Advertising the job before you apply for a job check

Why you need to advertise the job first

Before you apply for a job check, you must check if there are suitable and available New Zealanders to do the job. 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 or have appropriate work experience or skills to perform the job or be 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.

When you apply for a job check:

• you must declare you have made genuine attempts to attract New Zealand workers
• we make sure you advertised the job, unless you are exempt
• we may request further information before we make a decision.

Use our checklist to make sure you have everything you need to apply:

Applying for a job check: employer checklist

Where to advertise the job

You must advertise the job on a general, national job listing website or platform where New Zealand citizens and residents are likely to apply. For example, Seek or TradeMe.

You can advertise in other places if they are more likely to attract qualified New Zealanders. For example, you could list the job on an industry-specific website like:

• VetJobs
• Engineering New Zealand
• Farm Source Jobs, or
• on a job listing platform such as ZEIL.

Jobs that are exempt from advertising

You do not need to advertise before you apply for a job check if the job:

• is on the Green List and meets the Green List requirements, or
• pays at least NZD $59.32 an hour.

Green List roles

How long you need to advertise for

If the job is Australia and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) skill level 1, 2 or 3, you must advertise for at least 14 days.

If the job is ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5, you must advertise for at least 21 days. You may also need to engage in good faith with Work and Income about the vacancy.

What is ANZSCO and how to find your skill level

Engaging with Work and Income before you apply for your job check

What the job advertisement needs to include

Your job advertisement must include:

• a job description with details of the key tasks, duties and responsibilities
• the minimum and maximum rate of pay or salary, or estimated actual earnings if actual earnings are not guaranteed
• type of work and minimum guaranteed hours of work
• the minimum skills, experience and qualifications for the job.

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.

When you can apply for a job check

You must apply for a job check within 90 days of the job listing closing. The listing must have closed before you apply for a job check.

In your job check application, you need to:

• provide a start date for the job that must be within 6 months of the date you submit your job check application
• 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 residents that applied for the job
• New Zealand citizens or residents who were assessed as suitable for the job
• New Zealand citizens and residents who were 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.