Jobs in skill shortage and labour shortage
Skill shortages can happen when employers find it hard to get staff with the right skills, when staff turnover is high, or if there's low unemployment.
Changes in the economy and technology, and movements of people between countries or in and out of the workforce can affect jobs in skill shortage.
Knowing which jobs are in demand can help you choose jobs or decide what subjects to study. Find out more about jobs in our jobs database which lists pay, entry requirements and job opportunities for over 400 jobs.
Immigration New Zealand's Green List and Sector Agreements show skills and labour gaps
Immigration New Zealand's Green List and Sector Agreements aim to make it easier for employers to fill genuine skills gaps by recruiting overseas workers.
These lists can also give you an idea of which jobs are in skill shortage or labour shortage.
- The Green List makes it easier for employers to attract migrants into skilled, highly paid and care workforce occupations.
- Sector agreements are a temporary measure to make it easier for employers to attract migrants to fill lower- paid roles.
- Immigration New Zealand - Green List, highly paid and care workforce roles
- Immigration New Zealand - Transport sector agreement finalised and Green list changes confirmed 26 April 2023
- Immigration New Zealand - Changes to Immigration Settings Announced Green list and Construction and Infrastructure sector agreement 23 September 2023
Immigration New Zealand's previous skill shortage lists can indicate jobs in demand
Immigration New Zealand's skill shortage lists showed that the Government was actively encouraging skilled workers from overseas to work in particular roles in New Zealand.
The skill shortage lists were last updated in 2019. They can indicate jobs that are likely to be in demand.
Find out more about jobs that were on Immigration New Zealand's long-term, regional, and construction and infrastructure skill shortage lists.
These do not include jobs on the Green List or other agreements if they weren't already on a skill shortage list.
- Arts and Media
- Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation
- Farming, Fishing, Forestry and Mining
- Construction and Infrastructure
- Business
- Health and Community
- IT and Telecommunications
- Education and Social Sciences
- Engineering
- Transport and Logistics
- Science
- Animal Care and Conservation
- Manufacturing
- Finance and Property
Jobs in Farming, Fishing, Forestry and Mining
Agriculture and Horticulture
Arborists plant and remove trees, prune branches and treat disease.
Beekeepers look after beehives in apiaries that produce honey, wax, pollen and other bee products. They may also offer pollination services to horticultural and seed crop producers.
Crop farmers/managers plan and manage plant production on farms and in vineyards and hothouses.
Dairy farmers plan and manage milk production by cows, maintain pasture and monitor environmental impacts on farms.
Farmers/farm managers manage and work on farms. Farmers own or lease the land, while farm managers operate farms for farm owners.
Dairy farm managers manage farming operations and staff for dairy farm owners.
Sharemilkers either milk a dairy farmer's cows for a profit share, or own a herd of cows and milk them on an owner's land for a profit share.
Viticulturists grow and harvest grapes from grapevines, and manage vineyards.