Aged-care jobs with accredited New Zealand employers include caregivers, healthcare assistants and registered nurses. A verified Christchurch caregiver advertisement lists NZD23.95 to NZD28.25 an hour, depending on qualification level, with visa support subject to additional requirements. Experienced care workers and appropriately registered nurses may qualify, but accreditation alone does not guarantee recruitment from overseas. Employer support generally requires an approved job check and a separate visa application. Below are direct application links, pay checks, registration requirements and relevant residence pathways.
All figures are New Zealand dollars, before tax. Where an employer does not publish pay, ask for the contractual rate rather than relying on salary estimates.
Job example
Verified hourly pay, NZD
Main qualification or requirement
Caregiver, Admatha Dementia Care, Christchurch
$23.95 to $28.25, depending on qualification level
Additional qualification requirements apply for visa support
Caregiver, Bupa Tararu, Thames
Not published
Relevant care experience and medication competency
Admatha explicitly advertises visa support for qualifying applicants. The Bupa and Oceania vacancies require further confirmation of overseas eligibility and immigration support. Trade Me Jobs
The Admatha rates are vacancy-specific, not a universal aged-care pay scale. Confirm how your overseas qualification will be recognised and which pay level appears in your offer.
2. Which aged-care jobs match your experience?
Caregivers and healthcare assistants
These roles typically involve personal care, mobility assistance, meals, hydration, documentation and reporting changes in residents’ health.
Applicants should explain their practical experience with older people, dementia, safe transfers, infection prevention and working under nursing supervision. Family caregiving can demonstrate useful skills, but do not assume it meets an employer’s requirement for documented professional experience.
Requirements vary. Bupa’s Thames vacancy asks for proven care experience and current medication competency. Oceania’s Upper Hutt healthcare assistant vacancy requires at least one year of caregiving or similar experience. careers.bupa.co.nz
Registered nurses
Aged-care nurses assess residents, manage clinical care, administer medicines, lead care teams and respond to deterioration.
You need Nursing Council of New Zealand registration and a current Annual Practising Certificate, or APC, to practise as a nurse. An overseas nursing licence does not replace these requirements.
Some employers train new care workers, but employer training does not automatically establish visa eligibility.
The usual AEWV skills routes include two years of relevant experience or an appropriate qualification at Level 4 or above, subject to exceptions. Employers can impose additional requirements. www.immigration.govt.nz
Hypothetical example: An employer may accept inexperienced local applicants for training while requiring overseas candidates to hold a relevant qualification. These are different recruitment conditions.
3. Where to find legitimate employers and vacancies
Admatha Dementia Care: verified vacancy advertising visa support
The employer’s advertisement offers permanent full-time employment with at least 30 hours weekly. It states that the employer is Immigration New Zealand accredited.
For visa support, it specifies either:
A registered nursing degree.
A directly relevant Level 4 or higher qualification accompanied by an International Qualification Assessment.
Dementia experience is advantageous, and applicants must be available across a 24-hour roster.
This is verified evidence of a vacancy offering conditional visa support. Confirm that applications remain open, offshore candidates are accepted and the legal employing entity has current accreditation before proceeding. Trade Me Jobs
Bupa: international recruitment confirmed, vacancy support unconfirmed
Bupa’s official relocation page states that it is accredited and can support AEWV applications from people outside New Zealand. That policy does not mean every vacancy qualifies.
However, it also requires legal entitlement to work in New Zealand and does not expressly promise visa support. Ask recruitment whether offshore applications are accepted and what weekly hours are guaranteed contractually. careers.bupa.co.nz
Oceania: verified vacancies, sponsorship and accreditation need confirmation
Neither reviewed advertisement explicitly confirms offshore visa support. Verify the employing entity’s accreditation and the proposed position’s hours before treating either as an immigration opportunity. Oceania
The register updates daily. Some employers choose not to appear publicly, so a missing result requires further checking. Accreditation confirms employer approval, not a current vacancy or guaranteed visa. www.immigration.govt.nz
4. How employer-supported work authorisation works
The Accredited Employer Work Visa, or AEWV, generally involves three stages:
The employer holds the appropriate accreditation.
The employer obtains an approved job check for the position.
The selected worker applies for the visa using the employer-provided application link.
The job normally needs at least 30 hours weekly, appropriate market pay and compliant employment conditions. You must meet the relevant skills and other immigration requirements. www.immigration.govt.nz
A job offer describes employment terms. Accreditation concerns the employer. A job check concerns the position. Immigration New Zealand separately decides your visa.
New Zealand does not use Canada’s LMIA process. Do not pay for a supposed New Zealand LMIA or assume that an offer letter itself permits employment.
Casual work can be unsuitable
Bupa’s Waikanae caregiver vacancy expressly offers no guaranteed weekly hours. As advertised, it does not meet the ordinary AEWV requirement for at least 30 hours weekly.
A genuine vacancy can therefore be unsuitable for someone needing employer-supported entry. careers.bupa.co.nz
5. Eligibility, documents and likely costs
Prepare your evidence
Common documents include:
Passport and identity evidence.
Signed employment agreement and job description.
Qualifications, transcripts and any required qualification assessment.
References supported by employment records, payslips or tax evidence.
English evidence where required.
Police certificates and medical examinations where applicable.
Nursing registration and APC for nursing positions.
A CV alone does not establish the required work experience. Ensure your records explain duties, dates and working hours. www.immigration.govt.nz
Worker expenses
The official AEWV page lists a fee from NZD1,540. Other expenses can include medicals, police certificates, translations, qualification assessment, travel and settlement. www.immigration.govt.nz
These are separate charges, not an all-inclusive package. Criminal history checks, an APC, examination travel and possible resits add costs. Not every nurse needs the examination route. nursingcouncil.org.nz
Employer responsibilities
Employers pay their accreditation and job-check costs. They and their agents cannot charge you for employment or make you pay their recruitment expenses.
Obtain written terms for any accommodation, relocation assistance or repayment arrangement. www.immigration.govt.nz
6. Residence possibilities for care workers and nurses
Care Workforce Work to Residence
Eligible occupations include Aged or Disabled Carer, Nursing Support Worker and Personal Care Assistant.
The pathway generally requires:
Age 55 or younger when applying.
At least 24 months of qualifying New Zealand work within the previous 30 months.
The required care-sector pay throughout the qualifying employment.
Qualifying current employment or an offer from an accredited employer.
English, health and character requirements.
The published care workforce wage rate is NZD28.25 hourly. A care job paying below that rate should not be assumed to start the qualifying residence period. immigration.govt.nz
Registered nurses
Eligible registered nursing roles can support Straight to Residence under the Green List, subject to registration, employment, pay, age and other requirements.
A nurse working as a caregiver cannot rely on their nursing degree alone to claim a nursing residence pathway. The actual job must qualify. Careers
A resident visa is also different from a Permanent Resident Visa, which generally requires at least two years holding residence and meeting additional conditions. www.immigration.govt.nz
7. How to apply, step by step
Choose your role. Separate caregiving from registered nursing.
Check your qualifications. Establish whether recognition or nursing registration is needed.
Find a suitable vacancy. Read hours, roster and work-rights conditions.
Confirm overseas eligibility. Ask whether the employer supports this specific vacancy.
Tailor your CV. Describe care responsibilities, resident needs and relevant experience.
Verify the employer and offer. Match the legal entity, accreditation, location and contract.
Follow the official visa route. Keep application acknowledgements and payment receipts.
8. Common mistakes and offer verification
Assuming every accredited employer sponsors every role. A business may recruit internationally for selected positions while filling others locally.
Confusing advertised average hours with guaranteed hours. Ask what the contract guarantees.
Assuming all care-home work qualifies for care residence. Kitchen, cleaning and administrative jobs do not become eligible care occupations simply because they are based in a care home.
Paying to reserve a job. Immigration New Zealand warns that paying an employer or their agent for an offer can lead to visa refusal. www.immigration.govt.nz
Independently contact the employer to authenticate the recruiter and offer. Check duties, pay, hours, deductions and worksite before sharing sensitive documents or making payments.
9. Frequently asked questions
Does NZD28.25 guarantee residence?
No. It is a wage requirement for a particular pathway. Occupation, qualifying employment, age and other requirements still apply.
Can a caregiver automatically become a registered nurse?
No. Career progression or employer training does not replace Nursing Council registration and an APC.
Can I take a second care job on an AEWV?
The AEWV does not permit a second job. Follow the employer, occupation and location conditions recorded on your visa. immigration.govt.nz
Does a nursing qualification guarantee the highest caregiver pay rate?
No. Ask how the employer recognises your qualification and experience. Obtain the agreed pay level in writing.
Your application checklist
Match your experience to the actual role.
Confirm offshore recruitment and visa support.
Verify the legal employer’s accreditation.
Check guaranteed hours and contractual pay.
Establish registration or qualification-assessment requirements.
