No, a NZ-based reference is not legally required, though some employers prefer one. Overseas managers, colleagues, tutors, or volunteer coordinators are all acceptable referees. If you have no work history yet, a coach, community leader, or teacher can vouch for your reliability and character instead.
Will employers actually accept an overseas referee?
Most NZ employers are used to hiring migrants and understand that your most relevant reference might be sitting in another country. What matters to them is that the person can speak honestly about your work ethic, reliability and skills, not which country they are calling from. A short note on your CV explaining the time difference or best contact window helps a lot.
What if I have never had a paid job at all?
This is common for school leavers, career changers and newcomers alike, and it is not a dead end. A sports coach, church or community leader, tutor, or volunteer coordinator can all speak to your character, punctuality and attitude, which is often exactly what an entry-level employer wants to hear about anyway.
If you genuinely have no one who fits any of those categories yet, look at building one quickly through short-term volunteering, a community group or even a course tutor who has seen you show up consistently over a few weeks.
How should I list overseas or informal referees on my CV?
Be upfront rather than vague. List the person's name, their relationship to you, a contact method that works across time zones, and a one-line note on why they are relevant if it is not obvious from their title.
- Name and job title or role (manager, tutor, coach, volunteer coordinator)
- Company or organisation, plus country if overseas
- Best contact method (email usually works better than phone across time zones)
- Your relationship and how long you were connected
- A short note if the connection is not obvious (for example, "volunteer supervisor, ran the food bank roster")
Key takeaways
- There is no legal requirement for a NZ reference, overseas referees are genuinely fine.
- Employers care about relevance and honesty from a referee, not their location.
- No work history yet is not a barrier, coaches, tutors and community leaders can vouch for you.
- List overseas referees clearly with contact method and a short note on relevance.
- Our Newcomers Toolkit has more on getting your overseas experience taken seriously in NZ.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a family member as a reference?
Most employers prefer referees are not family members, since they are seen as biased. Stick to former managers, tutors, coaches or community contacts instead.
What if my overseas referee does not speak much English?
Mention this upfront and offer to help translate or facilitate the call if needed. Most employers appreciate the heads up rather than being caught off guard.
How many references does a NZ employer usually want?
This varies by employer and role, so check the job ad for specifics. Two referees is a common starting point if none is stated.
Do I need references for entry-level roles too?
Often yes, though the bar is different. For entry-level roles employers are usually checking for reliability and character rather than deep professional history.
If you are new to NZ and building your first local CV, our Newcomers Toolkit has guidance built for exactly this situation.