Construction jobs
in New Zealand

For workers

Building and trades work is a mix of regulated jobs, where you must be registered before you can do certain work, and open jobs, where an employer's offer and your experience carry the application. Work out which kind of role you are aiming for first.

Visas that can fit

• Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV). You need a full-time offer (at least 30 hours a week) from an accredited employer who holds an approved Job Check for your role. Unless the job is on the Green List and you meet its conditions, you show at least 2 years of relevant experience, backed by payslips or tax records rather than a CV alone, or a New Zealand level 4 or higher qualification (INZ AEWV page, checked 7 November 2026).
• Green List residence routes. In the version of Appendix 13 dated 9 March 2026, Tier 1 (Straight to Residence) includes civil, structural and geotechnical engineers, construction project managers and quantity surveyors. Tier 2 (Work to Residence) includes electricians, plumbers, gasfitters, drainlayers and building associates. Each role has its own conditions, and the live list can change. INZ says you must be aged 55 or younger when you apply (Straight to Residence Visa; Work to Residence Visa).
• Other routes. Partner, student and residence pathways are covered in our work visa guide and residence guide.

Registration, licences and English

• Electricians. The Green List entry for a general electrician lists New Zealand registration, or a Limited Certificate rather than a trainee certificate, as a condition. The Electrical Workers Registration Board (EWRB) runs registration and has a separate page for overseas-trained applicants.
• Plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers. The Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board lists an overseas qualification pathway. It asks for a formal qualification at or above New Zealand Certificate level 4, plus at least four years of full-time plumbing or gasfitting work, or two years of drainlaying. If the Board accepts your application, you can apply for a provisional licence that lets you work for up to 12 months while you prepare for the registration exam.
• Builders and carpenters. Restricted building work, which covers things like foundations, wall and roof framing, roofing and cladding, must be done or supervised by someone who holds a Building Practitioner (LBP) licence in the right class. The classes are Design, Carpentry, Roofing, Brick and block laying, External plastering, Foundations and Site. See the LBP licence classes.
• English. For an AEWV, English must be shown for jobs at skill level 4 or 5, and, since 1 June 2026, skill level 3 as well (INZ, 25 May 2026). Exempt from the level 3 rule: an AEWV expiring on or before 1 December 2026 when you apply for a further level 3 AEWV, people who already gave English evidence in an earlier AEWV application, Global Workforce Seasonal Visa and Peak Seasonal Visa applications, and Job Change applications (same INZ news item). Skill level 1 and 2 jobs are exempt. The registration boards above may ask for their own evidence, so read their pages as well.

How to find jobs

• Search INZ's accredited employer list before you accept an offer. A business that is not on it cannot hire you on an AEWV.
• Check that the employer is not on either stand-down list. Immigration New Zealand and Employment New Zealand each keep one.
• Ask the employer to confirm the job title, pay and place of work in writing. Your Job Check and your visa conditions are tied to those details.

Common mistakes

• Paying anyone for a job offer. Job offer scams are common — check with INZ before paying anyone. INZ declines applications that involve money paid to the employer.
• Starting a registration late. Where the Green List names a registration as a condition, nothing moves until the board has decided.
• Changing employer, role or place of work without checking your visa conditions first. Ask INZ or an adviser before you move.
• Assuming a trade certificate from home is accepted as it is. Each board decides for itself.

For employers

Hiring from overseas in construction follows the same three steps as other industries: accreditation, then a Job Check for each role, then the worker's visa. A few rules matter more in this industry.

• Accreditation. Standard accreditation covers up to 5 migrants and high-volume accreditation covers 6 or more. It is valid for 12 months. Have your NZ Business Number, industry classification code and IRD number ready.
• Job Check. If you advertised the role, apply within 90 days of the advertisement closing. A Job Check is valid for 6 months or until your accreditation ends, and there is a fee for each one. One application can cover several positions with the same job, pay, location and minimum requirements.
• Lower skill levels. For ANZSCO skill level 4 and 5 roles, declare in good faith that you advertised with Work and Income and interviewed suitable candidates, and keep the evidence.
• Construction-specific changes. A lower domestic workforce threshold for certain construction roles was announced on 17 December 2024 (INZ). Check which roles it covers before relying on it.
• Pay. Since 10 March 2025 there is no median wage requirement for an AEWV. The set floor is the minimum wage, currently $23.95 an hour, and you must still pay the market rate for the job and place. The construction and infrastructure sector agreement that exempted employers from the median wage ended on that date.
• Obligations. Do not pass recruitment costs on to the worker, and give them information about living and working in New Zealand.

We help businesses with accreditation, Job Checks and worker visas. See the employer accreditation service →