9 High Paying Jobs in New Zealand for Immigrants

There has been a huge transformation in New Zealand’s job market and only smart immigrants like yourself will take advantage of this opportunity to a better life. The new development the country is currently facing has given room to a multitude of lucrative career opportunities across various sectors and my job here is to help detect those high-demand and high-paying jobs you can venture into.

Here in this guide, I have listed quite a few of them and you can select which one you want to go for based on your qualifications, educational background, and skills. Let’s get into it.

Key Points

• New Zealand’s job market offers lucrative career opportunities for smart immigrants due to the country’s expanding economy.
• Your salary in New Zealand can be influenced by factors such as the economy, your negotiation skills, and your experience and education.
• The healthcare, IT, and engineering sectors offer some of the highest-paying jobs in New Zealand.
• Registered nurses, teachers, and civil engineers are among the most in-demand and well-paid professions in New Zealand.
• Besides salary, consider factors like the cost of living, job benefits, and career opportunities when planning your career in New Zealand.

What Can Affect My Salary in New Zealand?

Before we get into the actual pay of your career path, I want us to briefly go through some factors that can either increase or decrease your salary:

#1. Economy

The economy of a state or country can either make or mar your salary at that location. New Zealand has been feeling the effects of inflation and increased costs of living for a while. In this case, your dollar might not have total coverage anymore.

#2. Your Negotiation Skills

Switch up that negotiation game! You might be saving a few pennies but it’s definitely worth a trial. In fact, before you even go for a job interview, you need to know your worth and have enough peace with yourself because that’s the only way you get to be paid according to what you are worth and not what others are been offered for the same services. know your onions!

#3. Experience & Education

If you read through to analyze the top jobs I have listed, you will understand that the more experience you have, the more pay you get. So having a degree, certification, or other qualification in the field, can help increase your salary.

The Industry with the Highest Paying Jobs

While there are diverse jobs that are high in demand and also attract more pay, there are still some industries that have more opportunities to earn a higher salary than others. Let’s look at what the ranking looks like:

Industry	Low	Average	High
IT	108	114	120
Engineering	80	89	98
Property	78	88	98
HR & recruitment	79	86	92
Marketing, media & communications	78	85	93
Accounting	78	85	92
Government & Council	78	85	92
Banking, finance & insurance	74	81	87
Construction & roading	70	80	91
Sales	70	78	87
Automotive	62	73	83
Trades & services	59	71	82
Healthcare (Not doctors and surgeons)	61	70	79
Education	57	69	81
Agriculture, fishing & forestry	56	66	76
Transport & logistics	55	64	74
Office & administration salary	55	63	70
Manufacturing & operations	53	62	71
Administration	54	61	68
Hospitality & tourism	51	61	71
Customer service	52	59	66
Retail	49	58	67

The Highest Paying Jobs in New Zealand

Currently, there are thousands of jobs being made available due to the ever-growing economy of New Zealand and because I want the best for you in this journey, I have listed a couple of these high-paying jobs which are also in demand. You should check them out:

#1. Registered Nurses

The healthcare sector in New Zealand has been short of registered nurses for the longest time and the emergence of COVID-19, it worsened the whole process. But looking on the fair side, it is now an advantage to you as long as you have prior knowledge, education, and skills to carry on with the profession. The salary for this job role usually runs between 64,000 NZD to 135,000 NZD per year, which can either be reduced or increased depending on your experience.

A registered nurse can oversee aged care, pediatric care, mental health, surgical care, or other areas and to comfortably work in this role, you will need to register with the Nursing Council of New Zealand and potentially three years of experience and a Competence Assessment Program.

#2. Teacher

Coming to think of it, teachers are the originators of these many professions and job roles in existence today, so why won’t be in high demand and earning between 58,000 NZD to 200,000NZD. You can also be a high school teacher or a polytechnic or university lecturer in New Zealand depending on the experience and education you have accumulated.

For a high school teacher, you need to be registered with the Teaching Council of Aotearoa and have a provisional practicing certificate and two years of teaching experience. University Lecturers require a level 9 master’s degree or a level 10 doctorate.

#3. Surveyors

In this role, your services will be required in the inspection and determining of lands and its properties, just to make sure it measures up with what the land is intended for. Some also go as far as selling these lands and taking a share from helping the real estate agents in charge. If you have prior experience in this role in your country, then you are in luck because New Zealand is open to paying 45,000 NZD to around 95,000 NZD for your services.

For qualification and educational requirements, you will need a bachelor’s degree or other approved qualification and experience depending on your line of surveying.

#4. Civil Engineers

Being in demand and paid an average salary of 100,000 NZD in a year, the services of these professionals are highly needed in New Zealand. To be able to bag employment in this role, you will need a bachelor’s degree or other approved qualification in your specific field under engineering. Some specific employers might also request evidence of your experience in this role.

#5. Midwives 

The role of a midwife is literally to assist women in childbirth and oftentimes, they are misinterpreted as physicians whereas they are not. They are just trained to do the work they do and if you fall under this category with some good substantial experience, you can earn an average salary of 140,000 NZD per year.

The only criteria for this role are that you register with the Midwifery Council of New Zealand and have at least three years of experience since you began practice.

#6. Accountants/Procurement Managers

Starting from the government to the little organizations and businesses that are sprung across New Zealand, they all need an accountant or a procurement manager, hence the high demand and promising pay for this role. In a year, you can earn around 82,000 NZD to 90,000 NZD, depending solely on the exposure and experience.

For this role to work out, you will need to attain some requirements.

#7. Chefs

While some people come to New Zealand for work and education, some come to the country as tourists. There are different magnificent landscapes across New Zealand including Queenstown and Wanaka, which then means that hotels and restaurants will be in circulation among these two cities.

In turn, there is a need for chefs that can keep these businesses running. If you have a background in cooking different rich cuisines, then you can think over this job. Either as a Chef de Partie or in a higher position, you can earn up to 38 NZD an hour.

#8. Truck Drivers 

The importance of truck drivers across the globe is quite obvious, so this particular job demand doesn’t just end with New Zealand. They are the backbone of any country and, hence needed for their services in many industries. They are tasked with various roles, like intercity postal delivery, petrol delivery, construction materials delivery, and much more. 

If you want to become a truck driver in New Zealand then you will need at least 5 years of experience and owning a Level 4 or 5 heavy vehicle license. With these qualifications, you will be sure to earn from $55,000 to $65,000, in a year.

#9. Electricians/Plumbers 

Electricians and plumbers are also quite in demand in New Zealand and if you have any good experience and can boast of holding up any work under these roles, then you are one step away from earning around 33 to 39 NZD per hour. To come to New Zealand as an electrician, you need a certificate from the Electrical Workers Registration Board is required, or registration with the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board and 12 months of experience for Plumbers.

Other Factors to Consider Besides Pay

We might be too engrossed in the salary we ought to earn when we finally relocate and start our dream career in New Zealand forgetting that our salary is just one stone out of the path. So while you are calculating costs, here are some other factors you might want to consider on your career path:

#1. Cost of Living

Always weigh your options I always say, you might think that getting a well-paying job in the city is the best thing that will happen to you. But have you thought about the probability of that city having an inflated cost of living and at the end of the month, you will have nothing to show off for your hard work?

#2. Benefits

When applying for jobs, look out for the benefits that the company you are aspiring to work for can offer its employees. Weigh in your options and go for what best suits you. It can range from getting a paid leave, health insurance, or other built-in perks provided by the company.

#3. Opportunities

When choosing your career path, salary aside, I want you to have an in-depth thought on the kinds of opportunities your job might bring to you. Will it be so flexible that you can easily switch or will it be impossible to leave the industry? Even if you are okay with one industry, does your career give space for transferable skills?

To help you prepare for your job search and interviews, I’ve created a detailed FREE Interview Preparation Template.

Final Thoughts

If you have been going back and forth on how to start a career in New Zealand, maybe this guide is your sign to finally take a bold step. This country is known for being one of the world’s stable and expanding economies, and you know what that means. Starting a career in New Zealand, in its promising job market, will surely be in your favor. You just need to go for it. If you have any more questions, reach out to me in the comment section.