Work and Income Engagement - Employers

Starting from 7 October 2024, accredited employers will be required to engage directly with Work and Income (WINZ) for most ANZSCO Level 4 and 5 vacancies at the Job Check stage. This change removes immigration advisers/lawyers from representing employers to WINZ, and INZ believe this will improve the integrity Labour Market Test (advertising). See here for more information on this process from the WINZ website.

Employers will need to provide Work and Income with a direct point of contact who is responsible for making hiring decisions. Employers can still work with external organisations, like recruitment agencies, for their WINZ engagement, as long as the agency is involved in the hiring process and not providing immigration advice for the Job Check application.

This update aims to streamline the process by ensuring that the individuals engaging with WINZ are directly responsible for hiring or are familiar with the type of employee required. This, INZ believes, will promote better communication between employers and WINZ in assessing whether suitable New Zealand candidates are available for the role.

As always, you can book a free or paid phone call here.