Advertise a job and engage with Work and Income

Jobs that are exempt from advertising or engaging with Work and Income

You do not need to advertise the job or engage with Work and Income before you apply for a Job Check if your job:

• is on the Green List and meets the Green List requirements, or
• pays at least NZD$59.32 an hour (twice the February 2023 median wage).

Green List roles and requirements

You do not need to engage with Work and Income if the Australia and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) code that best matches the job you are offering is skill level 1, 2 or 3. You will still need to advertise, unless your job is exempt.

Find out how to find a job's ANZSCO code and skill level.

Check the ANZSCO list

Advertise the job

Before you apply for a Job Check, you must have advertised the job in a way that will attract suitable New Zealanders. You must advertise the job on a general, national jobs listing website, for example Seek or TradeMe.

You can advertise in other places if they are more likely to attract suitable New Zealanders. For example, you can list the job on an industry specific website like VetJobs, Engineering New Zealand or Farm Source Jobs.

You must apply for a Job Check within 90 days of your listing closing. The listing must have closed before you apply for a Job Check.

How long you need to advertise for

If the job is ANZSCO skill level 1, 2 or 3, you must advertise for at least 14 days.

If the role is ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5 you must advertise for at least 21 days. You will also need to show that you engaged with Work and Income about the vacancy.

Job advertisement requirements

Your job ad must include:

• a description with details of the key tasks, duties and responsibilities
• the minimum and maximum rate of pay or salary
• the location of the job
• minimum guaranteed hours of work
• estimated actual earnings if the job pays by piece, commission or there are other rates or bonuses
• the minimum skills, experience, and qualifications for the job.

Job advertisement details

We recommend you include this information in your job ad.

Job title

List the job title — it should be a meaningful, brief description of the job.

Key tasks and responsibilities

Include a description of the job's day to day tasks and responsibilities.

Job location or region

Include the town, city or region where the majority of the work will take place.

If your job requires the worker to work in multiple locations, list them in the ad. You will need to advertise in the locations where the work is based or takes place.

Number of positions for this job

If you are advertising for multiple vacancies in one ad, include the total of positions available. The details for the jobs must all be the same. For example, the same title, responsibilities, pay and requirements.

Employment type

You must specify if the work is permanent, temporary, fixed term or casual.

Days required

Include the days of work required, if it includes weekend work, or if it is a rotating roster.

Hours each week

List the hours required or guaranteed each week. The job must guarantee at least 30 hours work each week throughout the employment.

Hourly rate or salary band

Include the minimum and maximum pay or salary. If a large part of the earnings cannot be guaranteed, for example piece rates, commission rates or average bonuses — list the estimated earnings.

The job must pay at least NZD$29.66 an hour (the February 2023 median wage), unless it is on an exemption list. This must be guaranteed income, for example, any piece or commission rates must be paid in addition to the hourly rate. You cannot use earnings that are not guaranteed to meet this minimum pay threshold.

The pay you offer the worker must be the same as what you advertised.

Median wage comparison calculator

Job requirements

Only list the qualifications, skills and experience that you need for the job. Before you offer a migrant worker a job, you must check they have the skills, qualifications and experience you listed in the job ad.

Migrant workers will also need to meet the requirements for their visa. For example character, health, English Language, or the AEWV minimum skill requirements. The AEWV minimum skill requirements may be a higher level than your job needs. Do not list these requirements in your ad, unless they are genuinely required for the role.

Look for a New Zealander to do the job

When you advertise, you must check if there are suitable and available New Zealanders. You must make genuine attempts to attract and recruit New Zealand workers.

To be a suitable and available New Zealander, someone must:

• be a New Zealand citizen, or have a resident visa
• be qualified for the job or able to be trained on the job
• live close to where the job is or be able to move there
• have a practical way of travelling to the job, like a bus or their own car
• be available for full-time work in the hours you need.

In your Job Check application you need to declare if you found any suitable New Zealanders for the job.

You will need to tell us the number of:

• candidates that applied for the job
• New Zealand citizens or resident visa holders that applied for the job
• New Zealand citizens or resident visa holders deemed suitable for the job
• New Zealand citizens and resident visa holders hired.

If the job is ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5 you need to indicate why any New Zealanders who applied were not suitable or available. Your Job Check will be declined if the information you provide shows there were suitable and available New Zealanders to fill your vacancy.

Using a recruitment agency

You can use a recruitment agency to advertise and find suitable applicants.

You cannot pass on any recruitment costs to job applicants.

Engage with Work and Income

If your job is ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5, you must engage with Work and Income before you apply for a Job Check. This is in addition to advertising the role, but you can advertise the job at the same time you engage with Work and Income.

You can apply for a Job Check within 90 days of engaging with Work and Income.

How to engage with Work and Income

You complete Work and Income's online form.

Hiring migrant workers — Work and Income

You need to include a job description that shows:

• the main tasks and responsibilities of the role
• the terms and conditions of the employment
• the minimum and maximum rate of pay or salary
• estimated actual earnings if the job pays by piece, commission or there are other rates or bonuses
• the minimum guaranteed hours of work
• the location of the job.

The details should match what you will submit in your Job Check application.

Work and Income will decide:

• to list the job for up to 21 days
• they cannot fill the vacancy and you do not need to engage with them further.

They will contact you within 5 working days to let you know if they will list the job or not.

While they are listing a job, Work and Income may decide to reduce the listing time to less than 21 days.

Work and Income will send you an Engagement Check once the engagement is complete. It will confirm:

• how long they listed the job for and if they matched any job seekers with the job, or
• they cannot fill the vacancy and you did not need to list the job with them.

You upload a copy of the Work and Income Engagement Check to the Supporting Documents page of the Job Check form.