Hiring workers from overseas is a brilliant move! It allows you to bring fresh talent into your business while offering an overseas national a life-changing path to residency, or the chance to experience our beautiful country while earning a great living. However, as an employer, there are a few important steps to take before you welcome your new team member.

The First Step: Becoming an Accredited Employer

In New Zealand, if you want to hire a migrant worker on the main Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV), your business must be accredited by Immigration New Zealand (INZ). Unlike in the past, accreditation isn't just for large companies; it’s now a requirement for almost any business wanting to hire from overseas. It’s essentially a "stamp of approval" showing you are a reliable employer. You can check if you need to apply for accreditation here.

Proving the Need: The Labor Market Test

Before hiring from abroad, you must first ensure the role can't be filled by a New Zealander. This usually involves advertising the role locally and proving that no suitable local candidates were available. Once you've done this, you apply for a "Job Check" with INZ to get the green light to hire a migrant.

Checking Visa Conditions

If you find a candidate who is already in New Zealand, you must ensure their current visa allows them to do the specific work you're offering. Visas often come with "conditions"—like how many hours they can work or which employer they can work for.

• Check an applicant's visa conditions here.
• If you’re unsure what a specific visa type means, you can read the details here.

Pathways to Residency: The Green List

The Green List is a catalog of high-demand roles that New Zealand needs to fill urgently. Hiring for these roles is often faster and offers the worker a clearer path to living here permanently.

Key Green List Sectors include:

• Agriculture & Dairy Farming
• Construction & Trades (Plumbing, Gas fitting, Welding)
• Engineering
• Healthcare & Social Services (including Paramedicine)
• ICT, Electronics & Telecommunications
• Teaching

Depending on their qualifications, these workers may qualify for a Straight to Residence Visa or a Work to Residence Visa.

Hiring from Overseas (Outside NZ)

When bringing someone in from another country, keep these "Golden Rules" in mind:

• Timing: Allow plenty of time for visa processing, travel, and finding housing.
• Legal Contracts: Your employment agreement must comply with NZ law. Crucially, you cannot include a 90-day trial period for AEWV workers.
• Pay Rates: Ensure the pay meets the specific visa requirements. For many AEWV roles, this must be at least the median wage (currently $35.00/hour), which may be higher than the standard minimum wage.
• Support: Consider helping with "soft landings"—like airport pickups or helping them understand NZ workplace culture.
• Read more on hiring from overseas here.

Hiring Migrants Already in NZ

If the worker is already here (perhaps on a different visa), the process is often simpler, but you still need to:

• Confirm the job couldn't be filled locally.
• Check their visa expiry date to ensure they can work for the duration you need.
• Verify that they have the specific qualifications required for their visa type.
• Read more on hiring migrants already in NZ here.

Special Note: Hiring from the Philippines

Many NZ farms and construction firms hire talent from the Philippines. This requires following both NZ laws and the Philippine Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) regulations. It’s a specific process, and you can find the step-by-step guide here.

Making it Easy with PaySauce

Once your new team member arrives, PaySauce takes the stress out of the paperwork. Your new employee will need to provide a New Zealand bank account and an IRD number. Once you’ve entered those into PaySauce, we’ll handle the rest—ensuring they are paid correctly, their leave is tracked accurately, and your business stays compliant with all NZ tax and employment laws.

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