Why job checks are being declined, and how to avoid it

Job check rejections can be costly. Here's how to get it right to avoid delays.

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We continue to hear from employers whose job check applications are either being declined or subjected to increased scrutiny by Immigration New Zealand (INZ). The most common issue is around advertised pay rates not meeting what INZ considers the "market rate."

The job check stage is designed to ensure that employers have made a genuine attempt to recruit locally by advertising the role nationally and giving New Zealand residents and citizens a fair opportunity to apply. If local candidates do apply, INZ expects employers to interview those applicants and assess whether they meet the job description based on their qualifications and/or relevant work experience.

If the advertised pay rate is considered too low, INZ may determine that local applicants were discouraged from applying and that the employer has not made a genuine effort to recruit within New Zealand.

Employers often have a solid understanding of what the going rate is within their industry. However, INZ tends to rely on online job platforms such as Seek to assess what constitutes a market-aligned pay rate.

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Before a job check is approved, INZ needs to be satisfied:

• The employer is accredited
• The employment offered meets current employment law
• The job has been genuinely advertised (there are some exceptions to the job advert requirement)
• The employer agrees to ensure any migrant worker who applies for a work visa based on the job check will have the advertised/required qualifications and/or work experience to fill the job  
• The advertised pay rate is at or above the "market rate"

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Employers face recruitment delays and additional costs when the job check application is not handled with care. Avoid the traps and take trusted immigration advice right from the beginning of the job check process.  

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