Stunning natural beauty, a kind and inviting culture, and a high standard of life make New Zealand a popular tourist destination. It’s a great place to live and work because of the abundance of opportunities for outdoor leisure and exciting activities, as well as the quality of the healthcare provided and the caliber of the educational system.
It can be difficult to get work in New Zealand due to the country’s popularity. However, not all work visa categories are open to all candidates or in all fields. Learn more about the employment process in New Zealand by reading on.
Find the visa for New Zealand that suits you best.
Answering the question “how do I qualify to work in New Zealand?” is not as difficult as you might assume. There are a number of options for finding work and relocating to New Zealand, but you should give some thought to the laws involved first. You can’t go anywhere till you find out what kind of visa you can get.
You should ask yourself these two crucial questions when researching the many visa options available to you:
- How would you define your ideal job?
- When would you like to begin your stay?
The answers to these questions will help you identify which visa category is best for you and, in turn, how you should approach your job search.
Obtaining a working holiday visa will allow you to legally work and travel in New Zealand for a set period of time. A different type of visa is required if you intend to settle in New Zealand permanently.
Keep in mind that several types of visas necessitate that applicants obtain a certain score on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam to demonstrate their command of the English language. If you’re visiting from an English-speaking nation (such the United States, Canada, or the United Kingdom), you won’t have any trouble understanding signs and directions. However, non-native speakers should be informed that this test may be required before a visa is issued.
Let’s have a look at what you can do to make your ambition of working and living in New Zealand a reality.
VISA FOR A WORKING HOLIDAY
Visas for Americans are valid for a full year.
To combine employment and travel in New Zealand, the Working Holiday Visa is a suitable choice if you are a U.S. citizen under the age of 30 (or a Canadian citizen under the age of 35).
Professionals seeking permanent residency in New Zealand cannot apply for this visa category. During the busy tourist season, most people with Working Holiday Visas work part-time in restaurants, cafes, hotels, or farms. You are not permitted to work for the same company for more than six consecutive months. Ideal for traveling between the Northern and Southern Islands.
Currently, residents of 45 different nations can apply for this program. For some nations, there is a quota on the number of annual admissions, meaning that if that number is reached, applications will be closed until the following year. If you are applying from a nation that has annual quotas, you should do so as soon as possible in the calendar year. However, at this time, visa availability is unrestricted for nationals of the United States, Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.
If you want to get a working holiday visa in New Zealand, you need to meet these requirements:
- You should bring enough money to cover your return flight and living expenses while in New Zealand.
- You must be able to show that working will be secondary to your principal purpose for visiting New Zealand as a tourist.
- Get New Zealand health insurance that covers your entire stay.
- Provide proof of your good health, such as a medical certificate.
Professional Migrant Worker Visa (No Job Offer Required)
Visa duration: indefinite for those who meet the requirements
This is a blanket work visa for highly educated people who want to settle permanently in New Zealand.
Here are the procedures you need to do to apply for a skilled migrant visa:
Express your interest by filling out an EOI The selection process for this visa is point-based. Things like age, profession, years of work experience, and level of education all factor into the total score. You need a total of 100 points or more to be included in the application pool. But right now the government is only taking applications from people who have 160 or more points.
Get picked out of the EOI pool about once every two weeks and encouraged to apply for residency. Your eligibility for permanent residency will be determined after a review of your points.
Fill up and send in the application for permanent residence: Once the application is submitted, the applicant must wait for the visa to be approved.
You may look up your job title in the ANZSCO database to see how it compares to others in the same field. The professions of engineering, psychology, medicine, and science, as well as the skilled crafts of mechanic and electrician, are among those with a projected long-term skills deficit.
Processing times have increased dramatically due to the COVID-19 virus. Every two weeks, the New Zealand government refreshes its application status overview.
EMPLOYER-SANCTIONED WORK VISA (Must Have a Job Offer)
Visa validity term is up to three years, after which time the holder may apply for an Essential Skills Visa.
A valid offer of employment from a recognized New Zealand employer for at least 30 hours per week is required to apply for this visa. The hitch is that your prospective employer must demonstrate that no New Zealander is qualified for the position you’re applying for. This approach, which is prevalent in many nations, gives locals preference when hiring.
Working in a skilled occupation and having substantial relevant work experience will increase the likelihood that you will be granted this visa. You must use domestic job boards to apply for these positions. In the next sections, we’ll go into greater depth on this procedure.
DIFFERENT OTHER CHOICES
You may learn more about the many visa options available to you by visiting New Zealand’s immigration website. We’ll also call attention to the special visas issued to people of extraordinary potential in the arts, culture, and sports, as well as those granted to the spouses of New Zealand nationals.
Employment Visa for Partners
Length of visa:
To work in New Zealand, you may choose to apply for a Partnership Work Visa if you are in a long-term relationship with a citizen of that country. If you don’t fit the bill for any of the other visa categories—say, because you’re too old for a working holiday visa or because you don’t have a skill set that’s in great demand in New Zealand—this may be your best option.
In order to apply for a Partnership Work Visa, you will need to demonstrate your commitment to your partner for an extended period of time. Not being legally married is not a requirement, but you must have been a couple for at least a year before applying.
It may take several months, and during that time, immigration officials will conduct a comprehensive review of your case. However, those in legitimate relationships with New Zealand citizens have the necessary paperwork might consider applying for this form of visa.
Update your CV for New Zealand today!
Resumes are more commonly referred to as Curriculum Vitae (CV) in New Zealand. There is little difference between what employers in the United States or the United Kingdom look for on CVs, so here are some basic recommendations for making your resume NZ-friendly:
A CV with a photo of the applicant’s head attached is rather unusual.
Write succinctly and directly to the point.
Exude self-assurance and thoroughness, but refrain from bragging.
Those with employers outside of New Zealand should provide at least the company’s location, the number of those employers, and a link to their website.
It is standard practice for companies to request two references, so be sure to inform your referees in advance.
Be sure to emphasize the relevant talents and traits you bring to the table, such as a can-do mentality, teamwork, critical thinking, and communication, in your resume and cover letter to a New Zealand employer.
You may get free examples of resumes and cover letters on the New Zealand government’s job website.
Job-hunting and application-submitting
To qualify for a work visa sponsored by an approved employer in New Zealand, you must have a job offer in hand before you travel there. Popular examples of broad online job boards include:
People seeking work in specific fields may benefit from using industry-specific job boards:
In most situations, you won’t be able to apply for jobs until you’re already in the country on a Working Holiday Visa. Hostel noticeboards often feature advertisements for seasonal workers, so booking a stay there is a great way to get a feel for the local labor market. The recommendations of other tourists are invaluable. During the peak tourist season, it is common for businesses in tourist hotspots to post help wanted signs in their storefronts and restaurant windows.
The only exception is if you’re looking for work in a field that requires seasonal travel, like skiing or white-water rafting. Jobs in these fields typically require certain abilities and expertise, and you should get in touch with potential employers a few months before the start of the season because positions fill up quickly.
A good place to begin your search for employment in New Zealand is the Vagvadini International Work Abroad Programs & Jobs page. From au pairs to software developers, healthcare workers to camp counselors, you may find a wide variety of job postings in a variety of sectors on this site.
