
Popular Job Sectors in New Zealand: Latest Update. See how to apply and other information below.
Popular Job Sectors in New Zealand: For the September 2021 quarter, the employment rate was 66.4%, with over 2 million individuals working across Auckland and Canterbury. In New Zealand, the most in-demand professions are teaching, public administration, healthcare, architecture and design, psychology, and other fields.
Many economies saw little or no growth as a result of the recent recession. Fortunately, compared to other nations, New Zealand (NZ) was less impacted by the global financial crisis. Employment prospects have increased as a result, particularly over the past three years.
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The economy has been forced into negative growth in spite of the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, and the nature of the job market is still unclear.
Popular Job Sectors in New Zealand Highlights
- Current Unemployment Rate 5.3% (Sept 2021)
- Job Sectors Employing Largely Engineering, IT, Teaching, Admin, Managers, etc.
- Expected Vacancy Opening by 2022 40,000+
- Total Skill Shortages Sectors in NZ 10
- Average Growth Rate for 5 years 2.9% annually
Sectors Requiring Immediate Joinings Medicine, Agriculture, Education, Oil & Gas, Finance & Business, Engineering, etc.
Because of a limited population in New Zealand some skills are chronically in short supply. Immigration New Zealand has lists of industries where there is a serious skill shortage. Once you finish your chosen course in New Zealand and are offered a job which is marked under the skill shortage category and you have the relevant qualifications plus experience, getting a work visa and permanent residency will be easier.
That is because the New Zealand Government has realized that companies and organizations need to employ people from outside NZ to help meet demands for the skill.
Currently, the list covers skills in these areas (2019):
Industry Long Term shortages Immediate shortages
Agriculture and forestry Yes Yes
Construction Yes Yes
Education — Yes
Engineering Yes Yes
Finance/business Yes —
Health and social services Yes Yes
ICT and electronics Yes —
Oil and gas — Yes
Recreation, hospitality & tourism Yes Yes
Science Yes Yes
Trades Yes Yes
Transport Yes —
Chances of Getting a Full Time Job in New Zealand in Popular Sectors

The chances of getting a full time job opportunity in New Zealand across popular sectors has become a little difficult over the years because, the NZ Govt has reduced the number of low-skilled migrants from obtaining a obtaining residence, and since they lack skilled labours, they focus on increasing the “quality” and level of students coming to study in the country. Under the following condition international students who came for a 2 year low-level course or a 1 year mid-/high-level course, were given the following opportunities:
Work up to 20 hour while studying, and full time during holidays, and
Obtain a very easy to get Post-Study Work Visa which would let them work in any job for one year, and
Obtain a second Post-Study Work Visa which granted them to work in a job which was related to the course they studied.
The new rules have geared towards giving greater work right to students who study post-graduate degrees or level 7 degrees. The intention was to move the education sector away from relying on masses of low-level students and towards a smaller number of higher-level students. Presumably, the shift will also lead to a reduction in low-skilled workers but a supplementary rise in workers with better skills.
There are some safeguards built into the new rules which will give the education industry time to adjust, while still allowing some rights to low-level students. There are also some rules regarding benefits for studying outside of Auckland. Altogether, the rules were made in order to:
- Change the balance of low- and high-level students, and
- Reduce migrant exploitation, and
- Reduce strain on national infrastructure and housing, and
- Not be a target for immigration fraud.
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Green List Occupations in New Zealand
New Zealand Government has released a set of 85 job roles falling under high demand list of skilled labourers to bridge unemployment gap due the COVID-19 impact. The list has been released keeping in view of the New Zealand border opening for 5,000 international students by July 2022 after the pandemic.
This list has various job roles related to construction, engineering, health & social services, trade, ICT & telecommunications along with agriculture. Each job has a unique code number and those who fall under this green list occupations in terms of basic requirements, can apply for jobs and have an official confirmation through an accredited employer in New Zealand only. Those who would be able to work under the listed job roles would:
be allowed to bring their spouses, who will also get working rights in New Zealand,
fast-track residence pathway for green list visa holders after working for 2 years, &
the visa application would take only 30 days for approval.
For more information click here