Pacific Work Connect
Pacific Work Connect finished on 30 June 2025. It was a service to help Pacific job-seekers. You can still use its resources for free.
What's on this page?
Talofa Lava, Malo e Lelei, Ni Sa Bula Vinaka, Kia Orana, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Warm Pacific Greetings.
Pacific Work Connect finished on 30 June 2025, but you can still use its resources to help with your job search.
Pacific Work Connect resources
Resources for Pacific job-seekers in Aotearoa New Zealand, including workbooks in English, Samoan and Tongan:
Organisations that can support your move to Aotearoa New Zealand:
What was Pacific Work Connect?
Pacific Work Connect was a free programme available to eligible Pacific people anywhere in New Zealand.
Our Pacific career consultants helped people get ready for work in New Zealand through workshops and one-to-one coaching.
Pacific Work Connect videos
Meet Shala, a Pacific Work Connect consultant who had recently migrated from Samoa – 0.30 seconds
When I first arrived I already graduated and I had a little over five years of work experience. I applied to a lot of roles here and I never got shortlisted. Now that I'm working directly with clients, I can 100% relate to what they're going through. We can help you with your career journey, your CV, your cover letters, just get you prepared for the New Zealand job market.
Meet Lomekina, who completed the Pacific Work Connect programme – 0.30 seconds
Coming here, to New Zealand, is very challenging and finding job is very difficult. I spent nearly two years finding a job with a Bachelor of Business. Pacific Work Connect is really helpful, helping us, preparing their CV, cover letters, helping with the interviews. And it is a free service and then they are successful they get a job, their dream job.
What participants learned in Pacific Work Connect
Pacific Work Connect participants learned about:
- skills and talents
- job opportunities
- how to look and apply for jobs that matched their skills
- how to be confident when talking to employers
- and more.
Who could take part in Pacific Work Connect
To be eligible for Pacific Work Connect, you had to be:
- aged 16–65
- from a Pacific nation
- living in New Zealand.
You also had to hold:
- a Samoan Quota Visa, or
- a Pacific Access Category Visa (PAC) from Fiji, Tuvalu, Tonga or Kiribati, or
- NZ citizenship from the Cook Islands, Tokelau or Niue, or
- a Work Visa and be a partner or adult child (aged 16–24) of a Samoan Quota Visa or Pacific Access Category Visa (PAC) holder, or
- a Skilled Migrant Visa, or
- a Work Visa and be a partner or adult child (aged 16–24) of a Skilled Migrant Visa holder, or
- a Student Visa and be studying at Level 7 or above, and working on a PhD, or in your last six months of study, or
- a Work Visa and be the partner of a student, studying at Level 7 or above, or
- Principal Migrant status and be in postgraduate study after completing a Level 7 qualification in New Zealand, or
- New Zealand residency or citizenship.
Other information
Your privacy
- Find out how we collected and looked after your information when you applied for Pacific Work Connect.
Pacific Work Connect was funded by the Ministry of Social Development
Updated 27 Jun 2025