Malaysian plumbers and gasfitters: why New Zealand's trade gap could be your opening

News · 2026-08-31 · 3 min read

If you are a plumber, gasfitter or drainlayer and you have been thinking about kerja luar negara, New Zealand's trades sector deserves a close look. The country is short of people in these trades, and the shortage is unlikely to ease on its own.

How big is the gap?

Forecasters estimate that New Zealand will need to fill roughly 1,450 plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying roles over the coming year. Several things are pulling on that number at once: an ageing workforce, a wave of young tradespeople leaving for Australia, and a construction sector that is starting to pick up again.

Why local training is not closing it

Training is the slow part. Fewer than one in five plumbing businesses currently take on apprentices, and across construction as a whole the figure can drop to 10-15 percent. Apprentice numbers fell sharply again this year, after a steep fall the year before. Smaller firms found it hard to carry trainees through their unproductive early months while margins were tight.

An apprenticeship can take five years before a business sees a proper return. That is why it is one of the first things cut when work slows down, and one of the last to come back.

Where the tradespeople are going

Many newly certified plumbers are heading across the Tasman. Wages in Australia can nearly double what they earned at home, and a jump from around NZ$30 an hour to AU$55 is not unusual. Some recent trade cohorts suggest close to half of a graduating class may move to Australia soon after qualifying.

For a young tradesperson, that choice is easy to understand. For New Zealand employers it leaves a hole, and it makes them more willing to look beyond the local talent pool.

An older workforce

The average certifying plumber, gasfitter or drainlayer in New Zealand is now 49 years old. Industry figures suggest around 1,000 tradespeople on the tools are already past 65. These trades keep drinking water safe, sanitation working and gas supply reliable, so the stakes are bigger than building timelines.

Women make up under one percent of the licensed workforce, even though many say they struggle to get an interview. That shows how narrow the current supply of workers is.

What this means for Malaysian tradespeople

This is a market with steady demand and employers who want experienced hands. Here are practical steps to take now:

Gather your trade certificates, including any Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia (SKM). Trade qualifications from Malaysia are usually assessed again overseas, so find out what recognition your own trade would need before you apply.
Ask for certified copies of your documents, with English translations of anything written in Bahasa Malaysia.
Check whether the employer or visa asks for an IELTS or PTE result. Many Malaysians use English every day, but a test may still be required.
If a police certificate is requested, apply to the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) for a Certificate of Good Conduct. You can find general information at the PDRM website.
Keep a clear record of your site experience, the work you have done and the tools and systems you have used.

Look at visa options on the official Immigration New Zealand work pages and check each employer's conditions before you commit to anything.

The short version

New Zealand is struggling to replace the plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers it is losing to retirement and to Australia. If you hold the right experience, this gap may be an opening for you. Prepare your papers early, ask the right questions and take it one step at a time.

#plumbing #gasfitting #drainlaying #new zealand #malaysian tradespeople #skilled migration