Construction Jobs in New Zealand
Recruitment Agencies we recommend
Tradestaff
Tradestaff is New Zealand's leading supplier of temporary and permanent workers to the trade sector. With 12 locations throughout the country Tradestaff has a broad range of work available now – from unskilled to highly specialised.
About the Construction Industry
The construction sector in New Zealand employs around 170,000 people across a range of jobs. Construction and maintenance of infrastructure and buildings is an incredibly important part of the economy and influences productivity in the majority of other sectors. The quality of this work also impacts the welfare of New Zealanders in general, from creating safe housing to safe built environments.
The latest reports on the construction industry in New Zealand show increasing growth across all sectors and sub-sectors. They also stress that the industry is an integral part of a highly complex ecosystem which includes regulators, planning authorities, materials manufacturers and suppliers, property developers and a range of professional service providers.
Demand for Skills in the Construction Sector
Construction is a labour intensive activity and many firms report difficulty in recruiting skilled and experienced labour.
The construction sector covers a wide range of jobs and skill-sets, from tradespeople and labourers through to project managers and engineers. The industry is experiencing an unprecedented increase in workload following earthquake damage in some major centres like Canterbury and Wellington. There is also a massive demand for housing mostly centred in Auckland but generally nation-wide.
The biggest concentration of construction workers and jobs is in Auckland, followed by Canterbury, then Wellington, then the Waikato.
Sub-Sectors of the Construction Sector
Building Construction
-
Residential Building
-
Non-residential Building
Heavy and Civil Engineering
Construction Services
-
Land Development and Site Preparation
-
Building Structure Services
-
Building Installation Services
-
Building Completion Services
-
Other Construction Services
Popular Jobs in Construction
-
Construction Director – Civil Engineering
-
Regional Finance Director – PFI/PPP Contracts
-
Project Manager – Construction Contractor
-
Senior Management Accountant – Special Projects Construction
-
Senior Architectural Designer – Civil Engineering
-
Group Financial Analyst – National Construction Contractor
-
Engineering Manager – Offshore Renewable Developer
-
Project Accountant – Leading Construction Contractor
For Visa Applicants: Roles On the Skills Shortages List
If you are offered a job which appears on the list below, and you have the qualifications and experience to match, getting a work visa will be easier. This is because the government has identified that employers need to recruit people from overseas to help meet demand for your skills.
Because construction tends to be a boom-and-bust industry heavily influenced by business cycles and variables like the weather, the industry often experiences skill shortages and a difficulty in upskilling employees.
In boom times skill gaps tend to be met through immigration. Immigrants skilled in construction may therefore be well considered for visa approval.
-
Building Inspector
-
Building Surveyor
-
Construction Project Manager
-
Surveying or Spatial Science Technician
-
Surveying Technician
-
Project Builder
-
Quantity Surveyor
-
Surveyor
Industry Snapshots
-
170,000 - People employed in the construction sector
-
5th - Largest sector in NZ
-
7.6% - of the workforce employed in construction jobs
-
30% - Increase in employment numbers between 2002-2012
-
44,000 - Number of people employed in building of residential and non-residential buildings
-
$30 billion + - Construction sector’s average annual contribution to the economy
Featured Jobs
There are no Jobs available with your search criteria
Please try with another Job Sector or City
Or Check for spelling mistakes.
Carpenter
City:
Waikato
Job Type:
Temporary
Date:
9 days ago
Carpenter
We’re on the lookout for qualified carpenters to join our team and work across a range of commercial and some residential projects throughout the Waikato region. If you're physically fit, adaptable, and ready to put your skills to use on varied worksites, we want to hear from you.
Location: Waikato-wide – Hamilton, Cambridge, Te Awamutu, Morrinsville & Huntly
Start date: Immediate start available
Pay rate: $30–36 per hour (paid weekly)
Your day-to-day could include:
General carpentry and building work on commercial and residential sites
Formwork, boxing/shuttering, and foundat…..
Clientside Project Manager I Commercial & Residential
City:
Christchurch
Job Type:
Permanent / Full Time
Date:
19/01/2026
Extrastaff are currently working with nationally recognised brands across New Zealand, within the clientside Project Management space. Our clients are determined to create incredible spaces for people to thrive and love taking their employees on their journey of creation as well as getting them to add to it.
About the role:
As the key Project Manager on most projects, your role will include scoping, coordinating, planning, and executing the delivery of a range of projects for clients in a vari
Digger Operator
City:
Christchurch
Job Type:
Permanent / Full Time
Date:
19/01/2026
My client runs an excavation company in Christchurch, speciailising mainly in residential work
They are looking for an experienced digger operator to join their team
You will need to have:
- Experience operating diggers (6 Tonne)
- Class 2 would be a bonus
- WTR
- Knowledge of prep work
- Be able to pass a pre-employment drug test
- Your own transport to get to site each day
- A good work ethic
This role is mainly operating, but there may be times you need to do some labouring as well
Project Manager
City:
Hawkes Bay / Gisborne
Job Type:
Full Time
Date:
29 days ago
Project Manager – Civil Structures
Hawkes Bay
Permanent -Starting January - Market-leading salary
We are partnering with a well-established civil construction contractor to recruit an experienced Project Manager to join their growing Civil Structures team. Based in Hawke Bay, this role will deliver significant infrastructure projects across the Hawke’s Bay and East Coast regions.
With a major bridge project about to commence, this is a rare opportunity to take ownership of complex, high-value civil works in a region known for its lifestyle, natural beauty and tight-knit professional commun…..