The New Zealand Working Holiday Visa presents a unique opportunity to connect with locals and explore a side of the country that may be missed by other visitors. Other than working, the New Zealand Working Holiday Visa scheme allows you to also study in New Zealand for up to six months.
You qualify as eligible to be part of the Working Holiday Program if you are 18 – 30/35. Most jobs don’t require any previous experience, so you can work any job as long as it is legal. Regardless of the type of work you undertake, a Working Holiday Visa in New Zealand offers a unique opportunity to appreciate the country and its people, creating a memorable experience that may not be replicated elsewhere.
What Countries Can Go to New Zealand With a Working Holiday Visa Schemes?
Eligible applicants from the following countries can travel to New Zealand as part of the New Zealand Working Holiday Program:
| Argentina | Austria | Belgium |
| Brazil | Canada | Chile |
| China | Croatia | Czech |
| Denmark | Estonia | Finland |
| France | Germany | Hong Kong |
| Hungary | Ireland | Israel |
| Italy | Japan | Korea |
| Latvia | Lithuania | Luxembourg |
| Malaysia | Malta | Mexico |
| Netherlands | Norway | Peru |
| Philippines | Poland | Portugal |
| Singapore | Slovakia | Slovenia |
| Spain | Sweden | Taiwan |
| Thailand | Turkey | United Kingdom |
| USA | Uruguay | Vietnam |
What Are the Eligibility Criteria for New Zealand Working Holiday Visa?
If you are from one of the eligible countries, you must meet the following criteria to be eligible for a New Zealand Working Holiday visa:
- You must have good health.
- You must have good character.
- You must have a genuine commitment to comply with the terms of your visa.
- You must be aged 18 – 30 (18 – 35 in Argentina, Canada, Chile, Czech, Finland, Hungary, Slovakia, and Uruguay).
- You must have a ticket to leave New Zealand.
- You must have sufficient funds to cover your stay in New Zealand.
- You must not have previously been approved for a New Zealand Working Holiday visa.
- You must have full medical coverage for the entire duration of your stay.
What Are the Required Documents for New Zealand Working Holiday Program?
You must prepare the listed documents to apply for a New Zealand Working Holiday Scheme:
- Your passport
- Evidence of good health
- Evidence of good character
- A ticket to leave New Zealand
- Sufficient funds
- Medical insurance
Your Passport
To be eligible for a New Zealand Working Holiday Visa, you need to hold a current and valid passport issued by your country of citizenship. When you first enter New Zealand, immigration officials will check your passport, so it’s important to make sure it’s up-to-date and valid for at least 15 months beyond your arrival date. When you complete the online visa application, you’ll need to provide your passport details.
Evidence of Good Health
You may be required to provide an x-ray or medical examination to prove your good health. Immigration New Zealand will notify you via email if you need to provide medical documents. Below you can find whether you need an x-ray or medical examination for some specific countries:
| Country | Applying from inside New Zealand | Applying from outside New Zealand |
| United Kingdom | – | Yes |
| Canada | – | Yes |
| Malaysia | No | No |
| Austria | Yes (if you’ve been in New Zealand for more than six months) | No |
| Singapore | Yes (if you’ve been in New Zealand for more than six months) | – |
Evidence of Good Character
After you complete your online application, you may be required by Immigration New Zealand to submit a police certificate. You must provide information about your character when you apply online.
A Ticket to Leave New Zealand
You must have either a returning ticket to leave New Zealand or the financial means to purchase one. As proof, you can submit:
- Your travel ticket
- Proof you have sufficient financial means to buy a ticket out of New Zealand
Sufficient Funds
You must prove you have a minimum of NZ $4,200 for your stay by providing:
- bank statements
- credit card statements
- bank drafts
- travelers’ cheques
Medical Insurance
As a requirement for the New Zealand Working Holiday Visa, you must have comprehensive medical insurance for your entire stay in New Zealand. This insurance should cover hospitalization, and you will need to provide evidence of this coverage as part of your application:
- a copy of your insurance certificate
- an approval letter from your insurance company
How to Apply Online for a New Zealand Working Holiday Visa?
You must apply online for an NZ Working Holiday visa. If you are from Canada or the UK, you can apply for either a 12-month or 23-month working holiday visa. To apply online, you must follow the steps below:
- Complete an online application. To apply for a Working Holiday Visa, you must complete the online application available on the official website of the specific country of which you are a citizen. For example, if you are a Norwegian citizen, you must apply through the Norway Working Holiday Visa website. You need to create a RealMe account to begin the application process.
- Upload the required documents. You must upload the documents needed for a New Zealand Working Holiday visa. When submitting your application, it is important to ensure that all supporting documents are uploaded in PDF format and comply with the maximum file size limit specified by the application system.
- Pay the application fee. During the online application process for the New Zealand Working Holiday Visa, you are required to pay the application fee using a credit or debit card (Visa, MasterCard, or UnionPay) and enter the payment details. After payment has been successfully processed, you will receive a confirmation email that serves as proof of payment. It’s important to retain a copy of this confirmation email or receipt for your records.
- Submit the online application. Immigration New Zealand will issue you an Interim visa if you are in New Zealand and your current visa expires. With the Interim visa, you can stay legally in New Zealand until your New Zealand Working Holiday visa is approved. Upon approval of your visa application, you will receive an email notification indicating a change in status. You may then log in to Online Services to check the updated status of your application. Once approved, an eVisa will be granted to you.
Note: If you enter New Zealand with a 12-month UK Working Holiday Visa, it may be possible to apply for an extension to the maximum allowable 23-month period if you meet the eligibility requirements:
- You currently hold a valid NZ Working Holiday visa
- You have enough money to support yourself
- You provide a medical certificate and chest x-ray if you didn’t submit them when you applied for your first Working Holiday Scheme visa
- You provide a completed Second Work Visa Application Form, immigration fee, and immigration levy
What Are the Fees for an NZ Working Holiday Visa?
To apply for a New Zealand Working Holiday visa, you will need to pay NZD $455, which includes a NZD $35 immigration levy. This fee is non-refundable in case your visa application is rejected. The payment can be made online using a Visa, MasterCard, or UnionPay credit/debit card.
Note that the New Zealand visa fees vary based on the type of visa you apply for.
How Long Can I Stay in New Zealand With an NZ Working Holiday Program?
You can stay 12 months in New Zealand with an NZ Working Holiday Program. However, if you are from Canada or the United Kingdom, you can stay up to 23 months in New Zealand with this visa.
What Is the Processing Time for a Working Holiday Scheme NZ?
Your New Zealand Working Holiday Program application takes 36 days to process. You will receive a response regarding your visa application during this period.
What Are the Conditions of the New Zealand Working Holiday Program?
When you are granted a New Zealand Working Holiday visa, you must meet the following conditions:
- Upon receiving your New Zealand Working Holiday Visa, you are required to enter the country within 12 months of the date the visa was granted. Once you arrive in New Zealand, you are free to enter and exit the country as often as you like before your visa expires.
- When you arrive in New Zealand, it’s mandatory to apply for entry permission. This can be done by filling out an arrival card that you will be provided with during your trip to New Zealand.
- You must have a minimum of NZ $4,200 to support your stay in New Zealand.
- You must have either a travel ticket to leave New Zealand or sufficient funds to pay for a travel ticket out of New Zealand.
- You must have medical insurance during your stay in New Zealand.
- You are allowed to undertake some form of study or training, provided that the duration does not exceed six months of your stay.
- You can work in any employment you like if:
- you don’t work for more than six months for any one employer
- you don’t work for more than one year
- you don’t get a permanent job
- you do legal work
- you don’t offer commercial sexual services
- engage in running or investing in a business that offers commercial sexual services
- You must leave New Zealand before your visa expires.
Is There a Quota for the New Zealand Working Holiday Visa?
The New Zealand Working Holiday Visa program has a quota system in place. The number of visas available is divided among participating countries, with some countries receiving a higher allocation. The quota for each country is as follows:
| Country | Quota | Country | Quota |
| Argentina | 1000 | Luxembourg | 50 |
| Austria | 100 | Malaysia | 1150 |
| Belgium | Unlimited | Malta | 50 |
| Brazil | 300 | Mexico | 200 |
| Canada | Unlimited | Netherlands | Unlimited |
| Chile | 940 | Norway | Unlimited |
| China | 1000 | Peru | 100 |
| Croatia | 100 | Philippines | 100 |
| Czech | 1200 | Poland | 100 |
| Denmark | Unlimited | Portugal | 50 |
| Estonia | 100 | Singapore | 300 |
| Finland | Unlimited | Slovakia | 100 |
| France | Unlimited | Slovenia | 100 |
| Germany | Unlimited | Spain | 2000 |
| Hungary | 100 | Sweden | Unlimited |
| Hong Kong | 400 | Taiwan | 600 |
| Ireland | Unlimited | Thailand | 100 |
| Israel | 200 | Turkey | 100 |
| Italy | Unlimited | United Kingdom | Unlimited |
| Japan | Unlimited | USA | Unlimited |
| Korea | 3000 | Uruguay | 200 |
| Latvia | 100 | Vietnam | 100 |
| Lithuania | 100 |
Do I Need a Job Offer to Apply for the NZ Working Holiday Program?
It’s not necessary to have a job offer to obtain your Working Holiday NZ visa. You can search for a job after you arrive. It’s also okay if you choose not to work during your stay with the Working Holiday visa as long as you have enough funds to support yourself.
Can I Apply More than Once for an NZ Working Holiday Scheme?
You can’t apply more than once for a Working Holiday NZ visa if you have already been approved once in the past. Even if you did not use it, you are not eligible to apply for another one. However, if you have been approved for working holiday visas in other countries besides New Zealand, you can still apply for a New Zealand Working Holiday visa.
What Is the Required Age to Apply for a Working Holiday NZ Visa?
Applicants from 80% of the countries participating in the New Zealand Working Holiday scheme are required to be between the ages of 18 and 30 to apply. However, citizens of the following countries are eligible to apply for the visa up to the age of 35:
- Argentina
- Canada
- Chile
- Czech
- Finland
- Hungary
- Slovakia
- Uruguay
What Kind of Work Can I Do With a New Zealand Working Holiday Visa?
With a New Zealand Working Holiday visa, you are allowed to work in various jobs, as long as they are not permanent. New Zealand has a strong demand for hospitality workers and positions in the tourism industry, especially in larger urban areas, which may present attractive employment opportunities. Once you are granted a Working Holiday NZ visa, you can do the following work:
- Orchard work
- Vineyard work
- Tourism
- Farmwork
- Hostel work
- Retail work
- Hospitality
- Ski resort work
- Sales
Can I Study With a New Zealand Working Holiday Program?
If you hold a working holiday visa for New Zealand, you have the opportunity to pursue one or more courses of study for a maximum duration of six months. This could include studying English for up to six months, participating in a Study Abroad program for up to six months, or enrolling in a short training course in New Zealand.