Moving Abroad: New Zealand

This is the first post in our “Moving Abroad” series which will provide prospective migrants with a useful insight into the job market in New Zealand.

For many years now, the following questions are ranked as the most frequently asked by clients:

“Can your company help me with finding a job in New Zealand? “
“Is it difficult to find a job in my field in New Zealand?”
“Where is a good place for me to start my job hunting in New Zealand?”
“When is a good time to start applying for work in New Zealand?”
“Can I get residence in New Zealand without a job offer?”
“Will my chances of securing employment in New Zealand be better if I completed my studies there?”
“I need a job offer to secure a work visa, but at the same time I also need a work visa to secure a job offer. What should I do?” (Catch 22 chicken or egg question, which came first)

You may have noticed a recurring theme from the frequently asked questions listed above: they all relate to securing employment.

In our Moving Abroad series, we aim to provide any prospective migrants to New Zealand with useful information that we hope will assist you with settling and finding employment.

Our first post in this series will provide you with useful tips for those considering New Zealand as their ideal immigration destination.

Consider this before deciding to move

People decide to settle in New Zealand for various reasons – whether it is for work or better opportunities for your family, the envious lifestyle within a community, or maybe you just wish to start over and rewrite a new chapter in your life.

When making the decision on whether or not to settle in New Zealand, have a think about some of the factors which are usually significant to most prospective migrants. Such factors include:

what opportunities will be available for your family (work, education, lifestyle)
the cost of living, including medical and dental charges
if you will buy or rent a home
transport options for getting to work, including public transport
what sort of community support is available
how much you could earn and how much you will need to earn to live comfortably in New Zealand. Remember, salaries are quoted in gross amounts – income tax will be deducted from this amount.

Most importantly, you will need to find out if you are eligible for a visa. This is where we come in. You may also visit the Immigration New Zealand website to see if you qualify to work here.

Is New Zealand right for you and your family?

For those who have not already done so, we always recommend our clients to make a short-term visit to New Zealand with the aim of learning about living and working here. You may also have a taste of New Zealand as a tourist, student, or worker on a temporary working visa.

Despite the fact that you may have already made a decision about settling in New Zealand, you will still need to prepare when searching for employment.

1. Get your documents

Bring originals or certified copies of important documents. These include (not limited):

medical and dental records
vaccination certificates
qualifications (such as degree certificates) or certificates of registrations that licence you to work in certain jobs
references that describe your work experience, skills and character from an employer, and include the dates you were employed
references about your participation in other aspects of life such as community groups or churches
contact details for people you might want to use as job referees. New Zealand employers like to make personal contact with referees, so make sure you have a telephone number and email addresses information records like photographs, which help to show what work you have done.

The following tool (link) is a useful page provided by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) which helps prospective migrants with creating a list of things needed when planning your move.

2. Prepare your resume

Work on your CV, paying particular attention to your specific skills and relevant experience. Where your previous experience was not a full-time position, it will nevertheless be helpful if they are directly relevant.

You may also wish to consider searching online for tools that will assist you with the following:

Tips for creating a New Zealand-style CV
CV and cover letter templates
CV builder / writing tool to help create your CV

3. Be prepared in case you don’t find a job immediately

It may take a period of time to secure your ideal employment and you must consider the prospect of not securing the exact work in New Zealand compared to your previous role. Prepare for this by bringing any savings you have. You may also have to take a lower-level job than you have done before. It is important to keep an open mind and see it as a stepping stone towards your ideal role.

You can get an idea of what opportunities are like in New Zealand by looking at job vacancies online. This will help you find out:

if your current role exists in New Zealand
if there are limited or an abundance of vacancies in your field
how much you are likely to earn

Job profiles – you may also find the following pages useful in your search:

jobs database for specific roles in New Zealand

We also compiled an extremely comprehensive list of job search, vacancies and various recruitment agency websites to assist you with your job search.

This is likely to be the most comprehensive list of job search websites for NZ ever compiled just for you. Therefore, you can thank us later!

New Zealand general job vacancy websites

ApplyDirect
A site listing job vacancies in many industries throughout New Zealand.

Fluid Recruitment
A Dunedin based recruitment agency that lists vacancies throughout New Zealand in accountancy, finance, information technology, engineering, planning and surveying and sales and marketing.

Getaflex
A site that lists part-time and flexible job vacancies throughout New Zealand.

Hays Recruiting
An extensive range of job vacancies in New Zealand, and career resources from a worldwide recruiting company.

Haystack
A recruitment platform with a range of vacancies in New Zealand, and job seeker video profiles.

job.co.nz
A site that lists recruitment agencies specialising in a wide range of sectors.

JobFeed NZ
A job vacancy site where candidates can submit CVs and receive job alerts.

jobGurus
A job vacancy site with a wide range of job listings.

Jobify
A job vacancy site where job seekers can set up profiles and use CV templates.

Job Less
A site with a range of job vacancy listings throughout New Zealand.

Jora New Zealand
A site with job vacancies from industries throughout New Zealand.

Kinetic Recruitment
A wide range of temporary, part-time, and permanent job vacancy listings in New Zealand. Kinetic Recruitment also provide support and coaching services.

List Stuff Jobs
The job vacancy section of a New Zealand-wide hire site, with a CV upload option.

Locanto Jobs
Job vacancies listed from throughout New Zealand.

Lowie Recruitment
A wide range of vacancy listings from throughout New Zealand. Lowie also provides course information.

MyJobSpace.co.nz
A job vacancy site where job seekers can set up a profile and online CV.

neuvoo
The New Zealand branch of an international job vacancy site, with an extensive range of vacancies.

Seek
An extensive list of job vacancies from employers across New Zealand and Australia. Also provides an email notification service and career development resources and training information.

Smart Select
A recruitment agency that links job seekers to employers, via locations.

Talent Propeller
A wide range of vacancy listings, plus resources and advice for job seekers.

Trade Me Jobs
Trade Me Jobs is New Zealand’s most visited jobs site, and provides a wide range of vacancies.

Urnextgig
A recruitment platform connecting job seekers and employers in New Zealand.

YUDU
A wide range of vacancy listings, plus resources and advice for job seekers

Work and Income job search database
A large selection of current New Zealand job vacancies and general advice.

New Zealand specialist job vacancy websites

New Zealand self-promotion websites

Blogging.com
Advice on starting and maintaining a blog, and using a blog to promote a career.

CAREERTIGER
A website providing CV, user profile and career development resources, and a job board.

Gigajob
A website that lists CVs posted by job seekers and vacancies posted by employers.

JobCafe
A site that matches job seekers’ skills with current vacancies in a wide range of fields.

Online Portfolio
Advice, steps to follow and links to help creative people and job seekers create online portfolios.

Job vacancy websites for migrants

Accent Health Recruitment
A recruitment agency helping health professionals find work in New Zealand.

Backpacker Jobs
A site with full-time and part-time seasonal job listings across New Zealand.

Backpacker Jobs NZ
A site with jobs for people on a working holiday in New Zealand.

Seasonaljobs.co.nz
Search for seasonal job vacancies across the country, in many industries.

Seasonalwork.co.nz
A job vacancy site listing a range of short-term work across New Zealand, mainly in hospitality, agriculture and horticulture.

Working in New Zealand
Find information on employers and recruitment agencies relevant to the occupation and industry you want to work in.

New Kiwis
A site that links New Zealand employers with skilled migrants who are eligible to work, and currently live or intend to live, in New Zealand.

Origin Medical Recruitment
An agency which places doctors in locum and permanent positions in New Zealand.

Workhere New Zealand
A company that connects skilled migrants and expat Kiwis from around the world to New Zealand-based companies with jobs in demand.

New Zealand regional websites

Able Personnel
A Hawke’s Bay general recruitment agency.

Clutha Development
A wide range of job vacancy listings and industry profiles in the Clutha District.

Coverstaff Recruitment
A wide range of job vacancy listings in Auckland.

Direction Recruitment
A Whangarei-based agency with job vacancy listings and recruiting services in Northland.

Freestyla
An Auckland agency that recruits staff for infrastructure, commercial and civil construction projects.

GBL Personnel
A Wellington recruitment agency that specialises in placing people in permanent, temporary and contract positions in the Wellington region.

Intepeople
A Nelson-based human resources company helping people find work in Blenheim, Christchurch, Marlborough and Nelson.

One21 Recruitment
Tauranga-based recruitment agency with vacancies in engineering, manufacturing, energy and healthcare. They also provide CV writing, redundancy and career-coaching services.

Otago Daily Times
Job vacancies listed in the Otago daily newspaper, across a range of industries.

Palmerston North Personnel
A Palmerston North-based general recruitment agency providing a service in the Manawatu.

Queenstown Jobs
A Queenstown-based agency who also provide career and job search advice.

Ryan
A Christchurch-based recruitment company specialising in commercial, industrial and human resources job placement.

Source HR
An Auckland-based general recruitment agency placing people in temporary and permanent positions.

Success Personnel
A Hamilton-based agency listing casual and permanent vacancies, as well as services and advice for job seekers and employers.

New Zealand general recruitment agency websites

Adecco
A recruitment agency that allows you to search for current vacancies by region.

Agoge Recruitment
An agency providing HR and recruitment services.

Advanced Personnel
A recruitment agency that places people across a range of industries, including engineering, roading, stores/warehousing, and building and construction.

Beyond Recruitment
A recruitment agency specialising in IT, accounting, marketing, communications, telecommunications, engineering and government positions.

Chillifactor
A recruitment software and consulting company with vacancy listings across varied industries throughout New Zealand.

Drake New Zealand
A recruitment and consultancy company based in Auckland, with nine branches nationwide.

Enterprise Recruitment
Enterprise Recruitment is a New Zealand recruitment and human resources agency, servicing all industry sectors.

Fosterra
A recruitment firm focussing on providing HR and recruitment services to South Island-based technically orientated companies.

Frog Recruitment
Browse jobs available through this agency including accounting, IT, human resources, and sales.

Fusion
An agency that matches job seekers with companies and provides free consulting services.

HQ Recruiting
An agency with vacancy listings in early childhood education, transport and IT.

Hudson
A recruitment agency operating over a range of industries, including business, IT, and sales.

Kelly Services
Browse temporary, part-time, and permanent jobs on offer through this agency.

Madison
Madison has five branches across New Zealand and recruits for permanent, temporary and contract roles.

McLaren Associates
A Wellington-based recruitment and HR consultancy company.

Manpower NZ
New Zealand branch of a global recruitment company with a range of vacancies, including temporary roles, and career-related resources.

Martin Personnel
A recruitment agency website with current vacancies in a wide range of industries.

Michael Page
A wide range of job vacancies plus, job alerts, careers and management advice, and market insights from an international recruitment agency.

Momentum
A recruitment agency with 10 specialist areas, including communications, finance, and bicultural employment.

NPL
An agency with a wide range of vacancy listings, who also provide training.

OCG
A recruitment agency that lets you search for current vacancies in the main centres of New Zealand. Also provides an email address for sending CVs to the agency.

Randstad
The New Zealand branch of an international company listing vacancies in several industries. Randstad also provide information, resources and research findings.

Recruit NZ Limited
A Warkworth-based company that specialises in recruitment and strategic HR services throughout New Zealand.

Robert Walters
A recruitment agency website with current vacancies in a wide range of industries.

Salt
Salt is a recruitment agency that provides flexible and permanent positions from entry level to management.

Superior Personnel
Vacancy listings in Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty in manufacturing, freight and logistics, infrastructure, specialist trades and clerical roles, plus news and advice.

The Recruitment Company
Factory, forklift and truck driving, seasonal, and warehouse job vacancy listings in Hawke’s Bay, Christchurch and Nelson.

New Zealand industry-specific job vacancy websites

Animal care and conservation

Seven Animal Health
Job vacancies for veterinary professionals.

Arts and media

Crewlist
A job vacancy and networking site for the screen (film and television) industry.

Maslow
An agency specialising in design and advertising vacancies.

Museums Aotearoa
This website lists current vacancies in the museums and art gallery sector.

The Big Idea
Lists vacancies in the creative industries.

Business, executive, and professionals

Albany Executive Recruitment
An Auckland-based recruitment agency specialising in management, administration, accounting, sales, marketing, customer service, operations and office support roles.

Alpha Recruitment
A recruitment agency, with offices in Auckland and Wellington, specialising in executive roles.

Campfire Digital Recruitment
A recruitment agency specialising in digital marketing, digital media and advertising technology roles.

Global Attract
A recruitment company specialising in IT, finance, accounting, banking and executive roles in New Zealand.

Greenlight Recruitment
A Christchurch-based job vacancy and recruitment agency specialising in sales, IT, freight forwarding, logistics, insurance, and office and administration.

Parker Bridge
A recruitment agency specialising in professional roles.

people&co.
A recruitment agency based in Wellington that provides search and recruitment services for corporate, not-for-profit and government executive roles.

people2people
A recruitment agency based in Australia and New Zealand that finds staff for administration,customer service, finance, human resources, legal, marketing, property and sales roles.

Rice Consulting
A recruitment agency that specialises in finding staff for other businesses in the recruitment industry.

Robert Half
An agency that places candidates in accounting, finance, technology and office support roles.

Sheffield
A recruitment agency specialising in accounting, finance, marketing, sales, human resources, production/technical and general management vacancies.

Wholeoranges Consulting
A company that recruits staff for executive, managerial and administrative business services support positions.

Education and social sciences

ecemploy
The Early Childhood Council website, specialising in early childhood education vacancies.

Education Personnel
A recruitment agency specialising in education vacancies.

Kindercare New Zealand
A recruitment agency specialising in eary childhood education vacancies.

NZ Education Gazette
Has an extensive list of teaching vacancies.

Oasis Education Ltd
An employment agency specialising in teaching vacancies.

Engineering, construction, transport, manufacturing and logistics

6am Recruitment Ltd
A recruitment agency specialising in the manufacturing, construction, trades and engineering industries.

Automotive Employment NZ Ltd
A site listing a broad range of vacancies relating to the motor industry.

AWF Group
New Zealand-wide suppliers of temporary staff to industry.

Campbell and Partners
An agency specialising in automotive and heavy automotive recruitment for sales, parts and service-related jobs.

Cobalt Recruitment
An agency recruiting in the construction, property and infrastructure industries throughout New Zealand.

ConstructionList.co.nz
A recruitment agency that specialises in construction vacancies in New Zealand.

CRS Recruit
A recruitment agency that specialises in engineering vacancies in Auckland.

C3 Ltd
The career centre for C3 Ltd, advertising jobs in stevedoring and logistics.

Dare Energy
A company that specialises in recruitment of engineers in the oil and gas, mining and infrastructure industries.

energyjobline
A job vacancy site specialising in energy and engineering-related roles in New Zealand and internationally.

Experis
New Zealand branch of a global recruitment company specialising in IT and engineering roles nationwide.

Fullers
A company with bus driver, deckhand, marine engineering and customer service vacancies in Auckland.

Greenlight Recruitment
A Christchurch-based job vacancy and recruitment agency that specialises in freight forwarding, logistics, and transport.

JOBsmith
JOBsmith specialises in technical and trade recruitment.

Key Skills Recruitment
A recruitment company specialising in construction, engineering and manufacturing vacancies in Wellington and Tauranga.

KiwiRail Jobs
Search railway jobs with Kiwirail.

Lawson Williams Consulting Group
A recruitment agency with vacancies in a range of industries.

MITO
A vacancy site that lets job seekers create a profile and search for vacancies in the automotive, transport and logistics, textile fabrication and mining industries.

NZ Bus
A job vacancy site with a variety of roles for people wanting to work with buses.

Refocus Recruitment
A recruitment agency that finds jobs for engineers, technical staff, and tradespeople.

RobLawMax Recruitment
A recruitment agency that specialises in construction, engineering, technical and infrastructure positions throughout New Zealand.

Scaffolding, Access & Rigging New Zealand (SARNZ)
SARNZ lists nationwide scaffolding, access and rigging vacancies.

Tandr Recruitment
A recruitment agency specialising in engineering, construction, and infrastructure jobs.

Transdev
Search railway jobs in New Zealand and Australia.

Technical Recruitment Solutions
TRS have vacancies in vacancies in engineering, construction, industrial process, oil & gas, food, dairy, pharmaceuticals and manufacturing.

The Talent Hive
A specialist engineering and IT recruitment firm with offices in New Zealand and the UK.

Tradestaff
An agency specialising in temporary recruitment, with 11 New Zealand branches.

Farming, fishing, forestry and mining

AgCareers.com
Agricultural jobs in New Zealand and abroad.

AgriHQ
Jobs Find jobs in agriculture.

Cross Country Recruitment
A recruitment company that matches farm workers with farmers.

Fegan and Co
Fegan and Company focus on recruitment for the farming sector.

FRENZ Recruitment
A New Zealand-wide farming employment agency specialising in the dairy sector.

Friday Offcuts
Weekly job advertisements for forestry and wood processing jobs in New Zealand and Australia.

Greenstone Recruitment
An agency specialising in agricultural recruitment throughout New Zealand.

New Zealand Conservation Jobs
A website that advertises job vacancies in the conservation industry.

PickNZ
Pick NZ gives you access to seasonal and full-time work opportunities in the horticulture industry.

Tipu
Horticultural job vacancies in Gisborne.

Government, law and safety

edenfx HSE Recruitment
A specialist recruitment agency for health, safety and environmental professionals.

LGCareers
Job vacancies and advice on careers in local government in New Zealand.

Jobs.govt.nz
The New Zealand Government’s job vacancy website.

The Johnson Group
A specialist recruitment agency for policy analysts, policy managers and other government professionals.

Health and community

Association of Salaried Medical Specialists
A searchable database of senior medical and dental vacancies in New Zealand.

BeeFound
An agency specialising in enrolled nurse, general practitioner, nurse practitioner and registered nurse locums.

Babysits
An agency specialising in childcare vacancies throughout New Zealand.

Care Direct
A Wellington based agency providing casual and permanent staff in healthcare and nursing roles to aged care facilities and hospitals.

Carefinder
Register for jobs in childcare, pet care, home tuition, house-sitting, gardening and elderly care.

Carejobz
A recruitment company for aged care, allied healthcare and medical professional jobs in New Zealand, Australia and the UK.

Do Good Jobs
A website that lists jobs in the not-for-profit, charity and community sectors.

Execucare
A recruitment company for voluntary groups, charities, and not-for-profit organisations.

FIT
A site that lists job vacancies in the New Zealand health and fitness, sport and recreation, and spa and beauty industries.

Frontline Health New Zealand
A job vacancy website specialising in health jobs.

Geneva Health
A recruitment service that lists health jobs in New Zealand, Australia, the UK and the Middle East.

Head Medical
A recruitment agency specialising in vacancies for general practitioners and medical specialists in New Zealand and internationally.

HealthJobsNZ
A website listing public and private healthcare vacancies, where you can sign up for job alerts.

Health ProfessionalNZ
A recruitment agency specialising in health jobs.

Kiwi Health Jobs
Search for vacancies in the public health sector and deal directly with employers.

KiwiOz Nannies
A recruitment agency specialising in nanny placements in Auckland and Wellington.

Kiwis STAT
A recruitment company for locum doctors and allied health professionals, with placements in New Zealand, Australia and the UK.

Lanz Recruitment
A New Zealand recruitment agency specialising in dental and physiotherapy vacancies.

Life Plus
A recruitment agency with vacancies in caregiving, nursing, reception and general practitioner.

Medacs Healthcare
The New Zealand branch of an international healthcare recruitment agency.

MedHire
Medical and healthcare job vacancies in New Zealand.

NZDr
A recruitment agency specialising in psychiatry vacancies throughout New Zealand.

NZLocums
A government funded recruitment service specialising in general practitioner and nurse practitioner vacancies in rural towns in New Zealand.

Ochre Recruitment
A recruitment agency with permanent and locum vacancy listings for general practitioners in New Zealand and Australia.

Psych Recruitment Ltd
A recruitment agency specialising in psychology, corrections and mental health vacancies.

Rockmybaby
An agency specialising in babysitting, nannying and childcare vacancies.

Seven Animal Health
A recruitment agency specialising in veterinary roles in New Zealand and Australia.

Hospitality, tourism, recreation and retail

BackpackerGuide.NZ
Hospitality and seasonal job listings across all New Zealand.

Barcats
Hospitality job listings throughout New Zealand.

Bravo Recruitment
A recruitment company with vacancies in hospitality and tourism.

Frontline Retail New Zealand
A job vacancy website that lists retail jobs.

Hospitality New Zealand
Nationwide hospitality job vacancies and staff recruitment resources.

Hospoworld Resourcing
A website that lists hospitality and tourism vacancies.

Property Jobs
A website that lists property and real estate vacancies.

Retailworld resourcing
Search for retail jobs.

Suppremo Hospitality Solutions
Find hospitality jobs in Auckland and Wellington

The Trusts
Search for hospitality jobs in West Auckland.

Information technology and telecommunications

Absolute IT
A recruitment company that focuses on IT.

Comspek
A contract and permanent recruitment consultancy working with IT and telecommunications professionals.

Crescent Recruitment
A Christchurch-based recruitment agency specialising in IT and engineering vacancies.

Greenlight Recruitment
A Christchurch-based job vacancy and recruitment agency that specialises in contract and permanent IT roles.

Potentia
Find jobs in the information technology sector.

Place Recruitment
Find jobs in the information technology sector

Sunstone Talent
An IT specialist company with a South Island focus.

The Talent Hive
A specialist engineering and IT recruitment firm with offices in New Zealand and the UK.

Voluntary work

English Language Partners New Zealand
Teach English to adult migrants and refugees in New Zealand.

Go Overseas
Search for international study and volunteer opportunities.

New Zealand Red Cross migration programmes
Volunteer to help refugees settle into their new communities in New Zealand.

Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind
Details of voluntary opportunities with the Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind.

Volunteering New Zealand
Information about volunteering in New Zealand, including details of local volunteer centres and jobs available.

Volunteer Services Abroad (VSA) Aotearoa New Zealand
A list of current vacancies for volunteer work abroad.

Working Abroad
Volunteer, professional and casual vacancies in more than 150 countries.

4. Get your qualifications assessed

Finally, if you have formal tertiary qualifications (university, polytechnic or trade) from any country, you may opt to have them evaluated by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA).

Depending on when and where you obtained your qualifications, they may be exempt from assessment for immigration purposes. You can check this from the following list:

INZ Ops Manual: (Appendix 3) List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment

If you work in a job where mandatory registration is required by law, you will need to check to see if your qualification allows you to become registered in New Zealand (registration is a licence to work in a particular industry, but it doesn’t necessarily entitle you to a job):

New Zealand Qualifications Authority website – recognition of overseas qualifications
New Zealand Now website – information on qualifications and registration

Once you have obtained an offer for skilled employment in New Zealand, get in touch with a specialist legal consultant, widely recognised as one of the best in the industry from Thomas. Jefferson Associates for an efficient handling of all your NZ visa formalities.