Going on a gap year is certainly exciting; however, while you may be carried away with planning which landmarks to see, it is vital you consider how your travels will be funded. If you’re hoping to spend an extended period of time away, working holidays is something you may need to think about and one of the most popular destinations to consider is New Zealand.
Reasons to Work in New Zealand
New Zealand is one of the most beautiful countries you will probably ever visit with some awe-inspiring landscapes. New Zealanders are generally friendly and welcoming. The country has its own unique and fascinating culture of the Maori people and lots to keep you interested. Go to New Zealand if you love the outdoors and getting back to nature. It is also a great place to try out a range of extreme sports and get up close and personal with the wildlife.
For adreneline junkies and outdoors enthusiasts, New Zealand is an obvious choice for a working holiday. With every possible type of terrain crammed onto two relatively small islands, you’ve got lots of activities to choose from and not too far to go between them!
New Zealanders are a very hospitable bunch who love their country and love for people to visit it. Tourism is a huge part of the economy and there are lots of opportunities for working holidaymakers in the hospitality industry. Farming is also huge and harvest work is available all over the country at different times during the year.
Lots of tourist might think that New Zealand is pretty much the same as Australia but don’t tell that to a Kiwi! It would be similar to saying that Canada and the USA are the same and we all know that just ain’t right!
Many people hop over for a few weeks while on a working holiday to Australia, but New Zealand is a destination unto itself and spending a year here will really give you a great feel for the country and it’s culture.
From Maori culture to the All Blacks rugby team to sheep to amazing landscapes, New Zealand has lots to offer a traveller in a small space and is a very popular destination.
Getting a Visa
Although the prospect of organising a working holiday may be daunting at first, with a little thought and preparation you will be able to put yourself into a position where you can find a range of jobs that not only allow you to earn an income with which to fund your travels, but will also enable you to meet people and develop new skills.
One of your first steps in sorting out getting work abroad will be to make sure you have the proper documentation in place before you jet away. In order to gain employment in countries such as New Zealand you will first need to get a working holiday visa – it is illegal for you to work if you don’t have one of these in place.
In order to be able to work in New Zealand during your gap year you need to apply under the working holiday scheme, which allows you to work and travel within New Zealand for up to 12 months. You also need to be between the ages of 18 and 30 years to qualify and must not be bringing children with you. It is also important that you have savings to be able to support yourself for a few months when you first arrive. The primary aim must be to travel, and only work to support this.
With this type of visa you are only allowed to take temporary contract jobs and no permanent ones. You are also allowed to undertake a course of study for up to six months if you wish.
There are a number of different ways to go about organising a working holiday in New Zealand. The first way is to organise it through a gap year company. BUNAC and Real Gap Experience are some good options, but there are many more to choose from. These companies will usually help you get your working visa, organise your flights, accommodation when you first arrive, and give you advice and support on looking for a job. Some companies, like BUNAC, will also offer you 24 hour support in case you need help. Real Gap also offers a 24 hour emergency contact phone number.
Alternatively, you can organise your own working holiday visa via the New Zealand government website, the process is generally quite simple and quick to do yourself. However, if you choose this option you will not get any support or help in finding a job or accommodation once you’re there. This is a good option if you’re very independent, have done lots of travelling before and are good at networking.
Types of Jobs
Typical casual job for a backpackers include work in agriculture, horticulture and working in the vineyards. The New Zealand government are actively trying to encourage people to work in these sectors and therefore getting a job in one of these may be slightly easier. Working in these types of jobs, it is likely that you will be given free accommodation and you will often be working in a large group, which is an amazing way to bond and make friends.
If you are looking for a job in a city, then the easiest thing to do is sign up to several temping agencies. Finding work in a restaurant, bar or coffee shop without an agency can be much more difficult than in the UK – New Zealanders can be very fussy about their coffee and may demand two years previous barista experience. You can also do office work through an agency – it’s fairly easy to get and very well paid in comparison.
Perhaps one of the most sought-after occupations for working holiday makers is bar work – this is certainly a great way to meet fellow backpackers and locals alike – while fruit-picking and jobs in hospitality are also popular. Alternatively, you could look for clerical work in an office or an accountancy-related role, so you needn’t worry that it will take you ages to find a job.
If you want to hand your CV out then it’s good to know that, in New Zealand, CV’s are much longer than in the UK – anything from two to four pages is considered normal. In the city, try not to look for work when the University and school holidays commence as all of the temporary jobs will be taken by local students.
How to Find Work
Make sure that once you arrive in your destination you start looking for work as soon as you like. Some people prefer to do some travelling around first before getting a job, while others look to take on temporary positions to finance their adventures, so you should soon find that there is something suitable.
Of course, the type of work you end up doing is entirely your choice. If you have experience and/or specialist skills in a particular sector – for example, construction or retail – it may be a good idea to seek out related jobs, and this is certainly a great way to put your skills to use. However, if you just want to try your hand at something new, there should be plenty of scope for you to find something.
You can search for paid work abroad independently, although it may be easier to find positions by first enlisting the services of a gap year travel company before you go away.
In doing so, you will be able to make use of a jobs service that will help you to sort out essentials such as getting a bank account and tax number once you arrive at your destination. You will even be put into contact with a specialist agency that will look to match you with positions that suit you and your skills.
Admittedly, it requires a little effort but the process of organising work abroad shouldn’t prove to be too taxing. In no time at all you should discover that you are in a position to find exciting jobs that will enable you to fund your time in a country, as well as meet new people and enhance your CV.
Tips for Moving to New Zealand
Accommodation
From Maori culture to the All Blacks rugby team to sheep to amazing landscapes, New Zealand has lots to offer a traveller in a small space and is a very popular destination where they can stay a night in Wellington or any major city for a cheap price. New Zealand is a long way from anywhere and staying at any of the Auckland hotels for a few nights or more is a good way to unwind after a long flight.
Hostels in New Zealand are pretty cheap when compared to Western Europe and Australia. A dorm bed will cost anywhere from $12-20NZ a night. Weekly rates are cheaper and you will be able to get a dorm bed in Auckland for $100/week and possibly less in smaller towns. Buying a membership to Budget Backpacker Hostels (BBH) will save you a fortune and their hostels are usually good quality. Camping is popular and cheap. If you want to save a bundle, get off the beaten path and meet some locals then Help Exchange or WWOOFing are fantastic options.
Food
Eating in New Zealand is expensive even if you head to supermarkets. Some things might be cheaper, but on the whole your grocery bill will take a noticeable chunk out of your savings or your earnings if you’re working in NZ. Things like bacon, green beans and red onions were all stupidly expensive and even lambchops were pricey! Pak N’ Save and Countdown are pretty cheap but generally busy and nasty and New World and Wolworths are nicer places to be but more expensive. You can get good deals by buying fruit and veg from roadside stalls which are very common in agricultural areas.
Transportation
Getting around New Zealand is pretty affordable because of it’s relatively tiny size. Buying your own car and driving around is by far the best option for saving money while being able to go where you want, when you want. If you time things well, cars can be bought for as cheap as $500 or less if you’re really lucky. Cars will be harder to come by and more expensive at the beginning of the NZ summer in December.
Buses are affordable and the network is extensive with Intercity. If you want to head to all the usual stops with a busload of drunken 18-30 year olds then Kiwi Experience might be for you. It gets mixed reviews depending on what you want to get out of your trip. If you’re short on time it might be a good option though. Hitchhiking in NZ is common and easy and so is arranging rides with other travellers by posting ads on hostel bulletin boards. Check out Interislander Ferries for prices for getting between the islands.
Activities
We can guarantee that you’ll want to get out and explore the countryside, but New Zealand has some pretty great cities too, albeit, mostly surrounded by nature. Head to Queenstown ‘the capital of adventure sports’ if you’re after a thrilling adrenalin rush, or Wellington for music, theatre, nightlife and culture. Or maybe you’d prefer the charming and laid-back Christchurch or the quirky town of Dunedin that thinks it’s in Scotland.
No matter how careful you are with your money with food, accommodation and transportation you’re bound to blow any savings on throwing yourself off a cliff, down a hill or out of a plane among other things. New Zealand might be the extreme sport capital of the world and all these wacky things you’re bound to get up to will add up and put a big dent in your bank account. But isn’t that why you’re on a gap year in New Zealand in the first place?
Banking
Getting a bank account in New Zealand is very easy. March into an ANZ, go to a specific desk dedicated to dealing with requests from travellers (and students too), have a chat and have things sorted in no time. All you need is your passport and an address to have your card and other bank things mailed to. You can either give them the address of a hostel or use a mail forwarding service from Travellers Contact Point for $15/month or $60 for a year.
Banks:
• Australia and New Zealand Bank (ANZ)
• National Bank
• Kiwibank
• Bank of New Zealand (BNZ)
• Westpac
Tax
You will need an IRD Number (tax number) to work in New Zealand and getting one is pretty straightforward. Just print off the application form, fill it in, attach copies of the relevant documents, sign it and send it to either the North or South Island Insland Revenue office. You will be sent your IRD number within 8-10 working days so make sure you’ll be able to pick it up from whatever address you give them.
North Island
Inland Revenue
Northern Processing Centre
PO Box 1454
Hamilton
South Island
Inland Revenue
Southern Processing Centre
PO Box 3752
Christchurch
Getting a tax return isn’t impossible but they don’t make it easy!
Apply
Working holidays in New Zealand are a popular choice -the country attracts thousands of travellers and backpackers per year and one can definitely see why. So when are you applying?