Hiring migrant workers is an excellent way for employers to broaden their talent pool, but it can be complex in New Zealand. Ever since the border reopened in 2022, policies have been established and continued to evolve around hiring migrant workers in this country.

With aspects like the Green List and the AEWV scheme to contend with, employers can miss a crucial opportunity to secure great talent simply because they become intimidated by the red tape involved. That’s why we have created this breakdown.

Learn about the job check in NZ, which is a vital part of the process when hiring skilled migrants, and why it matters.

What is a job check?

A job check in NZ is a required step for employers like you who want to hire a migrant worker under the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) scheme. Think of it as Immigration New Zealand’s way of verifying that a role is genuine, necessary, and cannot easily be filled by a suitable NZ citizen or resident.

Immigration NZ’s goal is to ensure that any suitable role meeting certain criteria goes to a New Zealand citizen or resident first, and to a migrant worker second. Therefore, before you can offer a job to a migrant worker, INZ must confirm three main things as part of the job check:

1.     The role is real and meets market standards. This includes checking that the job title, tasks, and conditions line up with your industry’s norms.
2.     The pay and conditions meet NZ employment laws. INZ wants to ensure that migrant workers receive fair wages and are not being used to undercut the local labour market.
3.     You have made a genuine attempt to recruit locally first. Unless the role appears on the Green List or qualifies for an exemption, you must advertise the position and show proof that no suitable NZ worker was available.

Key to this is the fact that a job check in NZ analyses the role, not the potential migrants who might apply for it. This is a vital initial step that, if passed, allows you to begin sourcing talent from other countries. Once you’ve found a migrant worker to fill the role, this job check in NZ allows you to issue a ‘job token’ to the worker, which they will use in their own visa application.

Why does the job check matter when hiring migrant workers in NZ?

The world is becoming increasingly digital, which means more and more people are hiring internationally to broaden their talent pool. If you are one of those people, then bringing skilled talent from overseas means you need to jump certain hurdles.

The job check in NZ is one of those hurdles because it helps to protect both incoming migrant workers and the integrity of New Zealand’s labour market. Only roles that are legitimate, fairly paid, and meet the needs of the local economy can pass this check.

For you, as an employer, a job check in NZ matters because:

•         You cannot hire through the AEWV without it.
•         It speeds up any future hires you’d like to do internationally.
•         It reduces your risk of coming up against compliance issues.
•         It helps you to build trust with candidates.

In essence, this is the gatekeeper. The part of the process that makes sure you, any potential hires, and the New Zealand government are all on the same page before anyone has to pick up sticks and move countries.

What you need to do next:

If you’re planning to hire a migrant worker, it’s vital to approach the process step-by-step.

First, you have to ensure that your business is accredited under the AEWV scheme. If you are not an accredited employer, then you can’t submit a job check in NZ.

Once you’re successfully accredited, your next steps to complete a job check in NZ are simple:

1.     Get all of the details of the job together. This would include the tasks, pay range, hours, and location.
2.     Check the Green List and exemption lists. If your role is there, you can skip straight to submitting a job check in NZ. Otherwise…
3.     Advertise the role in New Zealand.
4.     If you go through the recruitment process and you cannot find someone to fill the role, prepare the evidence of your recruitment attempts.
5.     Use that evidence to submit a job check application through Immigration New Zealand.

If your job check is approved, then you’ll receive a job token you can pass on to your chosen international candidate. While this can feel like a tedious or overwhelming process (especially if you’re going into it for the first time), the payoff is worth it. You’ll find skilled workers who can fill vital gaps in your organisation, and international candidates will find secure work in our stunning country.

If you need help to figure this process out, it helps to find a team of professional immigration advisers to guide you through the nuances of the process.

Trust Immigration Wise, your expert team of licensed immigration advisers.

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) and its various policies can be confusing and intimidating to navigate as an employer. We help employers in New Zealand register under the AEWV scheme to hire migrants without hassle and stress, so consult with us today about your best next steps.