And that is just the start. Here is the honest picture for NZ recruiters thinking about making the move across the ditch.
If you are a NZ recruiter thinking about moving to Australia, I want to say this to you directly: the timing is better than you think. Yes, the New Zealand market has been tough. Yes, your billing numbers are probably down. But here is the thing, the Australian market already knows that, and the right agencies understand it completely.
I’m Andrea Collins at Connecting Recruiters. I have been placing NZ recruiters into agencies across Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane for years, and I have watched so many of them go on to have brilliant careers here. But before we even get to the career side of things, let’s talk about retirement. Because this is the part most people do not think about until they get here, and it is genuinely eye-opening.
The Retirement Difference: Australian Super vs KiwiSaver
This is not a small difference. Research shows that the Australian superannuation system produces a retirement nest egg 1.8 times larger than the New Zealand KiwiSaver equivalent over the course of a working career. That is over $600,000 more in retirement savings.
Here is why. In Australia, your employer is legally required to pay 12% of your salary directly into your superannuation account on top of your wages. That is not 12% taken from your pay. That is 12% paid by your employer in addition to your salary. In New Zealand, the default KiwiSaver employer contribution is 3%. The difference is significant and it compounds every single year you are here.
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A real example: One New Zealand woman who did ten years in Australia built up $90,000 in superannuation without even actively thinking about it. That is the power of 12% compulsory employer contributions working in the background while you are busy building your career. On top of that, KiwiSaver investment earnings are taxed at up to 28%. Australian superannuation earnings are taxed at a flat 15%. Every year you are here, your retirement savings are growing faster and being taxed less. (https://moneysmart.gov.au/how-super-works/tax-and-super) |
You can also transfer your KiwiSaver balance across to an Australian superannuation fund when you move. The transfer is tax-free and consolidates everything into one account growing under the Australian rules. Worth looking into early.
The Billing Numbers Conversation: How to Handle It
This is the question every NZ recruiter dreads. Australian agencies look at your recent billings and wonder why the numbers are lower than they expected. It is the single biggest hurdle you will face in the interview process.
Here is how to handle it. You do not apologise for the numbers. You explain the context. The New Zealand economy has been through a genuine recession and every recruiter across the ditch has felt it. The agencies I work with understand this. They are not looking at your billings in isolation, they are looking at your activity, your resilience, and how you behaved in a tough market.
This is exactly where a good Rec2Rec makes all the difference. I have these conversations with my clients before you ever walk into an interview. Your story is told properly, in context, before the process even begins.
Why the Tough Market Has Actually Made You Better
This is the part most NZ recruiters do not realise until they get here. Surviving a downturn does not make you a weaker candidate. It makes you a sharper one.
- Your business development skills are stronger. When the market slows down, average recruiters wait for the phone to ring. Strong recruiters go and find the work. You have had to hustle, nurture clients through uncertainty, and get creative. That is exactly the kind of energy Australian agencies want.
- Your consultative approach is more refined. When you cannot afford to waste time on the wrong roles or the wrong candidates, you get strategic fast. The quality of your thinking and your client conversations will be ahead of many recruiters who have only ever worked in a buoyant market.
- You know how to look after a client. Keeping clients loyal when the market is slow is genuinely hard. The relationships you have maintained through this period say a lot about who you are as a recruiter.
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The honest truth: The Kiwis I have placed over the years have been some of the best recruiters I have ever worked with. They come across with something to prove and an incredible work ethic. Australian agencies know this. Your background is not a weakness, it is a genuine selling point. |
What to Think About Before You Make the Move
A few practical things worth knowing:
- Stay in your sector. The agencies I work with value deep market knowledge. Coming across as a specialist in the sector you already know gives you far more credibility than trying to start fresh in a new area.
- Report into someone well connected. This is critical. When you are new to the Australian market, the quality of your leader matters enormously. You want to be reporting into someone with strong client relationships who will actively help you build your presence here.
- Choose your city carefully. Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne all have slightly different market conditions right now. I am happy to talk you through which city suits your background and what each market is doing at the moment.
- Understand your visa situation. As a NZ citizen, you have the right to live and work in Australia on arrival. Permanent residency is a separate process but your day one work rights are already in place. A lot simpler than most people think.
- Superannuation is a game changer. In Australia, your employer pays 12% superannuation on top of your base salary. That is money going directly into your retirement savings on top of everything you earn. In New Zealand, KiwiSaver employer contributions currently sit at just 3%, rising to 3.5% in April 2026 and 4% by 2028. The gap between 3% and 12% is significant and for most NZ recruiters making the move, it is one of the biggest financial benefits of coming to Australia that is often underestimated.
- Know your worth on salary. Base salaries and commission structures in Australia are genuinely competitive. The combination of a strong base, uncapped commissions, and 12% super on top makes the total package here very hard to match back home.
How I Help NZ Recruiters Make the Move
Navigating this on your own is hard. Getting the billing numbers conversation wrong in an interview can cost you a role you were genuinely right for. It happens all the time.
When you work with me, I explain your market context to clients before your CV lands on their desk. I only work with agencies who understand the value of international experience and who offer the right salaries, commissions, and culture to set you up for success here.
The Kiwis are coming across in droves right now and it has been genuinely life changing for so many of them. If you are ready to have that conversation, reach out to Andrea Collins at Connecting Recruiters. Let’s talk about what your move could look like.
Andrea Collins – 0408560393
Founder and Director, Connecting Recruiters