How to find a job in New Zealand

We will help you to find the best place for you to work in New Zealand and show you how to find the right job for you.

Our Starter Pack includes a comprehensive Job Workshop specially designed to help you quickly find the right job.

First of all, let's make something clear: it's incredibly easy to find work in New Zealand!

Do not pay anyone to find a job for you in New Zealand before looking for one yourself; it's a waste of money.

Work and travel in New Zealand

If your level of English is not so good, you will be able to find a job as a picker, for example. Just show up at any farm in the picking season and there is a good likelihood of being hired on the spot. If you're English is better, any hospitality work is open to you. It will take you 1-2 weeks on average to find a job. Of course, if you have a good qualifications and a good level of English, it's up to you to get any job. Nothing will replace the effectiveness of showing up in front of the manager and selling yourself. Don't let a placement agency do it for you.

If you think you need help, ask us! We will help you create a resume/CV that will be truly yours to find a job that you will enjoy. There are also a huge number of recruitment agencies in New Zealand that will interview you and look for a job for you, free of charge. Plus, they are good at it, as companies are paying them to find the best employee for them.

Handy Work Websites

More specialised websites in our Starter Pack

Working in New Zealand

You will need a detailed resume/CV (usually 3-5 pages) and a convincing cover letter. Complete guide and job workshop services are provided with our Starter Pack.

There are numerous websites to look for work, we have selected the most important ones in this list, from the most general, Seek, to the work for accommodation specialist, WWOOF. Take the time to create an account on those websites. It is vital to show your resume/CV in as many places as possible.

We also encourage you to physically look for work around the city you choose to settle in, by stepping in the store or restaurant and asking for the manager. Briefly present yourself, your intentions, and your qualifications before handing them your resume/CV. This way, you will be more memorable. A guide on how to present yourself to a recruiter is also provided in our Starter Pack.

But first, you need to choose where you want to work. Check our map tool that will help you find where the most opportunities are.

When you've got a job

Now that you know where to look for a job, here is what you need to legally work in New Zealand:

• Show that you are eligible to work in the country by either:
  • Showing your visa, or:
  • Showing the details of your work visa on the Immigration New Zealand website, or:
  • Calling Immigration New Zealand to confirm the details of your Work Visa, or:
  • Using Immigration New Zealand's online Visaview service.
• Show your IRD number (check our Starter Pack)