New Zealand Working Holiday

New Zealand is one of the most beautiful countries in the world (my bias aside, it really is). It’s one of the few places where you can go skiing in the morning and drive to the beach in fifty minutes, though it might not be really warm enough for a good dip in the ocean! The people are friendly and laid back, the air is fresh and the grass is really green. It’s pretty far away from anywhere else (at least three hours by plane to Australia) which means it’s been geographically isolated, allowing natural flora and fauna to flourish. Often thought of as the adventure capital of the world, there are a handful of extreme activities to keep you entertained from bungy jumping off the Auckland Harbor Bridge to White Water Rafting in Queenstown. Many travelers to New Zealand love the lifestyle and want to stay longer, so the New Zealand Working Holiday is the perfect solution.

Applying For A New Zealand Working Holiday Visa

The New Zealand Working Holiday Visa is open to citizens from the following countries:

Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore,
Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, Uruguay, USA

To apply for this visa you must be between 18-30 years old with the intention to travel New Zealand and to take up incidental work in order to fund your trip. In other words, the main purpose of your trip to New Zealand must not be to work, it should be secondary to travel. You must apply for and receive the visa outside of New Zealand (unless you have a valid temporary permit).

The New Zealand Working Holiday Visa entitles you to:

– Stay in New Zealand for twelve months from the first entry into the country
– Re enter New Zealand as many times within the twelve months as  you like
– Work so long as you are not taking up permanent employment
– Participate in study for up to three months

What Kind Of Work Is Available In New Zealand? 

Depending on where you go in New Zealand, the job market will vary slightly. New Zealand has been moderately affected by the recession as well as the recent Christchurch earthquakes. Seasonal work is very popular with people on the Working Holiday Visa, for example fruit picking and working in the ski lifts right across the country. As Christchurch city enters rebuild phase there will be more and more contract construction work available. Bar and restaurant work is available too, with retail positions readily available during the Christmas and summer months. Administration and office work is available for short contracts and would be best sought through a recruitment agency. For more information on the types of jobs available in New Zealand check out NZ’s most popular job sites Seek or Trade Me Jobs.

Pay is considerably less in New Zealand when compared to Australia, but that is negated by the cheaper living costs and more relaxed lifestyle. If you are hoping to save a lot of money, it might be best to follow what many of my New Zealand based friends have done and consider the move to Australia – more information about the Australian Working Holiday Visa here.

Popular New Zealand Gap Year Destinations:

Auckland – The city of Sails is New Zealand’s biggest city, sprawling around a beautiful harbor. It’s very much a multicultural city with large Maori, Polynesian and Asian populations. It’s the perfect base for exploring the rest of the North Island. This is the place to be if you want a lively nightlife, a selection of gorgeous beaches and warm summers with mild winters.

Wellington – New Zealand’s Melbourne; the artsy, cultured city. Much more laid back than Auckland, it houses more of an alternative scene. It’s located in the centre of New Zealand, at the bottom of the North Island and only a short ferry ride away from the South Island – making it an excellent location from which to explore the entire country. Living costs are a considerable step down from Auckland making it a very appealing alternative.

Christchurch – My home town! It was a gorgeous, friendly, vibrant city – affectionately dubbed The Garden City – a testament to all the beautiful gardens and grounds. However, post earthquake Christchurch is really in recovery mode. The city is still suffering numerous aftershocks and is really a shell of it’s former self. Soon it will be entering the growth stage, a lot of businesses and houses will be rebuilt which will call for a demand in laborers – which could open up some excellent employment opportunities for travelers. At present there is a shortage of both jobs and housing, so Christchurch might no longer be your best pick.

Queenstown – Undoubtedly one of the most breathtaking areas of New Zealand, this is a tourist hot spot in both summer and winter. The proximately to a number of great ski fields makes it an awesome place to come and work during the winter. In summer Queenstown comes alive again with lots of summer activities and extreme sports. At any time of the year it is possible to find  restaurant, cafe and bar work here. It’s a smaller town, but provides for an incredible work/life balance.

Ski Fields – If you’re interested in working on a ski field in New Zealand there are a number of popular fields that require seasonal staff. There are numerous jobs available on the ski field including Snowboard/ski instructor, in the sales shops or in the cafes or restaurants on site. Often a season pass can be negotiated into the deal and this is the perfect job for those ski bunnies who want to make the most of a season at the mountain. Winter in New Zealand usually starts around June and can carry through right until October. Applications for positions open a few months before the season does and usually you can apply directly through the company’s site.

The most popular ski fields are: Mt Hutt, Treble Cone, The Remarkables, Cadrona, Coronet Peak (all South Island) and Mount Ruapehu (North Island) .

What to pack for Travel?

Make sure to bring clothes that will fit the weather changes in New Zealand. Bring clothes that you can use for your Job, also clothes that you can use for your days off, may it be for skiing, enjoying the beach of even for nights out.