New Zealand is a great place to live and work for a while. A friendly, laid-back culture, it’s easy to feel right at home after just a few months in the little country. New Zealand is also small and easy to get around, so you can see most of the country in a short amount of time. A popular way to see New Zealand, and one that won’t break your bank, is by applying for a working holiday visa.
What’s a working holiday visa?
A working holiday visa is a short term visa that allows you to live and work in New Zealand until your visa expires. These visas are a great way for travellers to spend more time in New Zealand and also support themselves through the trip. It also encourages travellers to immerse themselves in the local culture and lifestyle. Non-English speakers find it is a great way to develop language skills.
Minimum wage in New Zealand is $12.75/hour, paid in New Zealand dollars. You should be able to live comfortably in New Zealand during your working holiday, but you’re not likely to return home any richer than you were. A working holiday is more about the experience than the income.
Qualifications
New Zealand has working holiday arrangements with many countries (including the US, the UK, Canada and Ireland). Check Immigration New Zealand’s official website to find out if your country has such an arrangement.
Working Holiday visas are only offered to a certain number of applicants from each eligible country. To be considered for a visa, you must fit several guidelines laid out by the programme (every country’s rules are slightly different). Most programmes require applicants to be between the ages of 18 and 30, not bring any children with them and demonstrate that they have a certain amount of money in the bank.
Work Opportunities
Because working holidays are common, New Zealand has developed a supply of jobs to support these temporary workers. Many available jobs are in the agricultural and horticultural sectors. Depending on the time of year, there will be different types of jobs available: check online to see what regions and sectors are hiring.
Alternatively, many tourist hotspots like Kaikoura or Queenstown will have service industry jobs available for people on working holidays. Temporary jobs in hotels, hostels, restaurants and bars are often available, though it helps to have service industry experience on your resume.
Tips
To get the most out of your working holiday, here a few useful tips:
-Buy a car. It should only cost a few thousand dollars to buy a used car you can drive around the country, Even if you plan on staying a an urban area with good public transportation, you’ll appreciate the freedom to roam afforded by owning a car.
-Bring more than the minimum amount of money required. You might not need it, but an extra thousand dollars in the bank account may give you peace of mind in case you have trouble finding work for a month.
-Be flexible. You might have to take a few jobs that aren’t exactly what you dreamed of doing with your time. Try to get the most out of your experience by being open and flexible to new opportunities.
Author bio: This article was written by Whitney Cox, a Christchurch-based travel blogger. She writes regularly about New Zealand sightseeing. Image by ►CubaGallery
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I had a working holiday in London a couple of years ago, it would be great to do it again in New Zeland!