May 18, 2022
You’ve either landed or arriving soon in NZ (fondly known as Aotearoa) to kick start your working holiday or relocation journey. We’ve put together some basic tips to help get you started in Auckland and hopefully takeaway some of the Googling and guess work!
Auckland’s a big city in geographic terms, and depending on where you’ve come from you might be accustomed to more frequent public transport services. So it’s important to plan ahead and get a sense of locations and commute times, especially when it comes to finding work in Auckland.
Train, Bus or Ferry - Plan your journey, duration, cost and the best option to get you from A to B using Auckland Transport’s journey planner. To use public transport, you will need a Hopcard. Make sure you get this set up before you jump on any transport as they're cashless. You can top up your card at a number of outlets or online/via the AT app
Taxis - You'll see a number of options as you exit the airport, however some of the main players are Blue Bubble & Alert Taxis. Most taxi companies take credit card, but be prepared for airport + credit card fees
Ride Sharing Services - Uber & Ola operate across Auckland, but expect to be a little more patient in the suburbs further away from the CBD as they can take a bit longer pending driver availability
Scooters & E-bike Hire - These be hired around Auckland, you can use your Uber app to see locations of what’s available. Beam and Neuron are the other apps worth downloading.
Cycling - Whether you’re looking to hire or cycle around Auckland, you'll see cycle lanes accessible in most suburbs, although there are big gaps in the cycle path network so check the link out here for routes you can use.
Driving - If you're looking to get behind the wheel your local license will work for 12 months, otherwise you can apply for your NZ's drivers license. Don't forget we drive on the left side of the road and this link will help you with understanding road safety
Tax/IRD Number – you’ll need to get this through the Inland Revenue Department (IRD), check out this link to learn more about taxes in NZ, but allow for 10 business days for processing times. This wont hold you back getting a job, however important to get your tax/IRD number to ensure you aren't taxed at a higher rate
Tax Codes – accompany your tax/IRD number and you will be provided with a tax form by your employer to complete. The common tax code is M, but this link will help you figure yours out
Bank Account – you’ll need to get this set up in one of the many branches available. There are a number of banks available to consider, do your research on what bank suits you best and what information they’ll need to set up an account and be prepared to go in person for the initial set up
Ultimately this comes down to preference, there are plenty of options close by with good access to parks, near beaches or CBD/fringe if you’re wanting to be closer to the action. If you’re not driving ensure you look at public transport routes to ensure it’s easy enough for you move around and get to/from based on where you’re looking to work:
Trade Me - by far offers the majority of rentals across Auckland, if you're also after furniture you can shop for a range of used/new options, alternatively if you're seeking a furnished property you can pop that into keywords when searching
Air B&B - short or long term stays
Short Term Stays - if you're looking at options outside of hotels/motels
Don’t get caught out with a parking ticket, pay attention to road signage and you’ll tend to see parking machines which take cash or credit card:
CBD Earlybird – offering you all day parking at a set rate and you'll often need to arrive in before 10am. If you want to come and go during the day best to look at options that don’t have a barrier at exit/entry
CBD Road Parking – is zoned and different rates and time limits can apply, you can download the Auckland Transport APP here, this will let you know if there are parking rates or if no fees apply at certain times
Free parking near CBD - would involve at least a 25 - 40 minute walk or jumping on a Link bus to drop you into the city centre
Suburban parking - look out for parking signs, often much cheaper than parking in the CBD
Auckland is multi-cultural and offers some wonderful cuisine from all corners of the world. Checkout some of the links below to help you with your foodie journey:
You’ll find plenty of options in the suburbs and main hubs with good public transport access by bus or trains pending location:
CBD / Fringe - Commercial Bay CBD
Auckland Malls – Westfield & Kiwi Property
Supermarkets – Countdown, PaknSave, New World, Fresh Choice
If you haven’t kicked off your job search, we’ve outlined some considerations to get you started:
Major job boards in NZ: Seek, TradeMe, Indeed & LinkedIn
NZ Job application process - expect to include an updated resume, cover letter (can be optional) and any other relevant information required as part of your application. We recommend stating your NZ work rights status on your CV.
Screening - you will be required to confirm your NZ work-rights status, availability, ideal expectations on remuneration alongside other relevant information. This may be initially answering questions as part of your application and/or stepping through a phone conversation
Work-rights status – make sure you’re clear on your eligibility to work in NZ, particularly if there are any limitations and ensure you are applying for roles that comply with your NZ visa.
Interview process – be prepared that this process may be virtually or in person whether registering with a recruitment agency or working directly with an employer. You’ll likely need to bring along your passport and relevant visa to be sighted.
Considering temp work in Auckland/New Zealand - this can be a great, quick way to secure work if you’re on work or working holiday visa, as it also complies with your visa restrictions. We recommend registering with recruitment agencies (2-3 max) that specialise in temp jobs and where you have worked in the past, this ensures they are well equipped to consider relevant roles for you. Temp work tends to be busy year round, however peaks tend to be February through to October / November.
However a number of industries over the Summer period are seasonally busy, bringing on short term temp cover jobs(3 – 6 months). Be clear on your availability to commit to potential temp job assignments, as this ensures you build a good partnership with your agency, offering potential for extension opportunities, possible return and future temp work on your visa.
References – make sure you remind your prior managers the importance of completing reference requests which may be verbal, email or online. This ensures there is no delay with getting you started, as often with temp work start dates are ASAP
Permanent or fixed term roles – if your visa allows, you may be able to consider fixed term options. If roles are fixed term they should be advertised with clear timeframes around duration and ideal start. If you are seeking permanent or wanting to stay in NZ long term, you are best to liaise with immigration or an immigration consultancy to better understand your options
Background and onboarding checks for temp jobs – pending the employer and/or agency needs, you may need to undergo additional checks including police, credit checks to name a few.
Settling into a new country can be daunting, so a big focus on making friends, meeting people and finding the right job is key. If you haven’t landed yet or at the start of your job search, register with Cultivate, as we always have a number of temp jobs for NZ work visa or working holiday visa holders. Check out our job listings for current temp or fixed term vacancies and have a look at our specialisations so you can see where we recruit. If you don’t have your work-rights yet and needing immigration support email us here so we can point you to the right specialists.
