Apply for a working holiday visa

New Zealand has agreements with many countries that allow people aged 18-35 to stay here for a year or more — the main reason should be tourism, with work or study as secondary activities.

Who can apply

Eligibility for a working holiday visa

To apply for a working holiday visa you must:

  • be a citizen of a country with a working holiday visa agreement
  • be aged between 18-30, or 18-35 for select countries
  • meet other visa conditions — some may be specific to your country’s visa arrangement with NZ.

Check if your country has a visa agreement

Before you apply, visit the Immigration New Zealand (INZ) website to:

Apply for a working holiday visa online

All working holiday visas must be applied for online — and only if the visa is ‘open’ for applications.

Register for an account online and apply — INZ

For most eligible countries you can apply from anywhere, including while you’re in NZ. Check the specific conditions on the INZ website.

Working holiday visas — INZ

Visa conditions

General conditions

Conditions will vary depending on your country of citizenship but generally you must:

  • prove your identity — with a valid passport
  • be in good health and of good character
  • genuinely intend to meet the conditions of your visa
  • be between the specified age range
  • be a citizen of the country the visa is for
  • have a ticket to leave NZ — or enough money to buy one
  • have enough money to live on while in NZ
  • not have had approval for this visa before — you cannot apply twice.

If your working holiday application has been accepted, you must arrive in NZ within the timeframe given — this is usually 1 year.

Country-specific conditions

Some conditions that may be specific to your country of citizenship are:

  • length of stay — for most countries this is 12 months
  • age range — for most countries this is 18-30 years old
  • visa quota — the number of visas given to your country
  • educational qualifications
  • English language requirements
  • place of residence
  • location when you apply
  • medical insurance requirements.

Working or studying on this visa

Employment conditions

While you’re on a NZ working holiday visa:

  • you must not accept a permanent job offer
  • you must pay tax on your income.

Paying tax if you come to work in NZ

You do not need to have a job before you arrive.

Find a job

Find seasonal work based on the months you want to work or location you want to stay, on the Live and Work New Zealand website:

Find job websites that advertise student and seasonal work on the Work and Income website:

Where to look for jobs — Work and Income

Problems with your employer

If you or someone you know is being exploited, or you’ve witnessed a breach of employment law, report it anonymously on the Employment NZ (ENZ) website.

Report a breach of employment law or exploitation — ENZ

If you want to resolve a workplace issue informally, use ENZ’s early resolution service.

Early resolution — contract or relationship problems — ENZ

Read more about migrant exploitation on the INZ website.

Migrant exploitation — INZ

Study for up to 6 months

You can study 1 or more courses for up to 6 months on the New Zealand working holiday visa.

Check out the following resources for information about studying English, short-term courses, fees and other costs.

Living and travelling in New Zealand

Finding accommodation

Find information about renting, sharing accommodation and related costs on the Live and Work in New Zealand website.

Renting a house — Live and Work in NZ

Healthcare and insurance

Most applicants are required to hold medical and comprehensive hospitalisation insurance, except for a few countries.

Medical insurance for Working Holiday Visa — INZ

Travel and safety

If you’re planning to travel in New Zealand find information about:

New Zealand culture

The Live and Work in NZ website has information about:

After your working holiday visa expires

Extending your working holiday visa

You cannot renew a working holiday visa, but you may be able to extend your visa another:

  • 3 months — if you’ve completed 3 months of seasonal work
  • 11 months — if you’re on a Canada Working Holiday Visa
  • 24 months — if you’re on a UK Working Holiday Visa.

Seasonal Work — Working Holiday Extension Work Visa — INZ

Canada and UK — Working Holiday Scheme Subsequent Work Visa Application (PDF 1MB) —INZ

Applying for a different visa

Visit the INZ website for a list of the visas that allow you to:

You can also use the Immigration NZ tool to explore and select a visa.

Explore and select a visa — INZ

Who to contact for more help

If you need more help or have questions about the information or services on this page, contact one of the following agencies.

Utility links and page information

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