By Lucian Duggan
Whether it was leading the Fellowship through snow-capped mountains, or guiding a quest amongst elves in a lush green forest, Peter Jackson got it right when he realized the beauty of New Zealand in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The truth is, New Zealand indefinitely boasts some of the most spectacular scenery this side of the planet. Combined with a blend of Maori indigenous cultures, traditional friendly towns, and lively cosmopolitan cities, there is another country ‘down under’ that is charming a growing number of workers from foreign fields.
Paragliding Above Queenstown
Two main islands form New Zealand (NZ); white-collars inhabit the North with the buzz of Wellington and Auckland cities, and the South’s vast open spaces are perfect for the adrenalin junkies and ski bums of Queenstown and Christchurch or trampers along the national park tracks in Milford Sound and Lake Wanaka. NZ’s draw also extends to the fact that it offers a healthy balance of lifestyle. Active or relaxed, the country’s small size means weekends can offer a multitude of new experiences. Whale watching, dolphin swimming, renowned surfing and hiking, bungee-jumping or just sitting back in the countryside and sipping on a glass of world-class vintage wine. Assorted backdrops and hundreds of employment opportunities await the most intrepid traveler seeking an adventure working abroad.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Despite being the size of the UK but a population of just over half of London, NZ still has as many job opportunities as it does sheep. If you looking to hit the cities, then typically office, retail and bar work are always available. It’s also where most of the skilled migrant jobs are based. Whereas if you like nature and the outdoors, NZ breathes for fresh air jobs; from kiwi fruit picking to adventure tour guides. Some workers focus on one island and work their way around it, some saunter the peaks of both North and South and then find a place to settle. Remember that the seasons are reversed in NZ. During both summer (December-February) and winter (June-August), jobs are always going. Bear in mind however that students start their summer break in November so there is the most competition in this period.
There are a number of general employment websites for NZ that cover a wide range of industries. To start things off, we give you our top 5 resources to begin the hunt:
www.seek.co.nz – useful website advertising jobs across all industries.
www.trademe.co.nz – leading trade site with mostly buy and sell items, but also contains an excellent job section.
www.seasonalwork.co.nz – No.1 seasonal work website which encompasses the agriculture, horticulture, viticulture and hospitality and tourism industries.
www.backpackerboard.co.nz – The online backpackers bible for NZ, with lots of posts for casual work to suit traveller types.
https://auckland.gumtree.co.nz/ – world-renowned gumtree has a little bit of everything – including links to widespread jobs in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington.
Most of NZ’s daily newspapers have extensive listings of job vacancies. Grab a copy or search online for the Monday, Wednesday and Saturday editions of the New Zealand Herald, The Dominion Post and The Press.
There is no doubt that a whole host of temporary work is up for grabs for WHS visa holders. Here are just some of the most common opportunities:
OFFICE WORK
Many of the big name recruitment agencies have offices globally and need temporary staff to join the hustle and the bustle in the capital of Wellington or in view of the Skytower in Auckland. This is a popular route if you would like to save up some money and set up a base and soak up the urban life. Then perhaps you can use it to travel the rest of the country. Short-term contracts typically involve data-entry or customer service roles, although university graduates and those with office experience also have opportunities with higher-level roles. These types of jobs should exceed the national minimum wage, which currently stands at NZ$12 [NZ$1 = £0.37 / US$0.54] an hour. Temping is also a potential stepping-stone to securing full-time employment and extending your work permit and career. Useful sites to explore are:
www.adecco.co.nz
www.hays-hps.co.nz
www.alphajobs.co.nz
www.manpower.co.nz/
www.randstad.co.nz/
Check out WAM’s very own guide to executive jobs abroad at our website.
See the second blog this week for other opportunities for working abroad in New Zealand without being tied to an office desk…