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Work New Zealand

Working Holiday New Zealand

4 or 9-day working holiday intro in Auckland

‘If they’d only stop searching for that darn ring, they’d realise that JENZA makes moving to New Zealand on a working holiday easy,’ muttered Gandalf.

LET’S TALK
Guy canoes in fjord
Friends plough the snow
Girl sits on pontoon
Group smile for photo with view
Girl looks back at camera on dramatic landscape
2 friends with snowcat in fancy dress
Formerly known as BUNAC Work New Zealand – same experience, new name
Flying solo? Start your working holiday in New Zealand with 18-30s like you
UK passport holders can now work in New Zealand until they’re 35!

It’s a kind of magic

Why do a working holiday New Zealand?

It would say on the tin...

What is Work New Zealand?

ASK US ANYTHING

Is it for me?

Price tag icon

From USD $799

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18-30 or 35 (passport dependent)

Black passport icon

1-3 years (passport dependent)

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Do casual or career work

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Starts year-round in Auckland

Accomodation icon

3 or 8 nights’ accommodation

Snowflake symbol

Ski season job (winter only)

Reasons to work in New Zealand

Job flexibility

Backpacker friendly

Unique culture

Guy dries off on beach
Girls swim beside cliffs
Girls prepare for roadtrip
Girl driving car

What you say

Why New Zealand was the best decision I ever made

“During orientation in Auckland, I met so many amazing people from different countries around the world, including Germany, the UK, Japan, Argentina, the USA, and more.”

READ THE BLOG

Visa + cost

Who can apply for a New Zealand working holiday visa?

Am I eligible?

  • You must be aged 18-30 (35 for some nationalities)
  • You must hold a passport from one of these countries: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Uruguay or Vietnam
  • You must have a ticket to leave New Zealand or have enough money to buy one
  • You must have $4,200 NZD in support funds

The 4-day One

Deposit


USD $115

Second payment


USD $684

Total

USD $799

Secure your spot with $115 deposit
  • Instructions to apply for your visa
  • Auckland airport shuttle to hostel
  • 3 nights’ dorm at LyLo Hostel
  • Employment + NZ CV workshop
  • Housing + travel planning session
  • NZ bank account assistance
  • IRD tax assistance
  • Self-guided city tour
  • AT Hop Auckland transport card
  • Hostel welcome drinks (1 drink)
  • Group ferry trip to Devonport (1 dinner)
  • Group chat to meet other travellers

New Zealand visa fee

Paid when you apply for your visa and currently costs NZD $670

Support funds

This depends on your nationality, please check the visa section above

Travel insurance

We recommend taking out comprehensive travel insurance as soon as you book

Flights

We don’t recommend booking flights until your visa is approved

The 9-day One

Deposit


USD $115

Second payment


USD $1,224

Total

USD $1,339

Secure your spot with $115 deposit
  • Instructions to apply for your visa
  • Job Hub access for ski jobs (winter only)
  • Auckland airport shuttle to hostel
  • 8 nights’ dorm accommodation (6n Auckland, 2n Paihia)
  • 3-day semi-guided Bay of Islands trip
  • Employment + NZ CV workshop
  • Housing + travel planning session
  • NZ bank account assistance
  • IRD tax assistance
  • AT Hop Auckland transport card
  • Self-guided city tour
  • Group ferry trip to Devonport (1 dinner)
  • Hostel welcome drinks (1 drink)
  • Group chat to meet other travellers

New Zealand visa fee

Paid when you apply for your visa and currently costs NZD $670

Support funds

This depends on your nationality, please check the visa section above

Travel insurance

We recommend taking out comprehensive travel insurance as soon as you book

Flights

We don’t recommend booking flights until your visa is approved

Balancing profit with purpose, JENZA only works for us if it works for others too. We donate 5% of profits to our Youth Access Scholarship Fund so that young people from under-served and lower-income backgrounds can experience working overseas. Find out more and apply for scholarship funding.
People skiing down slope on sunny day

Give your working holiday a lift

Why work a ski season in New Zealand

New Zealand’s ski season runs from Jun-Oct and offers some of the sickest scenery on the planet, fun ski towns, and a close-knit community of staff. Henry, our Work NZ roadtester, is here for the rundown.
READ THE BLOG

Jobs + locations

What jobs can I do?

NZ in numbers

100+

The number of Māori iwi (tribes) in Aotearoa

4:6

The ratio of sheep to people in New Zealand

3,000

The eBay price that an Aussie tried to sell NZ for

10,000

The times you’ll say ‘too easy’ on your WHV

How to find a job in New Zealand

Arrival support

Ski jobs (9-day only)

Friends on ski lift
Girls float in turquoise water
Couple beside geezer

Where can I work in New Zealand?

Dream life loading...

1

Deciding where to go

People point, looking where to go

Deciding where to go

Work and travel
It's easy to see why travellers flock like sheep to New Zealand. Home to snow-capped peaks, sun-drenched vineyards and wildlife-filled waters, it was at the front of the queue when the travel gods handed out natural wonders. Connected by all major international cities, most travellers fly into Auckland – which is where our JENZA HQ are based to get you settled in and set up for your working holiday. However, the joy of a working holiday is the freedom to work anywhere – meaning you can travel around both islands, stopping to work when you need to, or when you fall in love with a place. (Warning, this is often).

1

People point, looking where to go

Deciding where to go

Work and travel
It's easy to see why travellers flock like sheep to New Zealand. Home to snow-capped peaks, sun-drenched vineyards and wildlife-filled waters, it was at the front of the queue when the travel gods handed out natural wonders. Connected by all major international cities, most travellers fly into Auckland – which is where our JENZA HQ are based to get you settled in and set up for your working holiday. However, the joy of a working holiday is the freedom to work anywhere – meaning you can travel around both islands, stopping to work when you need to, or when you fall in love with a place. (Warning, this is often).
Girl with Auckland in BG

Auckland

North Island
Auckland is one hot city. And not just because it’s built on a volcanic field of 48 volcanoes. The ‘City of Sails’ is blessed with natural harbours, city hikes and afterwork access to the wineries of Waiheke, surf breaks of Piha, and whales and dolphins of the Hauraki Gulf. But Auckland runs deeper than just its natural good looks. You only have to ride your fixie bike into the vintage stores, brunch spots and tattoo parlours of Ponsonby or Britomart to see Auckland’s cool and creative side.

2

Girl with Auckland in BG

Auckland

North Island
Auckland is one hot city. And not just because it’s built on a volcanic field of 48 volcanoes. The ‘City of Sails’ is blessed with natural harbours, city hikes and afterwork access to the wineries of Waiheke, surf breaks of Piha, and whales and dolphins of the Hauraki Gulf. But Auckland runs deeper than just its natural good looks. You only have to ride your fixie bike into the vintage stores, brunch spots and tattoo parlours of Ponsonby or Britomart to see Auckland’s cool and creative side.
Girl and guy with view over city

Wellington

North Island
Surrounded by wooded hills and windy hikes, waterfront Wellington doesn’t look like your typical capital city. Shunning the high-rise living and skyscrapers favoured by other capitals – the pretty harbour, Victorian timber buildings and converted warehouses give off quietly cool and cosmopolitan vibes. The ‘arty one’ out of New Zealand’s cities, Wellington’s coffee houses, craft breweries and co-workspaces attract designers, creatives, chefs and musicians from all over the world.

3

Girl and guy with view over city

Wellington

North Island
Surrounded by wooded hills and windy hikes, waterfront Wellington doesn’t look like your typical capital city. Shunning the high-rise living and skyscrapers favoured by other capitals – the pretty harbour, Victorian timber buildings and converted warehouses give off quietly cool and cosmopolitan vibes. The ‘arty one’ out of New Zealand’s cities, Wellington’s coffee houses, craft breweries and co-workspaces attract designers, creatives, chefs and musicians from all over the world.
Girls pose with beers

Queenstown

South Island
In the shadow of snow-dusted peaks and reflected off a pine-fringed lake, Queenstown is arguably one of the most beautiful towns on the planet. Dubbed the adventure capital of the world, it’s the base for the ski resorts of Coronet Peak and The Remarkables – as well as for bungy jumps, skydives, ziplines and anything else you can throw yourself down/off. If you prefer comfort zones to drop zones, there’s also a killer wine, food and nightlife scene – ensuring a constant stream of tourists and job-hunters.

4

Girls pose with beers

Queenstown

South Island
In the shadow of snow-dusted peaks and reflected off a pine-fringed lake, Queenstown is arguably one of the most beautiful towns on the planet. Dubbed the adventure capital of the world, it’s the base for the ski resorts of Coronet Peak and The Remarkables – as well as for bungy jumps, skydives, ziplines and anything else you can throw yourself down/off. If you prefer comfort zones to drop zones, there’s also a killer wine, food and nightlife scene – ensuring a constant stream of tourists and job-hunters.
Girls having a drink in the sun

Christchurch

South Island
All too often overlooked, the South Island's biggest city is innovative, arty, and on the doorstep of some of the best tramping (walking, FYI) in New Zealand. With much of the city rebuilt following earthquakes, Christchurch is home to cutting-edge architecture, a dynamic food scene and a strong sense of community. Known as the ‘Garden City’ for its gorgeous green spaces, it also has the ski fields of Mt. Hutt, wineries of Waipara Valley, and countless hiking and cycle trails in its stunning backyard.

5

Girls having a drink in the sun

Christchurch

South Island
All too often overlooked, the South Island's biggest city is innovative, arty, and on the doorstep of some of the best tramping (walking, FYI) in New Zealand. With much of the city rebuilt following earthquakes, Christchurch is home to cutting-edge architecture, a dynamic food scene and a strong sense of community. Known as the ‘Garden City’ for its gorgeous green spaces, it also has the ski fields of Mt. Hutt, wineries of Waipara Valley, and countless hiking and cycle trails in its stunning backyard.

All work

The 4-day One

The slightly-more-serious-younger sibling, the 4-day one is all about providing you with the resources you need to start your working holiday. When you land in Auckland, you’ll have the security of a shared airport transfer and three nights’ dorm accommodation at LyLo Hostel. A job workshop, travel planning and accommodation session, and assistance sorting work essentials such as your bank account and IRD (tax) number will help to get your job and housing search off the ground. With up to 45 other JEN-setters to hang with, there’s also plenty of fun to be had with welcome drinks, a ferry trip and group dinner.
DAY TO DAY ITINERARY
Auckland skyline

Work + play in the Bay

The 9-day One

Following the first four days with the same group as the 4-day One, on day five, you’ll have a free day before boarding the Kiwi Experience’s legendary green bus for a 3-day trip up to the jaw-dropping Bay of Islands. A subtropical paradise of 144 islands, wildlife-filled waters and Māori culture – this is an unmissable loop from Auckland. You’ll have two nights in a hostel in Paihia, with plenty of free activities including nature walks, waterfall hikes, beach hangs and visits to historic Māori sites. Plus, the option to go sailing, diving and swimming with dolphins. On day eight, you’ll return to Auckland for your final night at LyLo with your new besties.
DAY TO DAY ITINERARY
Guy looks out over tropical island
Man wearing a leopard-print fur coat, white shirt, and gold chain, posing confidently

We promise to wear pants

Book a video call

Your New Zealand ride or die – all our JENZA Support Squad have worked the world, so are here for first-hand advice on where to go and what you can do. Other mad traveller skills include: parent whispering, visa geekery, and the ability to pack a backpack in 30 seconds flat.
BOOK A CALL

How it works

How and when to apply

Guys chill with beers
Guy drinks water in front of bay
Girls smile at each other beside geezer.

Countdown to New Zealand

  • Check your eligibility in the visa + cost section, choose either 4-day or 9-day, hit 'Book now' to create your online account and pay your deposit. You can then access your account to keep track of your trip at any time at the top of this page.

    1 day

  • Select the date you want to arrive into Auckland and then follow the link and guidance to apply for your New Zealand working holiday visa. This is an online application where the visa fee is paid directly to New Zealand immigration - check 'What's not included' above for the current visa cost. Visas are issued electronically and can take anywhere from a couple of days to three weeks to be processed. Once you have your visa approved, let us know via your online account.

    2-21 days

  • Now your visa is approved, it's safe to book your flights and travel insurance. Add this to your online account so that we can sort out your transfer. Also, add your dorm preferences so that we can let the team at LyLo hostel know. You'll also find info in your account on how to set up a New Zealand bank account.

    1 day

  • Select a date for your pre-departure orientation – these are at least once a month. This is a group video call with the LyLo team in New Zealand to get you fully prepped for life in NZ. It's also a great time to ask any questions and meet some soon-to-be-familiar faces of people arriving into New Zealand at the same time as you.

    1-30 days

  • Welcome to Auckland! You'll have a shared shuttle from the airport to LyLo hostel where the fun begins. Check the itinerary section on this page for all the day-to-day need to know. Don't forget to tag us @jenzatravel
Girl looks out back of van at lake

Get it for free (ish)

Earn back your adventures

We know the most authentic voices come from our community. Whether you want to come on board as an ambassador, roadtester or as a one-off collaborator for blogs, vlogs or images – earn some extra $$ on the road with a content side hustle.

You shaped travel

What our New Zealand roadtester had to say

Before you’re let loose on one of our JENZA experiences, it’s given the stamp of approval by our roadtesters. Because if it didn’t fly with them, it’s sure as heck not going to fly with you. Here's Henry, one of our Youth Advisory Panellists and Work New Zealand roadtester, and his experience of living and working in New Zealand.

Follow

We heart you back

Read

All the inspo and intel

Blog Header - Henry roadtester.jpg
Ski slopes in New Zealand
Campervan boot view of mountains and lakes
Sunny day with friends lounging at Kohimarama Beach in Auckland.
Girl with sunglasses standing in amphitheatre
Contiki logo

Friends = benefits

Unlock 10% off Contiki when you book with JENZA

Looking for a little pre or post trip action? We've teamed up with Contiki to bring you the ultimate work and travel dream team. Check your online account to access your 10% off code.

Got questions?

We’ve got answers

Not found what you're looking for? Hit 'Ask a question' below and one of our JENZA Support Squad will come back to you - pen pal style.
Gilr smiles at camera on ski slope.

Talk to us

NZ experts
We’ve walked in your jandals (flip flops), so we know what planning a big move looks like. From where to go to what jobs to do – we’re with you every step.
CONTACT US

  • For passport holders who are part of New Zealand’s working holiday visa scheme you can apply for a working holiday visa that allows you to work in New Zealand for between six months and three years – depending on your nationality.

    • UK passport holders can work for three years
    • Canada and Netherlands passport holders can work for 24 months
    • Most other eligible passport holders – including Irish, American, South Korean, Argentinian, German, French and most eligible remaining nationalities – can work for 12 months
    • Malaysian and Singapore passport holders can work for six months

    To check if you’re eligible to work in New Zealand, you can call us or check here.

  • For most nationalities, you must be aged 18-30 (inclusive) to apply for a New Zealand working holiday visa – which means you must apply before your 31st birthday.

    If you’re from the UK, Argentina, Canada, Chile, Czechia, Finland, Hungary, Slovakia or Uruguay you can be aged 18-35 – meaning you must apply before your 36st birthday.

    Call us or check for the most up-to-date eligibility details here.

  • Unfortunately, we’re not able to apply for the visa for you. However, we’ll provide you with a link to the correct forms and instructions on how to apply.
  • You have 12 months to enter New Zealand once your visa is approved.
  • No, you don’t need to be in your home country. However, you cannot be in New Zealand when you apply.
  • It can take anywhere between 24 hours and 2-3 weeks to get your visa approved. However, as the New Zealand Government make the final decision, it may take longer – up to six weeks if they require further information. We don’t recommend booking your flights until your visa is approved.
  • Your visa allows you to work anywhere in New Zealand and in any sector – meaning you can do casual work or work more related to your profession, training, trade or vocation. Typical backpacker jobs include ski season work, fruit picking, farm work, waitressing, bartending, construction, labouring, shop work, hostel work, hotel work, housekeeping, sales, promotions, tourism, and childcare such as au pair or nannying. You’re not required on this visa to have a job lined up before you go.
  • You cannot work for one employer for more than 12 months.
  • Most entry level, casual or backpacker jobs will pay at least the New Zealand minimum wage or higher depending on the role and location. If you’re doing work more connected to your career, trade or training – your earning potential is uncapped on this visa.
  • Our 4-day option includes three nights at the LyLo hostel in Auckland. And our 9-day option includes seven nights at the LyLo hostel in Auckland, plus two nights at a hostel in Pahia in the Bay of Islands. Accommodation is in multi-share dorms. If you wish to upgrade to a twin, get in touch and we can check the availability for you. If you’re arriving early, we can book a maximum of three pre-nights and three-post nights – just let our team know.
  • Yes! 80% of people on our Work New Zealand packages start out as solo travellers. We have monthly departures with up to 45 people per departure, so you’ll be with a like-minded group of 18-30 somethings from all over the world. Before you go, we'll also give you access to a group chat with other travellers arriving in New Zealand at the same time as you so that you can start to get to know each other and arrange to meet up if you’re arriving early.
  • In our very bias opinion, hell yes! Getting a working holiday New Zealand visa allows you to work when you want and travel when you want – funding your time out there. This allows you to stay out for longer and experience New Zealand in a more authentic way than if you were just visiting. While New Zealand is small, it is packed to the rafters with things to do and see and is home to every activity under the sun – from skiing, surfing, hiking, rafting, caving, wine-tasting, sailing… the list goes on. While you can bomb around both islands in a campervan or car in 3-4 weeks, any self-respecting Kiwi will tell you that you need at least 6-8 weeks to do it properly. A working holiday visa allows you to take your time and stop and work in the places that you love.
  • Our 9-day option is the 4-day one, plus a semi-guided trip up to the stunning Bay of Islands with our sidekicks, Kiwi Experience. At the tip of the North Island, the Bay of Islands is an unmissable round trip from Auckland – either to get out and explore before settling down to start work in Auckland, or to tick off an iconic part of New Zealand before heading south on your road trip/hop-on hop-off bus pass. Check the itinerary section above for both day-to-day itineraries and inclusions.

  • We love playing the fairy jobmother part and helping our jen-setters to arrive with the security of a pre-arranged job. This can sometimes be possible for winter ski positions, as our ski employers have defined opening and closing times (typically Jun-Oct) and so are looking to secure workers to fill these roles a couple of months in advance ready for the season. If you’re looking to work a ski season, select our 9-day option and watch out for ski jobs on our Job Hub. These usually land in Jan/Feb. Ski resort work is competitive, so unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that you’ll get a job.

    Otherwise, New Zealand is a year-round destination. Therefore, it’s tricky for our hospitality employers (such as bars, restaurants and hotels) to know what positions they’ll have to fill in the months before you arrive - preferring instead to hire staff who are already in-country and ready to go. This also works well for our travellers, as trust us, as soon as you get to New Zealand – guaranteed your plans will change!

    When you arrive in Auckland, you’ll have an employment session where the crew at LyLo will support you in finding a working holiday job.

  • Nothing! We’ve always been the same team running identical programs, just with different brand names in different countries. As you can imagine, this got crazy confusing. So in 2024, JENZA became the new name for all our working holiday and intern programs, and BUNAC went back to its 1972 Americana roots, and became our summer camp brand.
  • Didn't see your question? Ask our team here

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