We work for New Zealand Employers

Our team at NZIC helps New Zealand employers attract skills from overseas and makes the process of employing migrants straightforward and seamless.

We will provide the allround support you will need to find the skills you need for your business and assist your migrant candidate with their visa process.

Our Licensed Immigration Advisers will help you with

  • Your Accredited Employer application - applications are now open. Our Licensed Immigration Advisers take care of your application process for you.
  • Job checks - we help accredited employers with the necessary job checks.
  • The new Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) - Our Licensed Immigration Advisers help your preferred candidate with their application for an AEWV. This option is available once you are accredited and a job check has been completed.
  • Labour market testing - Our Licensed Immigration Advisers will make sure all formalities are observed to demonstrate that no New Zealand can be found to do the job you want to offer the migrant job seeker.

Our Licensed Immigration Advisers will also

  • check the candidate's visa status to ensure that the migrant can legally work for you
  • identify the best visa options available for your migrant candidate and their partner or family
  • assist your candidate and their family with all visa formalities to make the process easier for you and your new employee.

Our Job Search Specialists will provide you with

  • access to a large client base of skilled migrants seeking employment in New Zealand
  • an excellent understanding of the skills needed by you to fill a position
  • know how to 'translate' overseas skills and work experience and fully understand the migrant's skill set.

The NZIC Job Portal

Our Job Portal facilitates the connection of global job seekers and New Zealand employers.

  • We offer New Zealand businesses the opportunity to connect with our migrant clients
  • We make it easier for our migrant clients to connect to the New Zealand employment market.

Check out our NZIC Job Portal.

To get in touch or register your job openings simply send us our Employer form.

What does it take to employ a migrant in 2024?

The process of offering a job to a migrant is complex. It involves several stages.

Application for employer accreditation

You can apply for 1 of 4 different levels of accreditation.

  • Standard accreditation is for standard businesses hiring up to 5 migrants.
  • High-volume accreditation is for standard businesses hiring 6 or more migrants.
  • Franchisee accreditation is for businesses that are part of a franchise. There is no limit to how many migrants you can hire.
  • Controlling third party accreditation is for businesses who place migrants with third parties while being the direct employer named in the employment agreement. There is no limit to how many migrants you can hire.

Advertising the role

Before you can apply for a Job Check you may need to advertise to check there are no New Zealand citizens or residents available for the job.

This is a way of giving suitable New Zealanders the chance to apply for work before it is offered to someone from overseas, and making sure employers offer attractive wages to New Zealanders.

You must list the job for at least 2 weeks on a national listing website or channel where suitable New Zealanders are likely to apply, and meet other advertising requirements. Advertising must take place within the 90 days before you submit an application.

You will not need to give evidence of advertising if the job:

  • pays at least twice the NZ median wage, or
  • is an occupation on the Green List.

Application for a Job Check

Once you have accreditation you must apply for a Job Check.

You need to include:

  • a job description
  • an employment agreement
  • the results of any advertising you had to do.

Job Checks are valid for 6 months or until you no longer have accreditation.

We aim to process Job Checks within 2 weeks for straightforward applications. Straightforward applications include all required information and do not need follow up contact.

Your Job Check application will take longer than 2 weeks to process if it is:

  • missing information
  • requires follow up contact from us, or
  • for a role that is not a current vacancy.

What does the Green List mean for New Zealand employers?

An employer can complete the job check stage without proof of advertising if the job:

  • pays at least twice the NZ median wage, or
  • is an occupation on the Green List.

If you are an employer wanting to employ a migrant, ask us how we can help.

*Please note:  New Zealand has previously used 3 Skill Shortages Lists that recorded the skill shortages in New Zealand. They were the:

  • Long Term Skill Shortage List
  • Regional Skill Shortage List
  • Construction and Infrastructure Skill Shortage List.

These lists have been replaced by the Green List in-demand.


The three steps for an NZ employer to employ a migrant:
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1.Employer Accreditation

Employers can apply for accreditation .

Only accredited employers can hire a migrant worker on the AEWV.

They need accreditation in the new system – even if they are accredited under the current system.

The accreditation levels are:

  • Standard Accreditation for employers who want to have up to 5 migrant workers
  • High-volume Accreditation for employers who want to have 6 or more migrant workers on AEWVs at any one time.

Franchisees and employers wanting to place migrants on AEWVs with third parties (including labour hire companies) will need to meet additional criteria to get accredited.

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2.Job Check

Employers can apply for a job check.

The following principles apply to the job check:

  • jobs must pay market rate
  • terms and conditions must comply with employment law

Some job checks will also involve a labour market test.

  • A labour market test shows that an employer has genuinely advertised the role to New Zealanders and there are none available to do the job.

When a labour market test is required:

  • For jobs that pay below the median wage

When a labour market test is not required:

In the cities (Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton and Dunedin):

  • Jobs paying at or above 200% the median wage, or
  • Jobs that are on a skills shortage list, and pay at or above the median wage

In the regions:

  • Jobs paying at or above the median wage
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3.The Accredited Employer Work Visa, AEWV

Migrants can apply for this temporary work visa.

The migrant worker must show they meet:

  • health requirements
  • character requirements
  • identity requirements
  • skills and experience as stipulated as part of the employer's Job Check
With your application you have to demonstrate that you comply with the following requirements:
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Sound Financial Position
Revenue, profit and equity levels must prove your ability to sustain employment
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Human Resources Policies and Processes
Must comply with high standards

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Commitment to Training Locals
Training and employing New Zealand citizens or residence class visa holders when possible
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Good Workplace Practices
A history of compliance with all immigration and employment New Zealand laws

You need to meet these accredited employer criteria throughout the whole term of your
accreditation

Are you a New Zealand employer wanting to employ migrants?

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The great work done before has surely helped to achieve this quick positive result. NZIC are really professional and know what to do when to do it and how to do it. That is so convenient and efficient! I’m still working with them for the next steps and would like to thank them again for their help and support.  Thank you.  Kind Regards.

FB
France
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Anna was worth her weight in gold---she was fantastic at helping me format my CV and search for jobs that suited my skill set.  In the end, I got a great job in a great city.  Carsten and his team were very thorough and helpful when it came time to apply for and get our visas. They are now helping us with our resident visas, and I'm certain that the process will be the same. I'd recommend them highly.

KJ
USA
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NZIC guided me all the way through getting my first work visa to permanent residency. Their job seeking support was key when I first arrived in NZ, communication was always easy and clear. I'm very thankful for their help and definitely recommend their services.

DO
Brazil
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Dear Jannie, just want to drop a note to thank for your everything. Your help is much appreciated! You are a wonderful and professional job search coach! I am so lucky to have you supporting me!

MK
Hong Kong