New Zealand Jobs for Foreigners, Skill Shortage List in 2023

New Zealand has thousands of jobs for foreigners according to their recently released long term skill shortage list, regional skill shortage list and construction, and infrastructure skill-shortage list in 2023.

You will see here the list of jobs that are available for foreigners as New Zealand does not have enough manpower to fill up the positions. Due to this, they have to give it to qualified and experienced foreigners who are willing to live and work in New Zealand.

Why Foreigners should Live and Work in New Zealand

There are many reasons to choose New Zealand as a country to live with family and for work. It is ranked third in the world when it comes to ‘work-life balance,’ and ranked first for ‘quality of life’ according to the survey made by HSBC.

In another survey conducted also by HSBC, New Zealand ranked 2nd overall country as the best place in the world for expats and foreigners to live and work. It occupies the same spot for 4 years in a row from 2015 to 2018. Edging other expats favored countries including the likes of Canada, Singapore, Switzerland, Bahrain, Germany, and Sweden.

New Zealand is the second safest country in the world based on the details at worldpopulationreview.com. NZ ranked 2nd safest as compared to 163 other countries. One of NZ’s popular city, Auckland belongs to the top 10 greatest cities to live in based on telegraph.co.uk.

According to world.bymap.org the unemployment rate in New Zealand is just around 5.1% which is way better than the global average of 8.6%.

Aside from the rankings and surveys, New Zealand is a beautiful country. It can be attributed to its friendly and very hospitable people. Plus, the breath-taking landscape of both North and South Island which were used as the location for movies such as Lord of the Rings Trilogy, The Hobbit Trilogy, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Mission Impossible 6 to name a few.

Are you one of those foreigners who are interested to find jobs in New Zealand and make it your home? You can check out the skill shortages of the aforementioned country. Maybe there are available positions that are comparable to your educational background and work experience.

New Zealand Skills Shortages for Foreigners

The list is based on the long-term and regional skills shortage list as of May 2019. The overseas qualifications must be comparable to NZ standard qualifications list.

Long Term Skill Shortage List

Construction

• Construction Project Manager
• Project Builder (including building project manager and site foreman)
• Quantity Surveyor
• Surveyor

Engineering

• Chemical Engineer
• Materials Engineer
• Civil Engineer
• Geotechnical Engineer
• Structural Engineer
• Electrical Engineer
• Industrial Engineer
• Mechanical Engineer
• Production or Plant Engineer
• Environmental Engineer
• Engineering Professionals NEC
• Civil Engineering Technician
• Electrical Engineering Technician
• Electronic Engineering Technician
• Telecommunications Engineer
• Telecommunications Network Engineer

Finance / Business

• Procurement Manager

Health and Social Services

• Clinical Psychologist
• Diagnostic and Interventional Radiologist
• General Practitioner
• Medical Radiation
• Medical Laboratory Scientist – including Cytotechnologist (Cytoscientist)
• Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
• Physicist (Medical)
• Physiotherapist
• Psychiatrist
• Registered Nurse (Aged Care)
• Sonographer
• Specialist Physician in Palliative Medicine
• Surgeon (General)
• Veterinarian

ICT, Electronics and Telecommunications

• Multimedia Specialist (Film Animator)
• ICT Project Manager
• Organization and Methods Analyst
• ICT Business Analyst
• Systems Analyst
• Multimedia Specialist
• Web Developer
• Analyst Programmer
• Developer Programmer
• Software Engineer, Software Tester, and Software and Applications Programmers NEC
• Database Administrator
• ICT Security Specialist
• Systems Administrator
• Computer Network and Systems Engineer
• Network Administrator
• ICT Quality Assurance Engineer, ICT Support Engineer, and ICT Systems Test Engineer
• ICT Support and Test Engineers NEC
• Telecommunications Engineer
• Telecommunications Network Engineer
• ICT Customer Support Officer

Recreation, Hospitality and Tourism

• Chef (Chef de Partie or higher)

Science

• Other Spatial Scientist
• Environmental Research Scientist
• Food Technologist

Trades

• Automotive Electrician
• Diesel Motor Mechanic (including Heavy Vehicle Inspector)
• Electrician (General)
• Electric Line Mechanic

New Zealand Regional Skill Shortage List

This list includes skill shortages in a particular region where there are no residents or New Zealand citizens who have the skill set to occupy the positions.

Northland

Agriculture and Forestry

• Apiarist
• Arborist
• Beef Cattle Farmer (farm manager)
• Dairy Cattle Farmer (farm manager)
• Market Gardener (crop production / Agronomist Manager)
• Pig Farmer (farm manager or assistant farm manager)

Education

• Early Childhood (pre-primary school) Teacher
• Primary School Teacher
• Post-Doctoral Fellow (University Lecturer)
• Secondary School Teacher
• University Lecturer

Engineering

• Mechanical Engineering Draughtsperson

Finance / Business

• Accountant

Health and Social Services

• Anaesthetic Technician
• Medical Technicians NEC (Dialysis Technician)
• Midwife
• Resident Medical Officer (excluding First and Second year resident Medical Officers)
• Specialist Physician (general medicine)
• Cardiologist
• Paediatrician
• Specialist Physicians NEC
• Emergency Medicine Specialist
• Ophthalmologist
• Medical Practitioners NEC

Recreation, Hospitality and Tourism

• Jockey (Trackwork Rider)
• Outdoor Adventure Guide (Skydive Tandem Master)
• Snowsport Instructor (including technicians)

Trades

• Baker
• Composite Technician
• Electronic Equipment Trades Worker
• Metal Casting Trades Worker (Foundry Moulder), Fabricator
• Metal Machinist (First Class) (CNC Machinist)
• Motor Mechanic (General)
• Motor Mechanic (General) (Automotive Air Conditioning Technician)
• Panelbeater
• Plastics Technician
• Plastics Technician (Plastics Engineer)
• Sheetmetal Trades Worker
• Vehicle Painter

Southland

Agriculture and Forestry

• Apiarist
• Arborist
• Beef Cattle Farmer (farm manager)
• Dairy cattle farmer (farm manager)
• Dairy cattle farmer (assistant farm manager)
• Market Gardener (crop production / agronomist manager)
• Pig Farmer (farm manager or assistant farm manager)
• Winemaker (viticulturist / specialist positions – not pickers)

Education

• Early childhood (pre-primary school) teacher
• Primary school teacher
• Post-doctoral fellow
• Secondary school teacher
• University lecturer

Engineering

• Mechanical Engineering Draughtsperson
• Mechanical Engineering Technician

Health and Social Services

• Anaesthetic Technician
• Medical Technicians NEC (Dialysis technician)
• Midwife
• Resident Medical Officer (excluding first and second year resident medical officers)
• Specialist Physician (general medicine)
• Cardiologist
• Paediatrician
• Specialist physicians nec
• Emergency Medicine specialist
• Ophthalmologist
• Medical practitioners nec

Recreation, Hospitality and Tourism

• Jockey
• Jockey (trackwork rider)
• Outdoor Adventure Guide (Skydive tandem master)
• Snowsport Instructor
• Snowsport Instructor (including technicians)

Trades

• Baker
• Composite Technician
• Electronic Equipment Trades Worker
• Metal Casting Trades Worker (foundry moulder), Metal Fabricator, Metal Machinist (first class) (CNC Machinist)
• Motor Mechanic (General), Motor Mechanic (General)(Automotive Air conditioning technician)
• Panelbeater
• Plastics technician
• Plastics technician (Plastics Engineer)
• Sheetmetal trades worker
• Vehicle Painter

What I have noticed is there are skill shortages that are common in every part of New Zealand. Though there are distinct skill shortages that are needed only for North, and / or for South Island. For specific regions / cities skill shortages you can visit https://skillshortages.immigration.govt.nz/

4 Simple Ways to Find Jobs in New Zealand for Foreigners in 2023

Apply for a Work Visa

If you will be coming from overseas, as a foreigner, you can find jobs in New Zealand through online job websites and recruitment companies. As a migrant, you need first to have a job offer before you can apply for a work visa.

There are numerous online job sites that foreigners can submit their resumes / CV to be able to connect with New Zealand employers. Based on newzealandnow.govt.nz these are the job websites which you can consider:

• www.workhere.co.nz
• www.workingin-newzealand.com
• www.trademe.co.nz
• www.seek.co.nz

There are also a handful of industry specific job websites that foreigners can submit their resumes to be able to connect with NZ based companies.

• For those who have work experience in health care you can visit www.kiwihealthjobs.com
• For farm related job openings, you can check https://nzfarmsource.co.nz
• If you are teachers, professors, university lecturers, you can visit http://www.edgazette.govt.nz/ for job openings related to your field of specialization.

Apply for a Resident Visa

This is another option for foreigners to be able to find jobs in New Zealand, which is to apply for a resident visa.

If you are unsure about what type of visa is right for you. You can explore different visa options depending on your objective. There is a skilled migrant category resident visa, long term skill shortage list work visa or resident visa, talent (accredited employer) work visa, and other visa options that can help you live in New Zealand permanently.

Apply for Working Holiday Visa

Foreigners can also apply for jobs in New Zealand through a working holiday visa. These types of visas allow you to stay for a period of 12 months to work and explore New Zealand. If you are from United Kingdom or Canada you may be granted 23 months working holiday visa. If you will be granted 23 months visa needs to provide a general medical certificate.

Plus, you also need to have funds to purchase your return ticket. Also, your main reason for coming to New Zealand is for holiday, work is only your secondary objective. This type of visa was made possible because NZ has working holiday scheme agreements with numerous countries. This includes but not limited to the Philippines, Canada, United Kingdom, China, Brazil, Malaysia, and the USA.

Apply through Recruitment Companies

There are numerous accredited recruitment companies which you can find at www.careers.govt.nz. Employers based in New Zealand most of the time seek the help of recruitment agencies to do the screening of job applicants on their behalf.

Basically, you can see there the respective websites of the recruitment companies for general jobs, specialist jobs, and industry-specific job vacancies. There are job websites for immigrants, US citizens, people with disabilities, for youth, students, and graduates and for job seekers aged 55 and above. If the expats are hired for the job, it will be the employer who will process the visa sponsorship.

What are the Best Cities to find work in New Zealand and Median Salary

New Zealand has numerous cities that expats can consider when finding jobs and eventually settle in the said country with their families. The factors can be the location, pay rates, job availabilities relative to their skills and expertise, and cost of living.

Popular cities include Wellington the country’s capital, Auckland, Christchurch, Nelson, Tasman, Marlborough, and Hamilton.

Westpac.co.nz made a research about the mentioned cities. According to their top picks Wellington ranks first as it is one of the most livable cities in the world of 2018 by Deutche Bank.

Wellington has the second-highest available jobs posting online at 9.74 per 1000 residents with age ranging from 20 to 64 years old. The city has a median salary of $1,247 per week or roughly $4988 per month for full-time employees. The cost of living is lower as compared to Auckland.

Auckland is one of their top picks, as it has a median salary of $1,151 per week. It has higher job listings at 10.55 jobs posting per 1000 residents.

Christchurch has a median salary of $1,150 per week. The job listing online is at 7.9 per 1000 residents.

Nelson, Tazman, and Marlborough, cities which are part of the South Island is included in the Westpac top picks. The median salary is considered to be low at $1000 per week. The three cities have an impressive job posting. Nelson has 8.36, Tazman has 9.49, and Marlborough has 7.32 per 1000 residents.

Hamilton, another city on North Island belongs to the list. The median salary is $1122 per week which is slightly lower than New Zealand’s 3 popular cities. The job posting is, however, quite low at 6.28 per 1000 residents.

How much is the Minimum Wage in New Zealand per hour?

As of April 1, 2022, Every adult migrant worker 16 years old and above should be paid a minimum hourly rate of 21.20 dollars (169.60 dollars per 8-hour day) or 848 dollars per week.

There is also a Starting-out minimum wage which is an hourly rate of 16.96 dollars or 678.40 dollars per week. This type of salary is applicable to 16-, 17-, 18-, and 19-year-old workers who have not completed 6 months of continuous work with their current employer.

A training minimum wage equivalent to 16.96 dollars per hour or 678.40 dollars per week is applicable to employees 20 years old and above who are undergoing apprenticeship.

Foreigners Population in New Zealand

In March 2019, Stats.gov.nz data showed that New Zealand has an estimated population of 4.9 Million, 34 percent of which are residing in Auckland.

The March 2018 census shows that there were 1.2M people who were born overseas and are now living in the country. The expats ethnicity is composed of Europeans, Asians, Pacific, Middle Eastern, Latin American, and African. The English language is being spoken by 95 percent of the people.

Asians have a combined population of 700k: 230k of which are Chinese, 220k of which are Indian, and 72k are Filipinos.

Popular Cities of New Zealand

The capital city of New Zealand is Wellington. It is located in the southern part of the North Island. It is the second populous city of the country with a population of 418K just next to Auckland which has a 1.6M population. The third populous city is Christchurch with 404K located on South Island. Other popular cities of NZ are Hamilton, Tauranga, Napier, and Queenstown.

* I hope this helps guys!