Recruitment has certainly been interesting over the last couple of years, and I doubt that we have seen the worst of the changes we have seen in the landscape recently. 

We have seen the market shift to a more candidate driven one than ever before, people demanding higher pay, better perks (no, working from home is no longer a perk, it is expected), more freedom and flexibility.

Much of what we have seen in New Zealand have been driven from offshore. Countries in Europe are willing to pay much higher salaries and offer more lucrative relocation packages than many in NZ will, often offering full relocation assistance for the entire family as well as any pets, and some countries even offer Au-Pair services and a house paid for by the employer.

It is not strange then that we see people leaving for Europe in droves, as the lifestyle on offer is one that is far more appealing than the one painted by the impact of COVID-19 border closures and immigration policies in NZ over the last few years.

Unfortunately, I doubt we have seen the peak of our candidate shortage just yet, and without significant changes to organisational mindsets across NZ, it is more likely than not that the ripple effects will continue for a wee while longer.

What can we do about it? Do market research, see what realistic salaries are on offer elsewhere, not only in New Zealand, but comparatively globally. Revisit relocation assistance on offer, if you offer none, now is the time to change that! If you offer some but it is only marginally helpful, place yourself in the shoes of the person you are hoping to attract and ask yourself if you would reasonably have made the move with that package on offer, if the answer is no, you know what to do.

One thing is certain, Immigration rules changed and as of April 2023 (deferred from December 2022), immigrants will no longer be able to bring their partners along on an open partnership work visa. We can’t foretell what INZ will do next, but rather safe than sorry and take your international recruitment serious in the first quarter of 2023!

If you would like to find out how we can help you with that, let’s chat. We don’t have a one-price-fits-all approach so I am sure we can help you find talent both locally and internationally without the normal agency fee attached. What can you do with all that savings? Totally up to you, but why not consider adding it toward the relocation assistance you offer migrants.