130 New Zealand jobs may move to Australia: what Malaysian workers should take from it

News · 2026-09-02 · 3 min read

Most restructuring stories are about cuts. This one is about a border. A large New Zealand supermarket operator has opened consultation on closing its Customer Care Centre and shifting roughly 130 jobs across the Tasman to Australia. If you are weighing up work in New Zealand from Malaysia, the way this plays out is worth understanding.

The proposal in brief

Staff were briefed on September 1 and have until September 15 to respond. Nothing is final yet. The company could still adjust the scope of the closure after hearing feedback.

The numbers behind it

The union representing affected staff says the plan is projected to add around NZ$4.1 million in earnings by FY2029. It points out that this is modest next to the company's NZ$163 million in earnings before interest and tax for the year to June 2026, up 8.8% on the year before, and the more than NZ$400 million spent rebranding its stores.

Who feels it most

A significant share of the Customer Care team are sole parents working remotely, the union says. Remote customer service roles often suit people who juggle caregiving, so losing one means more than a job search. It can mean rebuilding a whole household routine. The wider market does not help either: New Zealand's unemployment rate sits at 5.6%, so displaced staff are not walking into a hungry hiring scene.

The union has also raised a service concern. Support run from Australia could leave New Zealand customers speaking to agents who lack the local knowledge that New Zealand-based staff bring.

What Malaysian job seekers can learn

Roles can move, not just people. Support and back-office work is the easiest to relocate. If that is your background, build skills that tie you to a place or a licence, such as a recognised trade or a regulated profession.
Do not rely on one country. Many workers have long drifted across the Tasman by choice. This case shows the job itself can make that move, and the worker then decides whether to follow, retrain or leave the field.
Keep your paperwork current. Hold certified copies of your certificates, with English translations of anything in Bahasa Malaysia where the visa rules ask for them. If you hold a trade qualification such as SKM, remember it is usually assessed again abroad, and some New Zealand trades, such as electrical and plumbing work, need occupational registration.
Be ready for a police certificate and an English test. A Certificate of Good Conduct comes from the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) when one is requested, and IELTS or PTE is needed only if the visa or employer asks.

For official information on working in New Zealand, start with the New Zealand Immigration work pages.

The bigger picture

Labour mobility now runs in both directions. Companies relocate roles, and people relocate in response. For Malaysians looking at New Zealand and Australia together, the lesson is practical: choose work that stays valuable wherever the employer decides to base its support team, and keep your documents ready so you can move when a real opening appears.

#new zealand #australia #customer service jobs #malaysian workers #job security #remote work