New Zealand’s construction sector remains one of the most consistent “doorways” for overseas workers because it blends two things immigration systems typically reward: (1) real, demonstrable skills and (2) employer-led demand. But “visa sponsorship” in New Zealand has a specific meaning: in most cases, you are not being “sponsored” by the government—you are being hired by a New Zealand employer who is accredited to employ migrants, and your job offer is used to support a work visa application (most commonly the Accredited Employer Work Visa, AEWV). (Immigration New Zealand)
This guide explains (a) which construction roles are most commonly hired from overseas, (b) what the latest visa settings mean in practice—including the shift to the National Occupation List (NOL) for some AEWV occupations from 3 November 2025, and (c) realistic salary ranges by trade and professional role, using recent advertised salary data where available.
1) What “visa sponsorship” usually means in New Zealand
In day-to-day language, people say “visa sponsorship” to mean: a company is willing to hire you and support your work visa paperwork. In New Zealand, that typically translates into an employer that:
- Is accredited with Immigration New Zealand (INZ) to hire migrants; and
- Has completed the AEWV steps (including a job check) for the role; and
- Gives you a compliant employment agreement and pay rate that meets New Zealand legal requirements and any relevant visa pay thresholds. (Immigration New Zealand)
Key practical point: Your employer does not “guarantee” a visa. They supply the job and complete the employer-side steps; you still must meet INZ requirements (identity, health, character, qualifications/experience, etc.). (Immigration New Zealand)
2) The main visa pathways for construction workers and professionals
A) Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) – the primary work route
For most overseas construction hires—carpenters, plumbers, electricians, civil crews, site supervisors, estimators—the AEWV is the central pathway. INZ explains that AEWV jobs must pay at least the market rate for the role and meet legal pay requirements (including minimum wage). (Immigration New Zealand)
Important late-2025 update: For AEWV applications, INZ has tightened police certificate rules—requiring a valid police certificate to be uploaded with the application and (from 8 December 2025) no longer accepting a “receipt” showing you applied for one (with limited exceptions noted by INZ). (Immigration New Zealand)
B) Green List residence pathways (for certain in-demand roles)
If your occupation is on the Green List, you may have a faster route to residence via either:
- Straight to Residence (Tier 1 roles), or
- Work to Residence (Tier 2 roles, typically requiring 24 months of eligible work in NZ before you can apply). (Immigration New Zealand)
INZ provides a searchable Green List and sets out the general steps for the Green List pathway to residence. (Immigration New Zealand)
C) National Occupation List (NOL) changes (from 3 November 2025)
INZ has begun introducing the National Occupation List (NOL) in stages. From 3 November 2025, INZ started recognising new NOL occupations (skill levels 1–3) for AEWV purposes, and it publishes guidance and lists of NOL occupations used for AEWV/SPWV. (Immigration New Zealand)
Why this matters for you: job titles and “what counts as skilled” can be assessed differently as INZ transitions from ANZSCO to NOL. If an employer is hiring under one of the NOL-recognised roles, your duties and pay must clearly match that occupation description. (Immigration New Zealand)
3) Construction roles New Zealand commonly hires from overseas
New Zealand construction hiring generally falls into two buckets:
Bucket 1: Licensed / regulated trades (higher friction, but strong demand)
These roles can be excellent pathways, but you must plan for registration/licensing.
- Electricians: Registration and a practising licence are handled by the Electrical Workers Registration Board (EWRB), including an “overseas-trained pathway.” (ewrb.govt.nz)
- Plumbers / gasfitters / drainlayers: Registration/licensing is managed by the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board (PGDB), including an overseas qualifications route. (pgdb.co.nz)
Bucket 2: Site and project roles (often faster to deploy)
These can include:
- Carpenters / builders
- Civil construction crews and supervisors
- Quantity surveyors / estimators
- Construction managers
- Civil engineers and civil designers
- Project coordinators and site engineers
Many of these roles connect well to AEWV and—if on the Green List—may support residence pathways. Start by checking the Green List search tool for your exact occupation and required qualifications/registration. (Immigration New Zealand)
4) Trades and salary ranges (realistic 2025 market snapshots)
Salaries vary by region, project type (residential vs commercial vs infrastructure), union coverage, overtime, and whether the role is scarce or licensed. Below are advertised salary ranges for several common construction roles from SEEK’s salary insights (based on salary ranges disclosed by employers on job ads).
A) Core trades (annual salary ranges)
| Role | Typical advertised annual range (NZD) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Carpenter | $70,000 – $80,000 | SEEK (SEEK New Zealand) |
| Plumber | $70,000 – $80,000 | SEEK (SEEK New Zealand) |
| Electrician | $85,000 – $90,000 (typical range shown by SEEK) | SEEK (SEEK New Zealand) |
Regional note: Even within the same trade, regional differences are meaningful. For example, SEEK shows plumbers in Wellington Central around $81,000 on average and Auckland Central around $78,750 (salary insights by location). (SEEK New Zealand)
B) Technical/professional construction roles (annual salary ranges)
| Role | Typical advertised annual range (NZD) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity Surveyor | $100,000 – $120,000 | SEEK (SEEK New Zealand) |
| Civil Engineer | $90,000 – $110,000 | SEEK (SEEK New Zealand) |
| Construction Manager | $135,000 – $155,000 | SEEK (SEEK New Zealand) |
Reality check: The best way to price your role is to compare (1) advertised ranges, (2) the region you’re targeting, and (3) your licensing/registration status. Employers pay more for “job-ready” workers who can legally sign off work (where required).
5) Pay thresholds, minimum wage, and what INZ checks
Minimum wage (legal floor)
New Zealand’s Employment website lists the adult minimum wage as NZD $23.50 per hour effective from 1 April 2025 (with starting-out/training rates lower). (Employment New Zealand)
Immigration wage thresholds (visa-related thresholds)
INZ explains that some visas use wage thresholds (for example, median wage-based thresholds). On INZ’s wage threshold guidance, Green List jobs without a specific pay threshold must pay at least NZD $33.56/hour from 18 August 2025. (Immigration New Zealand)
What INZ typically tests for AEWV-type roles:
- Pay must meet the market rate for that job, and any relevant visa wage threshold rules. (Immigration New Zealand)
- Your employment agreement must be compliant (hours, duties, pay, conditions).
- You must meet health/character requirements (including police certificates). (Immigration New Zealand)
6) Licensing and registration: where many applicants win or lose
This is where many overseas applicants underestimate the timeline. Two common examples:
Electricians (EWRB)
To work lawfully as an electrician in New Zealand, you generally need EWRB registration and a current practising licence. EWRB publishes an overseas-trained pathway and trade-specific requirements. (ewrb.govt.nz)
Planning tip: Many employers will still interview and even hire you “subject to registration progress,” but your employability and pay improve sharply once you can legally perform the full scope of work.
Plumbers / Gasfitters / Drainlayers (PGDB)
PGDB states that plumbing, gasfitting, and drainlaying work is restricted and can only be carried out by practitioners who are registered and licensed. It also outlines an overseas qualifications route that can begin from offshore (skills assessment → pre-registration → provisional licence → exam steps). (pgdb.co.nz)
7) Where construction hiring is strongest (and why)
You will typically see the greatest volume of roles in:
- Auckland (large metro demand, commercial builds, infrastructure)
- Wellington region (public projects, seismic strengthening, commercial)
- Canterbury/Christchurch (ongoing rebuild and new development cycles)
- Bay of Plenty / Waikato (growth corridors and civil projects)
- Queenstown/Wānaka (high-end residential and tourism-driven builds—often higher pay but higher living costs)
SEEK’s location-based salary insights illustrate that regional variation is real for trades and professional roles. (SEEK New Zealand)
8) How to find genuine “visa sponsorship” construction employers
In New Zealand, the most reliable route is to target employers already familiar with AEWV hiring, and roles that clearly match INZ occupation definitions (ANZSCO or NOL, depending on the role and timing).
Best channels
- Major job boards (SEEK, Indeed) – filter by “visa sponsorship” keywords, but still verify credibility.
- Specialist construction recruiters – many employers fill QS, site engineer, and management roles through recruiters.
- Direct employer career pages – large civil and commercial contractors often recruit continuously.
- Industry networks – LinkedIn, trade groups, referral networks.
How to vet an offer (avoid scams)
INZ explicitly warns about immigration scams; as a rule:
- Never pay “agents” who promise guaranteed visas.
- Verify the employer is real, has a physical presence, and offers a genuine employment agreement.
- Confirm the role, duties, and pay align with an INZ-recognised occupation description and market rates.
(When in doubt, cross-check on INZ’s official pages and use only licensed immigration advisers for paid advice.)
9) Step-by-step: a practical AEWV application workflow for construction workers
While every case is different, this is the pattern that works for most trades and construction professionals:
- Choose your target occupation clearly
Align your CV with the duties, tools, and outputs of that occupation (not just a generic “construction worker” profile). Where relevant, map your experience to licensing requirements (EWRB/PGDB). (ewrb.govt.nz) - Get your documents “visa-ready”
Passport, qualifications, references, employment letters, and police certificates (note the AEWV police certificate requirement tightening). (Immigration New Zealand) - Apply to accredited employers and roles built for migrants
Employers hiring internationally usually specify this. Your goal is not “any job,” but a job where the employer will complete the AEWV employer steps. - Confirm pay and job details early
INZ checks wage/market rate logic and role alignment. (Immigration New Zealand) - Submit the visa application with complete evidence
Missing items—especially police certificates—can now stop an application from being accepted in the way many applicants expect. (Immigration New Zealand) - Plan your medium-term pathway
If your role is on the Green List, you may be building toward residence (Straight to Residence or Work to Residence after 24 months, depending on the tier). (Immigration New Zealand)
10) What makes an overseas construction applicant “hireable” in NZ
Employers typically shortlist the people who reduce project risk:
- Evidence-based CV: project types, tools, materials, compliance experience, measurable outcomes.
- Clear trade competency: photos/portfolio, references, certificates, and (where possible) skills assessments.
- Licensing plan: for regulated trades, show exactly where you are in the registration pathway (EWRB/PGDB). (ewrb.govt.nz)
- Safety culture: demonstrate H&S mindset and site discipline.
- Availability and flexibility: willingness to start regionally can unlock opportunities.
Conclusion
Construction remains one of the strongest, most practical routes into New Zealand through employer-led hiring, especially via the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV). Success is less about “finding sponsorship” in a vague sense and more about aligning three things tightly: (1) a real job offer from a compliant employer, (2) duties and pay that match INZ settings (including wage rules and the move toward NOL for some roles), and (3) your readiness—documents, evidence, and licensing plans for regulated trades. (Immigration New Zealand)
If you approach the process like a professional—target the right roles, build a job-ready portfolio, and treat licensing/registration as a project plan—you significantly increase both your hiring odds and your earning power once you land.
FAQs
1) Do I need an agent to get a construction job with visa sponsorship in New Zealand?
No. Many people apply directly to employers or through recruiters. If you do use paid immigration help, ensure they are properly licensed/authorised in New Zealand. Always rely on INZ official requirements for the visa rules. (Govt.nz)
2) What is the most common visa for overseas construction workers?
The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is the most common pathway for employer-supported construction hiring. (Immigration New Zealand)
3) Are electricians and plumbers in demand—and can foreigners work in those trades immediately?
They can be in demand, but these are regulated trades. You generally need registration/licensing (EWRB for electricians; PGDB for plumbers/gasfitters/drainlayers) to work lawfully in the full scope of the trade. (ewrb.govt.nz)
4) What salary should I expect as a carpenter, plumber, electrician, or quantity surveyor?
Recent advertised ranges on SEEK show:
- Carpenter: $70k–$80k (SEEK New Zealand)
- Plumber: $70k–$80k (SEEK New Zealand)
- Electrician: $85k–$90k (SEEK New Zealand)
- Quantity Surveyor: $100k–$120k (SEEK New Zealand)
Actual pay depends on region, overtime, licensing status, and project type.
5) What changed recently that could affect my AEWV application?
Key recent changes include INZ tightening police certificate expectations for AEWV applications (including not accepting a receipt in many cases from 8 December 2025) and introducing the National Occupation List (NOL) for some AEWV occupations from 3 November 2025. (Immigration New Zealand)
6) Can construction work lead to residency in New Zealand?
Potentially, yes—especially if your role is on the Green List and you meet the listed qualification/registration and wage requirements. Tier 1 roles may qualify for Straight to Residence, while Tier 2 roles may qualify for Work to Residence after 24 months of eligible work. (Immigration New Zealand)