Hiring people from overseas
If you cannot find a New Zealander to fill your job vacancy, you may be able to hire someone from overseas, sometimes called a migrant worker. Promoting job vacancies online is a good way to reach potential applicants overseas — through your business website, specialist websites and online professional networks such as LinkedIn.
People from overseas, and those who are already here, can work for you on a number of different visas. These include temporary visas, and longer-term work visas that require you to have accreditation or approval.
It is your responsibility to check if they can work for you on the visa they have.
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What to consider when hiring people from
Before hiring someone from overseas, you need to check there are no New Zealanders who can do the job, and if the overseas person has a visa that gives them the right to work in New Zealand.
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Hiring people from overseas who are already in New
People from overseas who are already in New Zealand can work for you on a number of different visas. These include temporary visas — such as student, post study and working holiday visas.
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Support a worker's visa
Some work visa applications must be supported by information from an employer. Find out which visas this applies to and what you need to do.
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Options for hiring people from
Before someone can come to New Zealand to work, you may need to support their visa application or get approval or accreditation to hire them. Check what you must do to hire people from overseas in your industry, from specific countries and with particular skills.
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Check if someone can legally work for
Before someone from overseas can begin working for you, you must check that their visa gives them the right to work in New Zealand. Find out how.
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Making a job
Once you find the right person for the role, you can make them a job offer. Your new employee will need this offer to support them with their immigration application.
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Getting ready to hire people from
If you cannot find a New Zealand worker for a job vacancy, you may be able to hire a person who lives overseas. Find out what to consider when planning to hire a worker from overseas.
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Interim visas for
If an employee is applying for a further work visa, they may be granted an Interim Visa that lets them stay in New Zealand lawfully while their application is processed.
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Connecting you with skilled workers overseas using
SkillFinder is a free online tool that connects New Zealand employers with skilled workers overseas who have expressed an interest in living and working in New Zealand.