Working in Auckland

More than half of the immigrants who land in New Zealand make a beeline for Auckland to pounce on job vacancies made by a critical brain drain. The Rugby World Cup is imminent, but curiously, Kiwis are not rushing home to join the party. This leaves the door open to anyone harbouring a desire to work in New Zealand. Look to Auckland, its biggest city, and you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.

THERE’S MONEY TO BE MADE

Hannah Francis of Robert Walters says a move from London to Auckland will deliver the same size paypacket. “There are many opportunities available that pay equivalent salaries – and in some cases more – with the added bonus of the New Zealand lifestyle,” she says.

“Furthermore, due to the size of the New Zealand market the opportunities available often offer more scope, broader responsibilities, greater autonomy and variety.”Research on remuneration packages demonstrates Francis’s point.

With London’s market rates converted, an IT project manager earns £110,000 in Auckland compared to £83,000 in London and a brand manager earns £70,000 in Auckland compared to £62,000 in London. Similarly, a financial analyst can top up their salary by £18,000 by moving to Auckland. The wages are commensurate with Auckland’s high standard of living.

PLENTY OF WORK

The Rugby World Cup has compounded a skills dearth in IT, finance and accounting, sales and marketing, and secretarial and business support.
Extra resources will also be required in telecommunications and public transport.

Beyond the Word Cup, bar staff are required year round and chefs are in high demand, as are teachers. There is also a shortage of doctors and nurses in the country so if you’re in the health sector you’ll be welcomed with open arms.

“Most companies generally want a diverse and international culture and so are very open to the idea of employing foreign workers,” Francis says. 

“If a foreign candidate is committed to working and living in New Zealand the best way they can demonstrate this is to set a firm arrival date to work towards and gain the eligibility to work.” Several countries have a working holiday agreement with New Zealand for people between 18-30.

Visit visabureau.com to check your eligibility.

A ROOF OVER YOUR HEAD

Auckland is a small compared to London, so choosing where to live won’t be a chore.
 
If your workplace is in the inner-city city and you enjoy a cosmopolitan lifestyle, consider Ponsonby (from £90 a week in a houseshare situation), with its many cafes and restaurants. Point Chevalier (from £80 a week) is slightly farther away but is a genteel suburb, as are Mt Eden (from £85 a week) and Epsom (from £100 a week).

Across the Harbour Bridge, the North Shore (from £85 a week) is generally considered the best city in Auckland, with low crime rates compared to South Auckland and West Auckland.
 
CHOOSE YOUR LIFESTYLE

With 28 quality beaches and endless sunny days Auckland’s lifestyle is a huge drawcard.
 
Known as the City Of Sails, on account of it being built around two harbours, Auckland offers plenty of sailing, windsurfing and outdoor activities. It holds 1.3 million people – a third of the national population – and a high proportion is of working age, which makes the city livelier than anywhere else in the country.

As such there’s no shortage of nightlife venues – the adventurous, the sophisticated, the young, and the young- at-heart are all catered for. And in food-obsessed Auckland, good grub is never hard to come by.
 
DOWN ON THE FARM

Surprisingly for a country so reliant on farming, New Zealand is on the lookout for agricultural workers. Apiarists, aborists, beef and cattle  herd managers, orchard managers and winemakers are all in high demand. Dip your toes in the water by living in a farmhouse in exchange for doing some grunt work like gardening and feeding animals. There’s plenty of work not far from the city centre, in places like Kumeu, Helensville and Albany. See fhinz.co.nz.

» For help finding work in Auckland and other parts of New Zealand, see robertwalters.co.nz. Also, see the short and long-term skills shortages lists at immigration.govt.nz. If your skills match those on the list you may be eligible for residence.