New Zealand CV Format (2026): NZ CV Layout, Rules and Example

Keep it to your name, phone number, email address and where you're based (city or region is enough). Tahatū suggests a professional email address that ideally includes your name, and an optional link to LinkedIn or a professional website.

What to leave out, and why

The Human Rights Act 1993 makes it unlawful to discriminate in employment, including recruitment, on prohibited grounds: sex, marital status, religious belief, ethical belief, colour, race, ethnic or national origins, disability, age, political opinion, employment status, family status and sexual orientation. Employment New Zealand's hiring guidance reminds employers not to discriminate on grounds such as sex, marital or family status, age and religious or ethical belief.

So leave these off:

Leave out	Why
Photo	Reveals several prohibited grounds; Tahatū advises avoiding images
Date of birth or age	Age is a prohibited ground
Marital status, children	Marital and family status are prohibited grounds
Religion, health, disability	Prohibited grounds; discuss support needs later if you choose
IRD number, bank details	Only needed once you're hired; identity-theft risk

NZ privacy law matters too. Employment New Zealand notes that under the Privacy Act 2020 an employer must not collect information about applicants from someone who isn't their nominated referee without consent, which is one more reason to choose your referees carefully.

Tahatū's How to write a CV guide advises keeping your CV to two pages if you can, and not listing every job you've had. NZ employers favor evidence of skills over long duty lists, so the key skills and experience section near the top is common and useful.

Write skill statements that show where and how you used the skill, and what happened:

Weak: Good communication skills.

Strong: Communication: briefed 15 subcontractors at weekly site meetings and wrote the daily site diary used in client progress reports.

Other NZ conventions:

1. Plain, readable layout. Tahatū suggests a plain black font (for example Calibri 11), bullet points, short paragraphs, bold headings and plenty of white space, and avoiding images.
2. Tailoring for every job. Use keywords from the ad, adjust your personal statement and reorder your skills.
3. NZ qualifications named properly: NCEA levels, NZ Certificates and Diplomas, micro-credentials.
4. NZ English and te reo Māori. Use "organise", "colour" and "programme", and spell Māori words with macrons (Māori, whānau, kaupapa). If you speak te reo Māori, list it under languages; it's valued in many public sector, education and health roles.
5. Explain gaps briefly. Tahatū notes that a skills-focused CV can highlight skills gained during breaks for travel, study or caring for children or whānau, with any big gap explained in your cover letter.

For wording by job, browse our resume examples. Switch to NZ spelling and call it a CV.

Most New Zealand jobs are advertised on Seek, Trade Me Jobs and LinkedIn, and on employers' own careers pages. Public service agencies, Health New Zealand and councils usually advertise on their own sites as well as the main job boards. Recruitment agencies are common for professional, IT, construction and temporary roles.

Tahatū points out that many employers use applicant tracking system (ATS) software to scan and rank CVs. To get through it:

• Include keywords from the ad: the job title, industry terms, key skills, and tools or software.
• Keep formatting simple and consistent, with standard headings.
• Avoid text boxes, columns, icons and photos, which some systems can't read.
• Send a PDF unless the employer asks for Word, and include your first and last name and "CV" in the file name ("Sione-Taufa-CV.pdf").

Our guide to making your resume ATS-friendly goes into more detail, and EZProCV's templates are single-column and export text-based PDFs.

Referees

Tahatū recommends at least two referees if the ad asks for them, with one a current or former manager or supervisor if you have work experience. If you're new to work, a teacher, sports coach or community leader who knows you well can be a referee. If referees aren't requested, write "Referees available on request" and have their details ready for the interview stage.

Send a cover letter with every application unless the employer says not to. NZ employers use it to judge your interest in the role and your written communication, and it's the place to explain a move to New Zealand, a career change or a gap. Tahatū has a separate guide on how to write a cover letter.

Keep it to one page:

1. Name the role and where you saw it.
2. Give two or three examples that match the ad's key requirements.
3. Say why this organization appeals to you.
4. Close with your availability and, if relevant, your visa status.

"Kia ora [name]" is a widely used, friendly greeting in New Zealand workplaces; "Dear [name]" is also fine. Sign off with "Ngā mihi" or "Kind regards".

Opening that works: Kia ora Hemi, I'm applying for the Assistant Project Manager role advertised on Seek. For the past five years I've coordinated residential builds across Auckland, most recently a 42-unit terrace housing project delivered two weeks early.

For more structure, read how to write a cover letter that gets read or pick a cover letter template.

Employment New Zealand says employers must check that a job applicant has the legal right to work in New Zealand before employing them. A clear line about your status saves the recruiter a step.

What to write:

• NZ citizen or resident, or Australian citizen: you don't need to say anything, though "NZ resident" can help if your history is mostly overseas. Australian citizens can generally live and work in New Zealand.
• Visa holder: name the visa and its end date, for example "Open work visa (partner), valid to June 2028" or "Post-study work visa, valid to February 2028".
• Need a work visa: many employer-based visas, such as the Accredited Employer Work Visa, require a job offer from an employer accredited by Immigration New Zealand. Say in your cover letter that you'd need one.
• Overseas qualifications and registration: explain them briefly, and note progress with any NZ registration body your occupation requires.
• Remove international extras: photo, date of birth, nationality and passport details.

Visa categories and requirements change. As of October 2026, check Immigration New Zealand before applying. This page is general guidance, not immigration advice.