More than a one-third of Kiwi employers are relying on talent from overseas to fill key vacancies as they grapple with skills shortages.
The findings are contained in ManPower Group New Zealand's Borderless Workforce research released this week.
Foreign talent was seen as most important by employers seeking to fill vacancies in areas including engineering, manual trade and for those recruiting technicians, ManPower said.
Other key findings from the survey were:
*43 per cent of employers were concerned about the impact of employees leaving New Zealand might have on the labour market.