New Zealand employers are facing persistent labour and skill shortages across hospitality, logistics, healthcare, construction, and engineering. To sustain operations and growth, many companies are hiring talent from overseas—especially from large labour markets like India and the Middle East.

But successful offshore hiring is more than posting a job ad. It demands an understanding of immigration and employment law, plus a structured plan for recruitment, relocation, and settlement. This guide explains how to hire migrant workers in New Zealand, how the visa process works for Indian and Middle Eastern nationals, and how to build a compliant offshore hiring strategy.

1. Why Hire from India and the Middle East?

When local markets can’t fill roles, offshore recruitment expands your options and stabilizes operations.

• Access broader, qualified talent with transferable experience.
• Fill roles faster when domestic hiring is slow or unsuccessful.
• Strengthen resilience and continuity across teams.
• Add diversity and global perspectives to your workforce.

India and the Middle East (UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait) are strong markets—candidates often work in multinational, regulated environments and speak English, easing transition.

2. The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) in Three Steps

The AEWV is the primary pathway for employers to hire migrants. It includes employer accreditation, a job check, and the migrant’s visa application.

(a) Employer Accreditation

• Required before hiring migrants; proves your business is legitimate, compliant, and supports migrant welfare.
• Types: Standard, High-volume, and Labour-hire/Franchisee accreditation.
• Fees (Oct 2024): Standard NZD $775; High-volume NZD $1,280.

(b) Job Check

• Confirms the role can’t be filled locally and meets market pay/conditions.
• Submit job description, draft employment agreement, and advertising evidence.
• Fee: NZD $735. Approval generates a unique Job Token.

(c) Migrant AEWV Application

• Candidate applies using the Job Token; must meet health, character, and skills requirements and align with the approved role.
• Fee (from Oct 2024): NZD $1,540 (previously $750).

3. Your Offshore Hiring Plan (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Workforce Planning & Gap Analysis

• Identify hard-to-fill roles and document domestic recruitment attempts to support the Job Check.

Step 2: Choose Source Markets (India & Middle East)

• India: deep pools across hospitality, IT, engineering, caregiving.
• Middle East: internationally experienced talent used to regulated environments.

Step 3: Ethical Hiring & Records

• Use licensed recruiters only; no candidate-paid fees; provide clear, written job terms.
• Ensure employment agreements comply with NZ employment law.

Step 4: Relocation & Settlement Support

• Assist with banking, transport, housing, and healthcare.
• Assign a workplace mentor; check in regularly during the first 3–6 months.

Step 5: Ongoing Compliance

• Verify visas/work rights; provide equal conditions for all staff.
• Report migrant departures to INZ within 10 working days; notify INZ about business changes; keep audit-ready records.

4. Cost Overview (Effective Oct 2024)

Additional expenses: recruitment, relocation, settlement, and compliance management.

5. Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

• Under-budgeting for visa/relocation.
• Weak Job Check evidence or missing documents.
• Offering different terms to migrant workers.
• Letting candidates start work before visa approval.
• Minimal settlement support or onboarding.
• Skipping periodic compliance audits.

6. Long-Term Strategy

• Maintain accreditation and ethical recruitment partnerships.
• Invest in training and career paths for migrants.
• Treat migrants as long-term contributors, not short-term fixes.

7. Employer Checklist

• Get accredited before hiring migrants.
• Complete Job Checks accurately with solid evidence.
• Use licensed, ethical recruiters only.
• Budget for full relocation and onboarding support.
• Maintain strong compliance and audit-ready records.
• Provide structured onboarding and mentorship to boost retention.

Final Thoughts

A legal, ethical offshore hiring strategy is essential for long-term workforce stability. Hiring from India and the Middle East gives access to skilled, globally experienced talent—but employers must pair opportunity with strict compliance, transparent processes, and strong support for migrant workers. Doing so reduces risk, strengthens employer reputation, and builds a resilient, diverse workforce for New Zealand’s future.