This guide explains how to find accredited employers hiring foreign workers in New Zealand, covering skilled trades, healthcare and other eligible work. Verified diesel mechanic advertisements offer NZD30 to NZD40 an hour, while requirements vary by occupation. Applicants must meet the employer’s requirements, immigration criteria and any professional registration rules. Employer support normally involves accreditation, an approved job check and a separate work visa application. Below are official verification tools, application links and checks that distinguish genuine recruitment from misleading sponsorship claims.
Accreditation does not mean an employer has vacancies or supports every overseas applicant. Check the specific position as well as the business.
Job example
Verified advertised pay, NZD
Typical qualification or experience
Heavy diesel mechanic, Tradestaff international campaign
$30 to $40 hourly
Relevant trade qualification and proven heavy-equipment experience
Diesel mechanic, Tradestaff Auckland
$30 to $40 hourly
Three years of relevant experience or an appropriate Level 4 qualification
District registered nurse, Health New Zealand, Levin
Not published
Current practising certificate and relevant clinical skills
Tradestaff’s international campaign explicitly advertises visa support for eligible applicants. Its separate Auckland advertisement publishes pay and requirements without making the same explicit sponsorship commitment. The nursing vacancy also requires individual confirmation of immigration support. Trade Me Jobs
Compare guaranteed hours rather than assuming a full working week. At NZD30 an hour, 30 guaranteed hours produce NZD900 weekly before tax; 40 hours produce NZD1,200.
2. Which jobs match your qualifications and experience?
Skilled trades
Mechanics, fabrication workers and other tradespeople should describe the equipment, processes and responsibilities they have handled.
For example, a diesel mechanic application should identify experience with trucks, earthmoving equipment, diagnostics, hydraulics and breakdown repairs. A general statement such as “five years in maintenance” may not demonstrate the required skills.
Employer requirements can exceed immigration minimums. Tradestaff’s Auckland vacancy asks for three years of relevant experience or an appropriate qualification.
Healthcare and other regulated professions
Nurses and other regulated professionals need the relevant New Zealand registration before practising. Immigration eligibility does not replace professional registration.
The Levin district nursing vacancy requires a current practising certificate, a full New Zealand driver’s licence and skills in areas such as wound care, palliative care or intravenous therapy. Health New Zealand
Entry-level and general work
Do not assume that “no experience required” means an overseas applicant qualifies for an Accredited Employer Work Visa, or AEWV.
The usual minimum skills routes include two years of relevant experience or a qualification at Level 4 or above on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework. Exceptions exist, and applicants must still meet the position’s requirements.
A bachelor’s degree can satisfy the general qualification relevance rule, but it does not make someone qualified for an unrelated skilled job. immigration.govt.nz
Seasonal crop harvesting and packing have separate immigration arrangements. The AEWV is not the correct route for every agricultural vacancy. immigration.govt.nz
3. Where to find accredited employers and genuine vacancies
Start with Immigration New Zealand’s official register
Its full 13-digit New Zealand Business Number, or NZBN.
The register is updated daily. Some accredited employers choose not to appear publicly, so a missing result requires further verification rather than an automatic conclusion that the business is fraudulent. immigration.govt.nz
Use the register to verify an employer you have identified through a suitable vacancy. It is not a list of companies currently offering jobs.
Verified vacancy supporting international applicants: Tradestaff
Visa support for eligible international candidates.
Assistance from its international recruitment team.
The listing was close to its advertised expiry when researched. Check whether applications remain open. If it has closed, search Tradestaff’s own website for the current replacement.
Before proceeding, establish which legal entity will employ you and verify that entity’s accreditation. The advertisement’s support statement is evidence of international recruitment, not independent confirmation of every proposed placement’s immigration approval. Trade Me Jobs
The recruiter’s own page confirms NZD30 to NZD40 hourly and at least 30 guaranteed hours. It requires relevant experience or qualifications, references and other employment checks.
However, this particular page does not expressly promise visa support. Ask whether offshore applicants are accepted and whether an approved job check is available. tradestaff.co.nz
International recruitment confirmed, individual vacancy support unconfirmed: Health New Zealand
One current example is Registered Nurse, District Nursing Service, Levin, closing 1 November 2026. The vacancy does not expressly promise visa support and offers 0.7 to 0.9 full-time equivalent employment.
4. How employer-supported work authorisation works
The standard AEWV process has three separate parts:
Employer accreditation: The business receives approval to recruit through the scheme.
Job check: Immigration New Zealand approves the proposed job against applicable requirements.
Worker application: The selected applicant applies for the visa using the employer-provided application link.
Employers may need to advertise and make genuine efforts to recruit suitable New Zealand workers before obtaining the job check. immigration.govt.nz
For an AEWV, the offer generally needs at least 30 hours weekly and appropriate market pay. New Zealand no longer applies a universal median-wage threshold to ordinary AEWV applications, although other wage rules still matter. immigration.govt.nz
A job offer is an employment proposal. Accreditation concerns the employer, and the job check concerns the position. Only the visa gives the applicant the relevant immigration permission.
New Zealand does not use Canada’s Labour Market Impact Assessment, or LMIA. Apply through the official AEWV process, rather than buying a supposed transferable “work permit”.
5. Eligibility, documents and likely costs
Documents to prepare
Common evidence includes:
Passport and identity documents.
Signed offer, employment agreement and job description.
Qualifications and any required recognition.
Employment records, payslips and tax evidence.
Professional registration where required.
English evidence, health examinations and police certificates where applicable.
A CV alone is not sufficient proof of work experience. Keep independent supporting records. English requirements depend on the job classification and applicable rules. immigration.govt.nz
Worker expenses
The official AEWV page lists an application cost from NZD1,540. Additional expenses can include medicals, police certificates, translations, qualification assessment, registration and travel.
Check the charge applicable to your circumstances before paying. immigration.govt.nz
Employer responsibilities
Employer accreditation and job-check fees belong to the employer’s process. Published fees include NZD775 for standard accreditation and NZD735 for a job check.
Employers and their agents cannot charge you for a job or require you to pay their recruitment costs. A genuine immigration adviser’s service fee is different from purchasing employment. immigration.govt.nz
6. Can an accredited-employer job lead to residence?
Accreditation alone does not create a residence pathway.
Relevant routes include:
Straight to Residence: For applicants aged 55 or younger with qualifying Green List Tier 1 employment and the required qualifications, registration, pay and other conditions.
Work to Residence: For eligible Green List Tier 2 workers after the required 24 months of qualifying New Zealand employment.
Skilled Migrant Category: A separate route requiring qualifying skilled employment and the current pathway’s additional criteria.
Check the exact occupation and requirements through Immigration New Zealand rather than relying on a vacancy’s “PR pathway” label. immigration.govt.nz
A resident visa and a Permanent Resident Visa are also different. A Permanent Resident Visa generally requires at least two years holding residence, compliance with conditions and evidence of commitment to New Zealand. Two years on an AEWV does not automatically satisfy that requirement. immigration.govt.nz
7. How to apply, step by step
Choose a suitable occupation. Match duties and experience, not just the job title.
Find a live advertisement. Use employer careers pages and established job boards.
Read overseas eligibility conditions. “Existing New Zealand work rights required” can exclude offshore applicants.
Verify the employing entity. Match its legal name and NZBN against the accreditation register.
Tailor your CV. Explain relevant responsibilities and support your experience with evidence.
Confirm the job check and support. Ask whether the employer can support your specific application.
Review the contract. Confirm hours, pay, location, duties and deductions.
Apply through Immigration New Zealand. Use the employer-provided link and retain official receipts.
Hypothetical example: An accredited construction company advertises an assistant role requiring existing work rights. Its accreditation does not override that restriction or turn the vacancy into an offshore recruitment opportunity.
8. Common mistakes and job-offer verification
Treating accreditation as proof of an offer
Scammers can impersonate real accredited businesses. Independently obtain the employer’s contact details and ask HR to authenticate the recruiter, vacancy and contract.
Paying to reserve a position
Reject demands for a job deposit, accreditation reimbursement or payment for a job token. Immigration New Zealand can decline an application where money has been offered in exchange for employment. immigration.govt.nz
Ignoring the actual employer
For agency placements, identify who signs your agreement, pays wages and holds the relevant accreditation. A client’s business name may differ from your legal employer.
Assuming every contract term is acceptable
Check deductions, repayment clauses and trial provisions carefully. INZ’s AEWV guidance excludes trial periods and unacceptable bonding clauses from qualifying employment agreements. immigration.govt.nz
9. Frequently asked questions
Can I change employers after receiving an AEWV?
You may need a Job Change, variation of conditions or a new visa before making the change. Check your conditions before starting elsewhere. immigration.govt.nz
Does an accredited employer guarantee five years of work?
No. Visa duration and permitted stay depend on the job and applicable rules. Employment duration is a separate contractual matter.
Is the Recognised Seasonal Employer list the same register?
No. Recognised Seasonal Employers operate under a separate seasonal scheme. Use the register appropriate to the proposed visa. immigration.govt.nz
Should I send applications to every company on the register?
Target suitable vacancies first. A concise application explaining how you meet an actual role’s requirements is more useful than sending unrelated CVs to hundreds of businesses.
Your action checklist
Find a vacancy matching your skills.
Confirm that offshore applications are accepted.
Verify the legal employer’s accreditation.
Obtain clear job-check and visa-support information.
