If you are placing any candidates that are not New Zealand citizens or residents, they are migrant workers and they have to go through the immigration system to get appropriate work rights.
These candidates can be from within New Zealand, already holding a visa or from outside New Zealand where they need to cross the border. However, due to the ongoing border closures, they can only cross it if they meet the criteria for the one of the border exemption categories.
Placing candidates into roles
If they are from within New Zealand which is generally the case post Covid19, they are likely to be either holding a restricted (employer-assisted visa) or an open work visa. A restricted visa is tied into a specific job, employer and location. They cannot start working for another employer until Immigration New Zealand grants them the permission to do so, which is done via a visa application. As recruiters, you are likely to come across many such applicants. It is important to note that in this scenario, they must get the job from your client first (and this can be subject to visa approval) before visa can be submitted. It is a common misconception that the appropriate visa must be obtained first, however, a work visa application cannot be submitted without a signed employment agreement.
If the candidate you are placing is on an open work visa – which means open work rights to work in any job for any employer in NZ, then a visa process will not be required and the candidate can be placed with your client subject to their own terms and conditions.
New rules from 4 July 2022
From 4 July 2022, any employer wanting to hire migrant worker through a visa support process must be accredited under the new rules. They will fall under either ‘Standard’ or ‘High Volume’ Accreditation. They do not need to be accredited if they are going hire migrants on open work visas but must be before supporting a restricted work visa.