Everything you need to know about a working holiday in New Zealand

Kia Ora my name is Henry and i'm from the south coast of the UK, I’m 25 and have been living (the dream) in different parts of the world for the last five years. At the moment I’m living in New Zealand’s version of the Alps - a town called Wanaka about an hour away from Queenstown on the South Island.

So why New Zealand?

You really want to know what doing a working holiday is like? The short answer is INCREDIBLE. I have been lucky enough to experience two working holidays which were in Canada and currently now in New Zealand and even lucky enough to spend three summers working at camp and travelling the USA. The reason I decided to do another working holiday is my love for learning about different parts of the world and just being able to visit these spectacular places has always been a dream of mine. I decided to pick New Zealand because I felt it best suited me at that moment of time - snowy winters and so many outdoor adventures to be had PS: I chose New Zealand over Australia because I’m petrified of snakes...

Sorting the visas and essentials

Paperwork - the boring stuff. Getting my working holiday visa for New Zealand was actually pretty simple and quick. From submitting my documents to receiving my visa took only four weeks which compared to other visas i've applied for - this was a walk in the park. The main documents you need to prep to apply for the visa are proof of funds, a valid passport and some other easy things to sort out. With JENZA's Work New Zealand experience you have the option of arriving into Auckland or Christchurch with five nights of accommodation sorted and an orientation week. I decided to fly into Auckland as it was a cheaper flight but also offers you a lot to do for a city. The good thing about doing an orientation is it gives you a really good base and allows you to meet new people who are starting out their journey and provides you with so much insider knowledge and advice you help you get set up in the country.

What happens after landing?

When you first step foot off the plane into the southern hemisphere in December the first thing you notice is - it's HOT! So don’t forget your sunscreen. After going through the immigration process the shuttle bus that JENZA had organised was waiting out front of the airport to take me directly to the Lylo hostel in Auckland. In my opinion, Lylo is like the Ritz of all hostels and feels like a cool and trendy co-working space as opposed to some of the old and dingy (but charming?) hostels i've experienced.

When I arrived I was put into a room with six others from JENZA, the good thing about this is it instantly gives you connections. You're able to build up a contact list and see if any of the other travellers are interested in going to the same places you're keen to visit. During orientation week you start by getting all the 'need to do' life admin out the way like tax numbers, sorting out bank accounts, getting a local sim card and editing your CV - it was nice to be walked through the process and ask questions which made the whole situation less stressful. On the first two nights, there are opportunities to meet up and get food together which was awesome as it meant I didn’t have to cook when I was trying to stay awake from jet lag. Overall the orientation week is a very worthwhile thing to get involved in as it gives you those first parts of stability and peace of mind in a new country that's pretty far away from home.

Travel plans and getting a job

Get your planner out and your CV ready. Jobs are very easy to find in New Zealand - from seasonal jobs to short-term hospitality roles. When I was getting ready to come out I was quite nervous about not having a job lined up before I left home, so I decided to apply for a job at Cardona Alpine Resort and had it all organised and ready for when I arrived in New Zealand. The way I found my job was just looking around on websites such as Indeed, Seek and Trade Me as well as the company's website. The JENZA Job Hub would have saved me a whole lot of time - seasonal and casual work opportunities are listed and can be applied for pre-arrival and you know they're legit as they've been pre-vetted by the JENZA team. During the orientation week, you're given heaps of advice on where to look for casual, seasonal and longer-term work too.

My plans for travelling the country have been delayed until later on in the year once i've settled in and finished my first stint at work - so stay tuned and I hope this is a good insight into starting your life in New Zealand.

Mauruuru Koe