work to Residence visa given than my pay rate did not increased to match with revised Median Wage of New Zealand (as Median Wage is revised and increased 1 to 2 time per year by New Zealand Govt)?
The following link from the official New Zealand immigration website states the conditions and examples of my scenario, but I wanted to be very clear that I would be safe to apply for Work to Residence VISA after 24 months of employment while staying on the same hourly rate.
