First off, what exactly is a working holiday visa? It's a visa that NZ gives out to citizens of several countries that allows a person to travel and work within NZ for 12 months. This means you get 9 more months to travel than a normal tourist and that you can stop along your route and take on a job to fund your trip further. The catch is that it is only given out to people 30 years of age and younger.
People do all kinds of things with these visas. Some, like me, mostly work. Most, however, work for a few months here or there at a restaurant or bar or hostel etc to save and then continue on travelling. The great thing about NZ is the number of hostels will to let you work for accomodation. So you do a couple hours of work then get to stay the night for free.
Anyways, I highly recommend this opportunity to everyone! Why not take a year to fully explore another country. For US citizens this option is also available in Australia!
Want one? Here's how to get it!
Check out this website:
http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/work/workingholiday/
Here you will find a list of countries for which the visa is availale.
For a USA citizen here are the requirements.
"You must:
-usually be permanently living in the United States of America – this means you can be temporarily visiting another country when you lodge your application
- have a passport from the United States of America that‘s valid for at least three months after your planned departure from New Zealand
- be at least 18 and not more than 30 years old
- not bring children with you
- hold a return ticket, or sufficient funds to purchase such a ticket*
- have a minimum of NZ$4,200 available funds to meet your living costs while you’re here
meet our health and character requirements
- hold medical and comprehensive hospitalisation insurance for the length of your stay
- be coming to New Zealand to holiday, with work or study being secondary intentions for your visit
- not have been approved a visa under a Working Holiday Scheme before."
If you qualify for all of the above then you can simply create a username and password and fill out the online form. The application is FREE!
They do have some health and character questions in the application. They just want to make sure you arent a criminal and that you wont be a strain on the medical system. I had to have a chest x-ray because I had spent 3months out of the last 5 years in "high-risk" tuberculosis areas. The process was simple enough. Print the form, go to the doctor, get xray, have doctor fill out and sign form, mail to NZ. That's all there was to it!
Here is where to get registered:
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/registration/CreateAccount.aspx
Easy!
You'll most likely get an email with confirmation, then an email approving your application, then an email with you visa details.
Then you can proceed to have the best year of your life!
Here are some additional links to help you find your way to and around New Zealand.
seek.co.nz
intercity.co.nz
hostelworld.com
trademe.co.nz
Do it! And go have a grand adventure.
And for inspiration here is one of my favorite quotes:
“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!""
