New Zealand??

Question

Planning heading to New Zealand to work for a maybe about 5 months whilst on my gap year and working, somebody told me that you don't have to have a visa if your going to be there for less than 9 months, can anyone confirm this? I didn't think it was right but I could quite easily be wrong.

Answer 1

You need a visa.lovely country by the way Auckland is great.

Answer 2

I find that unlikely. Surely, you need a visa

Answer 3

Have a great time, New Zealand is absolutely amazing, I can't wait til I can go back.  You will need a visa if you intead to work, but if you are visiting and not planning to work you won't

Answer 4

Kia Ora,

Can I assume from your user name you are a GB citizen?

Here's the info from the NZ Immigration site.  If you are not  GB citizen, then just go to the main page and find the requirements for your country.

Citizens of certain countries (including GB and the US) do not need visas to enter NZ.  Come with a valid passport and return tickets, once you arrive you will receive a visitor's permit for either 6 months (GB) or 3 months (US).

I'm thinking you probably want to apply for a working holiday scheme.  Here's some details from the website:

To be eligible for a working holiday scheme you must:

• usually be permanently living in the United Kingdom – this means you can be temporarily visiting another country when you lodge your application

• have a British passport 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$350 per month of stay available funds to meet your living costs while you’re here

• meet our health and character requirements

• be coming to New Zealand to holiday, with work being a secondary intention for your visit

• not have been approved a visa or permit under a Working Holiday Scheme before.

*Applicants under this scheme who lodge their application for a working holiday scheme work visa or permit on or after 28 November 2005 can select either a 12-month or 23-month stay in New Zealand.  Depending on the length of stay you chose you may be required to complete medical forms.  There may be a renewable option for those who select a 12-month stay. Please refer to the Health section on the NZ Immigration pages.



**You are required to hold sufficient funds for the duration of your visit and for the purchase of an outward ticket from New Zealand. Such evidence may be requested on arrival at the border.

When you’re here

• you must not take up permanent employment (unless you apply for and are granted an ordinary Work Permit while you’re here)

• you must not work for a period exceeding 12 months

• you can enrol in one training or study course of up to three months duration during your visit.

Tax - Like all New Zealand workers, you will need an IRD number so that your employer can deduct tax from your earnings at the correct rate. In New Zealand, you pay tax on a pay as you earn (PAYE) basis. This means that there should not be a large refund or an amount to pay when you leave. For more information see Inland Revenue's Travelling to New Zealand webpage.



Health requirements  - Online applicants will be advised by the online system whether medical certificates are required, and, if so, where to send them. The requirement to complete a Medical and X-ray Certificate is automatically calculated on the basis of the length of stay you select under this Working Holiday Scheme. and where you apply from. To determine whether you will need to complete medical requirements, see

the web link below.

Character requirements  -  You will need to meet our character requirements for temporary entry  to New Zealand.  



Applications under this Working Holiday Scheme can be made online.

~~~~~~~~

If you aren't interested in going this route, you can apply for a "plain" Work Visa.

Working temporarily in New Zealand   -  You may be eligible for a temporary work visa and/or permit if:



• you have a job offer from a New Zealand employer

• there is a specific purpose or event for which you need to come to New Zealand to work

• you are a student or trainee who wants to work here, or

• you want to join your partner here and work.

You would then need to decide which category you fall under=

• General Work – for people who have a job offer from a New Zealand employer.

• Specific Purpose or Event – for people who want to work here temporarily for a particular purpose or event such as a tournament, a show or for certain professional reasons.

• Students and Trainees – for students or trainees who want to gain work experience in New Zealand.

• Study to Work – for students eligible to work in New Zealand after completing their studies.  

• Family Stream – for people who want to work temporarily while joining their partner here.

• Work Exchange Scheme – for people who want to take part in a work exchange scheme that has been pre-approved by us or is a government to government exchange scheme.

Okay then this is probably too much information, but at least you have something real to go on.  All the website links are listed below...

Good luck!

Answer 5

From Immigration New Zealand:

You may need to apply for a visitor visa or permit if you intend to stay temporarily in New Zealand, but you don't intend to study or work. When you are granted a permit, you can stay in New Zealand for up to nine months.

Answer 6

If you go as a tourist, you will not need a visa and can stay for 6 months. A work visa is different, you need to look into that.

Have a nice time, it is such a lovely country with such unaffected friendly folk. Any room for me in your suitcase?

Answer 7

You definitely need a visa to work. Check this website: http://www.visabureau.com/newzealand/def...

and

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/s...

Good luck.

Answer 8

You will need some sort of working visa. My American friend had to get one.

Answer 9

You need a work visa to take a job in New Zealand. There are a lot of jobs available to travelers, but, most good employers check your work visa. I have heard that some people(illegally) get jobs without a visa,but, you are less assured of finding steady work this way. My boyfriend and I had work visas while traveling through New Zealand for 7 months and we never had to worry about finding a job. They are plentiful!

If you are from England/Canada/Australia/ U.S. you can obtain a visa through a program called BUNAC http://www.bunac.org. They charge a bit more than just the work visa because they offer a lot of other services that make moving there easier. You can also apply directly to the NZ government.

Getting a work visa ahead of time is all you have to worry about. You can enter New Zealand as a tourist for 9months and use your work visa to get a job.

Good luck and have fun! New Zealand rocks!

-Kango Traveler