Industry stakeholders are reporting an uptick in applications for insurance jobs in Australia from New Zealanders. Recruitment firms say broker roles are the most in-demand positions.
“Yes, we’ve seen an increase in applications from New Zealand professionals, particularly for Brisbane roles,” said Daniel Marsh (pictured), managing director of the insurance specialist recruitment and consulting firm, Blake Oliver.
“While it’s not a major surge, there’s steady movement, with many drawn to Australia’s broader opportunities and higher salaries,” he said.
Marsh estimated that every other role he fills attracts “at least some NZ applicants.”
“Most are early to mid-career professionals with under 10 years of experience, as senior-level moves are less common,” he said.
“Many NZ professionals come from internationally aligned firms with strong training but limited local growth options, making Australia an attractive move,” he said.
Marsh said it’s not very common to see Australians applying for jobs in New Zealand.
“We don’t typically see Australians applying for roles in New Zealand, as the Australian market is larger and generally offers better remuneration and career prospects,” he said.
Nathan Anning is based in Brisbane for another national insurance focused recruiter, Impact Talent AU. He agreed with Marsh when Insurance Business asked if many international candidates were applying for insurance jobs Down Under?
“The biggest trend has been New Zealand citizens moving over to Australia,” said Anning, the firm’s director. “We have definitely seen a lot of that in the last 12 months.”
However, he said these moves from overseas can present some challenges for these candidates.
“The challenge with those moves is that businesses don't recognise the experience or skill level from New Zealand because policies and procedures and everything are different in Australia and also the qualifications are very different as well,” said Anning.
He suggested that those with more experience are likely to have greater success landing jobs in Australia.
“But if you've got a very experienced broker, then businesses here will be open to it,” said Anning. “It's just that they may have to be prepared to maybe take a pay cut to start off with until they are up and running.”
In an interview with IB, the recruiter said Australia’s job market has changed quite dramatically in recent months. Brokers are still in high demand, said Anning, but the bargaining power has shifted from the interview candidates to the firms doing the recruiting.
“The power has shifted now to the businesses that are hiring,” he said. “They're being a lot more selective around people that they're interviewing and therefore who they're actually bringing into their teams.”
He said one year ago, candidates seeking new jobs would be interviewed by five or six firms and be likely to receive offers from all of those firms.
“It's really changed,” he said.
One big reason Australia-based insurance firms welcome applications from New Zealand candidates, said Marsh, is because no sponsorship is required.
According to the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs, a Special Category Visa (SCV) allows New Zealand citizens to live, study and work in Australia. This visa is free and processed automatically on arrival.
Recent reports suggest that high numbers of New Zealanders are currently emigrating to Australia. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), last year, more than 50,000 New Zealanders were granted visas.
In a report in The Economist it was outlined that the weather could be one reason why New Zealanders are crossing the Tasman. The report quoted adverts for healthcare workers citing “Warmer days and higher pays.” Another, from Australian state police, mentioned 300 days of annual sunshine and a a relocation bonus.
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