Work And Income

What Work And Income does

Work and Income is a service brand of the New Zealand Ministry of Social Development (MSD), operating as a free government employment services platform. It serves two primary user segments: job seekers across New Zealand — including those transitioning from welfare benefits into work — and employers seeking to fill vacancies. The platform combines an online job portal with nationwide physical service centers, dedicated phone support, and personalized case manager assistance. Core offerings span job search, CV creation, automated job matching, online applications, and employer vacancy listing, all delivered free of charge.

The core technology is an integrated online portal built around four functional pillars: a Job Search Portal that browses across ten industry categories (Building & Trades through Transport/Logistics & Warehousing); a Jobseeker Profile system that doubles as a CV generator; a Job Matching Service that surfaces relevant roles on a personalized 'My Jobs' dashboard; and an Online Job Application System supporting web, phone, case manager, and in-person application channels. The platform is delivered through the MyMSD portal alongside other MSD services including benefit payments. No mobile app, no public API or SDK, and no proprietary AI/ML models are disclosed; service differentiation is framed around ease of use and integration with welfare systems rather than algorithmic sophistication. Digital inclusion is supported through the 'Cheap as' data program, partnerships with Spark NZ, Skinny, 2degrees, and OneNZ that cover mobile data costs for eligible clients.

The business model is non-commercial: Work and Income is a free public service funded by the New Zealand Government through the Ministry of Social Development. No fees are charged to job seekers or employers, no revenue is disclosed, and there are no funding rounds. Distribution is omnichannel — self-serve online (24/7), physical service centers, telephone support (0800 779 009 for clients, 0800 778 008 for employers, Monday–Friday 8am–6pm), and field-based case manager support. The company is headquartered in Hamilton, NZ, employs approximately 135 people, and operates exclusively within New Zealand.

Name

Work And Income

Legal name

Ministry of Social Development

Website

https://jobs-during-covid.workandincome.govt.nz

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Work and Income is a New Zealand Ministry of Social Development brand providing free online job search, automated job matching, CV creation, and application tools for job seekers and employers via an integrated web portal, service centers, phone support, and case managers nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Employment Services

NAICS

Administration of Human Resource Programs (923), Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Administration of Human Resource Programs (except Education, Public Health, and Veterans' Affairs Programs) (92313)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Unemployment Insurance & Employment Support Benefits (BPAIAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Workforce Development & Inclusive Employment (Job Training, Placement) (BPAGALAB), Workforce & Job-Seeker Services (Community-Based) (EDAAAFAM)

Keywords

• Public employment services
• Government job portal
• Job matching platform
• Welfare employment support
• Social development services

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Work and Income is a free, government-run employment services platform operated by the New Zealand Ministry of Social Development. It provides job seekers with profile creation, automated job matching, CV generation, and online job applications across 10 industry categories, alongside in-person and phone support. For employers, it offers vacancy listing, candidate sourcing, recruitment support, and employee retention assistance, all delivered at no cost through an online portal, service centres, and case managers.

Product overview

Work and Income operates as a unified job search and employment services platform under New Zealand's Ministry of Social Development. The core offering consists of an integrated job portal combining job search, job matching, CV creation via Jobseeker profiles, and online application capabilities. The platform serves both job seekers (browsing 10 industry categories) and employers (vacancy listing and recruitment support). Key products include the Job Search Portal, Jobseeker Profile system, Job Matching Service, Online Job Application System, Employer Vacancy Listing Service, Help Centre resources, and the MyMSD portal which provides access to broader social development services. The platform enables end-to-end job seeking from profile creation through to employment placement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Spark New ZealandminorOthersTelecommunications partner for the 'Cheap as' data program, which helps cover data costs for eligible job seekers to access Work and Income online services. Part of government digital inclusion initiatives.
• SkinnyminorOthersMobile telecommunications partner for the 'Cheap as' data program, providing discounted data access for eligible Work and Income clients to enable online job search and applications.
• 2degreesminorOthersTelecommunications partner participating in the 'Cheap as' data program, helping reduce digital access barriers for job seekers by covering mobile data costs.
• OneNZminorOthersTelecommunications partner joining the 'Cheap as' data program from 27 July, expanding coverage for data cost assistance to more eligible job seekers on mobile networks.

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Indeed: Global job search engine with significant NZ presence; competes for both job seeker traffic and employer job postings across all categories Work and Income covers.
• Seek: Leading private employment marketplace in Australia and New Zealand; directly comparable as a two-sided job platform serving NZ job seekers and employers, though operating as a commercial business rather than a public service.
• Jobcentre Plus: UK government employment service providing job search, benefits, and employer matching; highly comparable as a public-sector counterpart operating a multi-channel employment platform with benefit integration.
• LinkedIn: Global professional network with job search functionality; increasingly used by NZ job seekers and employers for higher-skilled roles that may otherwise be listed on Work and Income.

Direct peers

• Trade Me Jobs: New Zealand's largest domestic job board, embedded in the broader Trade Me marketplace; competes head-on with Work and Income for employer listings and job-seeker traffic in NZ.
• Employment New Zealand: A sibling NZ government service under MBIE that provides employment rights, obligations, and workplace relations information; directly linked from Work and Income's portal and overlapping in employment-support scope.
• Careers NZ: NZ government-run careers guidance and job information service; an adjacent public-sector platform for job seekers that overlaps with Work and Income's employment-support mandate.
• Workforce Australia: Australian government employment service providing job search, matching, and employment support; structural equivalent to Work and Income in a neighbouring jurisdiction with similar benefit-integrated model.

Emerging players

• Hays: Global recruitment agency with a significant NZ presence; competes for employer hiring needs and skilled job seekers though via a commercial recruitment model rather than a public platform.

Others

• StudyLink: Sister NZ government agency under MSD providing student support and allowances; provides a referral pathway for student job seekers into Work and Income's employment services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MSDNewZealand
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/work-and-income

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Work And Income