Man sitting on a cliff with his laptop looking over the ocean
Immigration & emigration

Work and Travel New Zealand

Katharina Weckend | 23.09.2024

Do you want to discover New Zealand and earn some extra travel money at the same time? Work and Travel in New Zealand might just be the right thing for you. But even if you are considering emigrating to New Zealand, it can be helpful to explore the country for a year via Work and Travel. See what it's like to live and work in New Zealand. You'll also be able to find out in which place you feel most at home.  

Working Holiday Visa

The Working Holiday Visa allows you to make your dream of working and traveling in New Zealand come true. This visa offers the opportunity for you to live and work in New Zealand for up to 12 months. You can even begin studying or further training for a total of six months during your stay. However, only persons aged between 18 and 30 years are eligible and you are not allowed to accept an employment contract going on for longer than 12 months. The visa is personalized which means, you can't bring a companion with you unless they apply for their own visa. It is also important that you haven't used this visa before. Hence, you only get a one-off opportunity to travel to New Zealand using this visa for a work and travel stay. And one more thing: Obviously, your visa application must be submitted in English.

Work and Travel New Zealand Requirements

Got all these covered? Please note the following requirements as well:  

 

  • Starting from the date of entry, your passport must be valid for at least 15 months.
  • You must have at least NZD 4,200 (or approx. EUR 2,337) available for your stay in New Zealand and must be able to provide proof via bank statements, credit card statements, bank checks or traveler's checks.
  • You must have travel insurance that covers hospitalization and have to provide proof via your insurance policy or a written confirmation from your insurance company.
  • You must provide round-trip airline tickets or prove that you have sufficient funds for a return flight.

Documents Checklist

Got these requirements covered, too, and got all the necessary proof? Here’s a checklist with all the documents you need for your visa application.

 

  • Passport
  • Ticket for return flight or proof of sufficient funds for return flight
  • Financial proof via bank statements, credit card statements, bank checks, traveler’s checks
  • Proof of travel insurance
  • Medical examination (optional)
  • Police clearance certificate (optional)

A medical examination or a police clearance certificate is only required if the New Zealand authorities ask you to provide these after submitting your application.

Working Holiday Visa Application

Before applying for your visa, you must have all your documents translated into English. This is because all documents that you present to New Zealand authorities must be in the national language. This does not apply to your passport. You will also need a certified translation for some documents, for instance if you need to present a police clearance certificate. Your flight ticket must also be submitted to the New Zealand authorities in English.  

 

1. Application

Complete your application online and upload all the required documents. You will have to create a profile. You must also pay the fees for your visa in this step.  

 

2. Processing

Your application will then be processed. If you need to provide further documents such as a police clearance certificate or if a medical examination is required, the New Zealand authorities will get in touch with you.  

 

3. eVisa

Once your application has been processed, you will receive an email and can view the status of your application online in your profile. If your application has been approved, you will receive an eVisa for entry.

 

 

Fees: NZD 455 (approx. EUR 253)

Processing time: 2 weeks

Certified Translations of Documents

Have your documents translated and certified now.

More Information about New Zealand

Want to find out more about living and working in New Zealand or need information and tips on how to find a job in New Zealand? Find out more here:  

 

FAQs: Work and Travel New Zealand

For Work and Travel in New Zealand you need at least NZD 4,200 NZD (approx. EUR 2,337) and must be able to provide proof via bank statements, credit card statements, bank checks or traveler's checks.

As of April 1st, 2024 a Work and Travel job in New Zealand usually pays minimum wage which is currently at NZD 23.15 (approx. EUR 12.89) per hour before taxes.

For Work and Travel in New Zealand, you need a passport that is valid for at least 15 months, travel insurance, a return flight ticket and at least NZD 4,200 (approx. EUR 2,337) for the duration of your stay. Also, you must be aged between 18 and 30 years.

Work and Travel offers the opportunity for you to explore New Zealand and earn some extra travel money. This visa is the perfect choice if you want to stay in New Zealand for longer than three months. The regular NZeTA tourist visa only allows you to stay in New Zealand for up to three months and you are not allowed to work.

A working holiday visa allows you to live and work in New Zealand for up to 12 months. Of course, you can also leave earlier. However, with a Working Holiday Visa you can only travel to New Zealand once.

About the author

Katharina Weckend, Content & SEO Manager

Katharina joined lingoking as a Content and SEO Manager in 2024. She handles our content and SEO strategy and writes texts for our website, guide and other lingoking media. “I am happy I get to pass on knowledge in our lingoking guide and help break down language barriers.”

Portrait of Katharina