Automotive Candidates
If you are seeking Employer Support fill out a Free Preliminary Evaluation to apply. We will review your application and provide confirmation within 2 business days.
Submit a Free Preliminary Evaluation to apply
What to know before you register
Before you go any further, this is not a job application.
We are not offering you a job today. What we are offering is the opportunity to start a structured process that may lead to a job with a New Zealand employer.
Most people who complete our questionnaire do not progress past this initial stage, and not everyone on our database receives a job offer. We are upfront about this so you can decide early whether the process is right for you.
Please read the rest of this page carefully. It is designed to help you decide whether this opportunity is suitable for you, and whether you are in a position to commit to the process.
We are currently recruiting mechanics, diesel technicians, and panel beaters for New Zealand employers. If your trade is not listed here, we are not able to consider you at this time.
Overseas Candidate Recruitment Process
For candidates located overseas or who are in New Zealand and looking for Employer Support to maintain their Visa, our typical recruitment process is:
- 1
Questionnaire
Complete the questionnaire honestly. We will then provide you with a high-level indication of whether you meet the type of profiles we are currently looking for.
2
Consultation
If you progress past Stage 1, we will arrange a 20-to-30-minute Zoom consultation to better understand your background, qualifications, family situation (if relevant), and your own migration goal. We will also provide you with a preliminary immigration assessment, including whether a residency pathway may be available.
3
Becoming visa ready
If you progress past Stage 2, we will request a Police Clearance Certificate and provide you with a list of supporting documents required for the work visa application. Once you confirm you are able to obtain these and we have received your police clearance, we will mark your profile as “visa-ready” and begin presenting you to employers in our network.
4
Job offer and visa application
If an employer decides to hire you, you will not pay any visa application fees, as these are covered by the employer. We then submit the work visa application on your behalf. Once approved, you travel to New Zealand and begin your new role.
Who we are
Linked Recruitment is a partner of IMMagine Immigration - an immigration agency that has been helping people move to New Zealand and Australia for over 35 years, including a long history of working with South African migrants. We have offices in Auckland and Melbourne, and since 1990 we have helped more than 30,000 people settle in either country.
All of our advisers are individually licensed by the Immigration Advisers Authority, and you can verify that at this link. We are not a fly-by-night agency. We have been doing this longer than most of our competitors have existed.
South Africa is not a new market for us. Several members of our team are South African, and the rest have spent enough time in the country to understand the culture, the people, and what actually motivates someone to make the move.
We know how this decision feels because many of us have made it ourselves.
What we are offering you
We represent New Zealand employers who are actively seeking skilled workers. What we are offering you is the opportunity to begin a structured process that may lead to employment in New Zealand, by working with us to get you to the point of being able to join our database of “visa ready” migrants who are in a position to move to New Zealand.
Visa ready means you have been assessed by a licensed immigration adviser, any qualifications you may have are checked, your police clearance is clean, and you have the documents needed to apply for a New Zealand work visa. In short, when an employer says yes, we can move immediately to get you working in New Zealand.
Importantly, there is no cost to be assessed and become visa ready through our system.
Once you are visa ready, with all your documents in place and ready to travel, we may then introduce suitable candidates to employers within our network. The employers decide who they want to interview. If an employer decides to hire you, we then work with you and the employer to get the visa side sorted so you can travel and take up the job.
The big advantage of doing it this way is that you do not move to New Zealand hoping a job will turn up. The job is lined up before you go. Depending on your qualifications or work experience and circumstances, this can also put you on a pathway towards gaining New Zealand residency after working for two years, which we will go through with you in detail.
What we expect from you
We expect you to be honest with us at all times about your work history, qualifications, character, and health. All information provided will be verified, as we represent candidates directly to employers who rely on the integrity of the information provided.
If anything provided is found to be inaccurate or misleading, you will be removed from our database immediately. We will not proceed with candidates where we cannot rely on the information provided.
You must also be realistic about the process. Being included in our database does not guarantee a job offer, and progression depends on both your suitability and employer demand.
Minimum requirements for role eligibility
To be considered for our employer network, you will need to meet at least one of the following:
A Level 4 trade qualification, diploma, craft certificate, or equivalent technical qualification; or
At least 5 years of recent, verifiable work experience in a relevant skilled occupation
Candidates without a formal qualification and with fewer than 5 years of experience will not be progressed past Stage 1.
You must also have strong written and spoken English communication skills sufficient for workplace use in New Zealand.
For candidates seeking a pathway to residency, you will need to be under 53 years of age. Age is not a requirement for temporary work opportunities.
You should also be able to reasonably relocate to New Zealand within approximately 8 weeks of receiving and accepting a job offer. Candidates who cannot meet this timeframe will not typically be progressed to employer presentation at this stage.
What our employers are looking for
Beyond formal requirements, our employers value practical, job-ready candidates with:
Broad technical capability across multiple makes and models, rather than narrow brand-specific experience
Strong problem-solving ability and a “can-do” attitude
High integrity and honesty in all representations of skills and experience
The ability to work independently and set up effectively in a New Zealand work environment, including the ability to obtain and maintain their own tools
Adaptability to different workshop systems, tools, and workflows
What you should budget for
These are the costs you will personally be responsible for. Some you will pay before joining the database, some only if you receive a job offer, and some on arrival in New Zealand. The figures below are estimates intended to help you plan.
| Cost | Approximate Amount | When |
|---|---|---|
| Police clearance certificate (SA) | NZ$20 to $25 | Before joining database |
| Medical examination | NZ$350 | After job offer |
| One-way flight per adult (economy) | NZ$1,500 to $2,000 | After visa approval |
| First month's accommodation | NZ$2,000 to $4,000 | On arrival |
| Vehicle | NZ$1,500 to $15,000 | On arrival |
| Rental bond and advance | NZ$4,000 to $7,000 | Securing permanent rental |
| First month's living expenses | NZ$1,500 to $2,500 | On arrival |
| Approved English Language test | NZ$420 - NZ$620 per test | After job offer |
| Potential Expenses | ||
| Family visa application fees | NZ$430 to $1,630 per dependant. We will cover this in your consultation. | After you have started working |
| Recommended emergency buffer | NZ$3,000 to $5,000 | Savings to have available |
| Container shipping (optional) | NZ$10,000 to $15,000 | If shipping belongings |
Total realistic relocation budget for a single person:
NZ$11,000 to $22,000.
Total realistic relocation budget for a family of four:
NZ$18,000 to $40,000.
These numbers are not what we charge you. These are what moving to New Zealand actually costs. We share them up front so you can plan honestly.
See our Available Candidates
Diesel Mechanic
1 candidate
available
Mechanic
3 candidate
s
available
Panel Beater
1 candidate
available
What happens next
If you've read this far and you're still serious about the move, please complete our questionnaire.
We will review what you submit and be in touch if your profile fits what our employers are looking for.