Working Holiday in New Zealand

Changes in Working Holiday Schemes in New Zealand

New Zealand announced some major changes to the working holiday schemes it has with a number of other countries starting on 1 July 2005. Working Holiday Schemes currently allow 31,000 young people from 22 countries to spend 12 months in New Zealand and undertake temporary work. The schemes contribute to positive outcomes for New Zealand by strengthening international linkages, providing a good source of skilled migrants and contributing to economy.

The changes include:

• increasing the overall number of working holidaymakers allowed into New Zealand
• dividing an extra 10,000 places between the schemes for Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Norway and the USA
• removing the cap (which means there will be no upper limit on the amount of places) for Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom
• easing the work restrictions (no more than three months with any one employer) for Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden and the USA
• allowing  working holidaymakers from the United Kingdom to stay for up to 2 years (ie 23 months)