Earn money and get some overseas work experience while you travel in New Zealand with a Working Holiday Visa.
If you like the idea of earning a bit of cash while you see the sights around New Zealand, then a Working Holiday Visa could be right for you. If you meet certain criteria, you can travel here on a New Zealand Working Holiday Visa, which is longer than a Visitor Visa and lets you work while you holiday.
Popular jobs include hospitality, tourism, working in an orchard or vineyard, or farm work.
A Working Holiday Visa is a great way to see New Zealand, meet locals and really experience the Kiwi way of life.
New Zealand has agreements with many countries around the world that allow young people to visit here and work while they travel. A Working Holiday Visa(opens in new window) is valid for much longer than a Visitor Visa and also allows for study.
Eligibility for a Working Holiday Visa varies depending on where you are from. Generally, it is open to people aged 18-30 years old (but up to 35 years old from some countries) and is valid for up to 12 months (or up to 3 years if you are from the UK and 23 months if you are from Canada).
Check the eligibility criteria for your country to find out if you can apply.
Travelling in New Zealand on a Working Holiday Visa is a wonderful way to meet locals and experience a side of life here that many visitors never see. You can work in any job, as long as it is not a permanent role.
There is huge year-round demand for hospitality workers in New Zealand, as well as in tourism, particularly in larger cities like Auckland and Wellington, and visitor hotspots like Queenstown.
If you enjoy the outdoors, then seasonal fruit picking is a great option. Try orchard work in the Bay of Plenty (home to our famous kiwifruit) and Hawke’s Bay, apple picking in Nelson, or helping with the harvest (Feb/March) in one of the many vineyards around New Zealand – our biggest wine regions are Hawke’s Bay in the North Island, and Marlborough and Central Otago in the South Island.
In winter, you could work in the snow during ski season in the central North Island or hop down to Queenstown or Wanaka.
Once you have applied for your New Zealand Working Holiday Visa you can start planning your time here. Find out more about what you need to be able to work in New Zealand and start looking for seasonal work, jobs in hospitality and tourism, and fruit picking jobs.
There is also useful information about living in New Zealand and advice on backpacking.