Vietnamese Workers: Which New Zealand Industries and Regions Are Growing?

News · 2026-08-28 · 3 min read

Are you thinking about work in New Zealand from Vietnam? Good. Choosing the right industry and the right region can make your search much easier. New Zealand has just shared new job figures. Let us read them in a simple way.

Is the job market growing?

Yes. In the year to July, about 18,000 more jobs were filled. The country now has 2.34 million filled jobs. From June to July, employers added another 7,746 roles, a rise of 0.3%. But not every industry is growing. Not every region is growing either.

Which industries are growing?

The biggest growth is in healthcare and social assistance. It added 6,581 jobs, or 2.3%. Nurses, aged-care workers, allied health staff and support workers should watch this area closely.

Other growing industries:

Public administration and safety: 6,418 more jobs (4%)
Education and training: 2,630 more jobs (1.2%)
Construction: 1,810 more jobs (0.9%)

If you work in a trade, construction is a good sector to follow. It often rises when more homes and roads are built.

Which industry is getting smaller?

Professional, scientific and technical services lost 2,078 jobs (1.1%). This includes many office, IT and science jobs. If this is your field, stay calm. Just plan carefully and look at other options too.

Which regions are strongest?

Canterbury is first. It added 6,824 jobs, or 2.2%. Auckland added 4,427 jobs. Waikato added 3,330. Otago added 1,710. Northland went the other way. It lost 1,526 jobs, a fall of 2.1%.

So the South Island and the middle of the North Island look stronger than the far north right now.

What about pay and different groups?

Total gross earnings were $16.5 billion in July. That is $607 million more (3.8%) than a year before. It means employers are paying more in total. Women gained 7,959 roles and men gained 3,819. Workers aged 65 and over gained 5,407 jobs, a rise of 4.1%. These numbers are early. They may change over the next three months.

Your first steps from Vietnam

Good numbers are only useful if you are ready. Here is a short checklist:

Check your qualifications. Vietnamese vocational certificates and degrees are usually assessed again abroad. In New Zealand this can mean qualification recognition, and some trades need occupational registration.
Ask for your police clearance if it is requested. For Vietnamese citizens this is usually the Judicial Record Certificate No. 2 (Phiếu lý lịch tư pháp số 2).
Plan an English test, IELTS or PTE, if the visa or employer asks for it.
Prepare certified English translations of your Vietnamese documents when the visa rules ask for them.

Please stay safe. Deal only with licensed organisations and real employers. Never pay an unlicensed broker. Be careful with anyone who asks for money upfront to secure a job or a visa.

For visa options, read the official New Zealand work visa page. Take one step at a time. Choose your industry, then your region, then prepare your papers.

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