Working Holiday in New Zealand
Work & Travel in New Zealand: Travel, work, make memories.
The Working Holiday Visa
Work, travel and make memories – all with just one Visa.
On this page, you’ll learn:
- Which nationalities can apply for the visa
- What rights you have with the visa
- What your options are after your Working Holiday
Work and Travel in New Zealand
New Zealand has Working Holiday agreements with a number of countries. The Working Holiday Programme allows people aged between 18 and 30 (in some cases up to 35) to travel and work in New Zealand for an extended period of time. During your Work & Travel stay, you can not only earn money but also gain valuable international work experience. Whether you can apply for a New Zealand Working Holiday Visa depends on your citizenship. New Zealand currently has agreements with several countries.
You can apply for a New Zealand Work & Travel Visa either from outside New Zealand or while already in the country — for example, if you first entered as a tourist with an NZeTA. In most cases, you can only receive a Working Holiday Visa once in your lifetime. Under certain conditions, however, it is possible to extend your Work & Travel Visa by an additional 3 months.
- Working Holiday in New Zealand – General Eligibility Requirements
New Zealand offers a Working Holiday Visa to young travellers from many partner countries, allowing them to live, work and travel in the country for a limited period. The exact conditions vary depending on the applicant’s nationality, but most programs share several core eligibility requirements.
Typical Eligibility Criteria:
- Age requirement: Applicants are usually required to be between 18 and 30 years old (some nationalities may be eligible up to 35).
- First time Working Holiday application: You are applying for a New Zealand Working Holiday Visa for the first time.
- Sufficient funds: You must have enough money to support yourself during the initial part of your stay (required amount varying depending on country of passport)
- Return travel arrangements: You need either a valid return ticket or sufficient funds to purchase one.
- Health insurance: You must hold comprehensive medical and travel insurance for the entire duration of your stay.
- Health and character requirements: Applicants must meet New Zealand’s health and character standards, which may involve providing medical certificates or police clearances.
- Annual quotas (depending on nationality): Some countries have limited places available each year, meaning applications may close once the quota is reached.
- Working Holiday Extension Visa
Extending Your Working Holiday Stay
Regardless of nationality, anyone holding a New Zealand Working Holiday Visa may be able to extend their stay by an additional 3 months by applying for a Working Holiday Extension Visa.
To qualify, you must have completed at least three months of seasonal work in the horticulture or viticulture industries (such as fruit picking, packing, or work in vineyards or horticultural farms) during your initial Working Holiday period. You will need to provide evidence of this employment as part of the application.
The additional three months is always added directly to the original expiry date of your Working Holiday Visa.
- Staying Longer in New Zealand – What Are Your Options After a Working Holiday?
If you enjoy New Zealand so much that you’d like to stay longer than the duration of your Working Holiday Visa, there are several ways to extend your time in the country. Which visa you can apply for after Work & Travel depends on your personal circumstances, as every New Zealand visa has specific requirements that must be met.
For example, if you are interested in further education or studying in New Zealand, a Student Visa may allow you to attend a course, complete a vocational qualification or begin a degree. Depending on the type of course you choose, you may also be allowed to work alongside your studies. In addition, completing a New Zealand qualification can open the door to a Post-Study Work Visa, making it a useful building block for a longer-term visa strategy.
If, on the other hand, you were able to make good contacts with employers in New Zealand during your Working Holiday, this may provide a starting point for a subsequent visa. If you receive a longer-term job offer from a New Zealand employer, you should check whether this may meet the requirements for a multi-year work visa (and later possibly even for a Resident Visa).
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