What Jobs Can You Get in New Zealand on a Working Holiday Visa?
New Zealand is the perfect country for a working holiday. Due to the work culture commonly having a high turnover of staff compared to what you find in other countries, finding seasonal work on your Working Holiday Visa is a breeze. Just follow our steps of How to Quickly Find a Job, How to Create a New Zealand CV and How to Nail a Job Interview and getting working holiday visa jobs in New Zealand will be, as New Zealanders say, “easy as”.
New Zealand employers often see a Working Holiday Visa as an advantage, as people on working holidays are commonly seen as hard workers. With that, working holidaymakers have a huge range of job opportunities open to them. The only area you may experience difficulty in is office work, where employers tend to look for a long-term commitment. Otherwise, with an open mind during your job search, you are bound to find some awesome working holiday jobs in New Zealand. A working holiday gives you the opportunity to try something new and add more arsenal to your CV.
So what jobs can you expect to do while on a Working Holiday Visa? Check out our list of the top Working Holiday Visa jobs in New Zealand!
1. Food Manufacturing
In high demand from Auckland to Hokitika and many more amazing locations across the North and South Islands, food manufacturing roles such as packers, baggers, trimmers, cleaners and product handlers are easy jobs to get in New Zealand. These seasonal jobs give working holidaymakers the opportunity to make some quick money for a minimum of one month (and with pay above minimum wage), so it’s easy to fund the next NZ adventure. Work with a team of like-minded individuals. Plus, if you want to stay on, global food marketing businesses like Silver Fern Farms strive to continuously upskill their staff and provide an excellent opportunity for long-term work with a progressive company.
Check out jobs with Silver Fern Farms today over at careers.silverfernfarms.com.
© Silver Fern Farms2. Horticulture (Orchard and Vineyard Work)
Certainly one of the easiest Working Holiday Visa jobs to get in New Zealand, horticulture (working with crops) is a huge industry here with a wealth of fruit orchards and vineyards covering the country. Horticulture offers many entry-level jobs, especially during the picking season. See Working a Fruit Picking Job in New Zealand for more details. What’s more, working in horticulture also qualifies as a way to extend your Working Holiday Visa.
Find fruit-picking positions on our Job Listings page.
© NZPocketGuide.com3. Farmwork
As well as its horticulture industry, New Zealand has a bigger agricultural industry, especially in dairy farming. Although the jobs in dairy and sheep farming are not as abundant as in horticulture, farmers still require more sets of hands during the calving and lambing seasons. These jobs also cater to those who want to further a career in farming. Find out more about finding a job in this “field” in our guide to Seasonal Work in New Zealand’s Dairy Industry.
Find farming positions on our Job Listings page.
© NZPocketGuide.com4. Hostel Work
The great thing about hostels is that the best people to employ are often the backpackers who use them! While some hostels offer paid positions to work at reception, others offer “work for accommodation”, which usually requires housekeeping for a couple of hours a day in exchange for a free bed in the hostel. Find out more at How to Find Work for Accommodation in New Zealand, as well as Working for Accommodation in New Zealand: What are Your Rights? to ensure you’re getting a fair deal.
Find hostel positions on our Job Listings page.
© westcoast.co.nz5. Retail Work
Working at a shop is usually an easy job to get when you have a Working Holiday Visa in New Zealand, especially if you are good at working with customers and have a little bit of past experience. Shops in New Zealand often experience a high turnover, while they also often require more staff in the busy seasons, such as Christmas. Therefore, working for only three months, for instance, is not usually an issue for the employer. Your best shot at finding retail work is in New Zealand’s cities, such as The 10 Biggest Cities in New Zealand.
Find retail positions on our Job Listings page.
© westcoast.co.nz6. Hospitality
Similarly to retail work, there are plenty of hospitality jobs available around New Zealand for those on a Working Holiday Visa. Hospitality covers the work of serving in restaurants/bars/cafes and bartending, for instance. Although this work exists pretty much anywhere in New Zealand where there is some sort of urban area, tourist areas especially need staff during the busy summer season (December to February). Think Queenstown, Wanaka, Auckland, Kaikoura, Te Anau, Wellington and Picton, for example. Be aware, that barista jobs require a lot of experience and bar manager positions require duty manager qualifications.
Find hospitality positions on our Job Listings page.
© Tourism Bay of Plenty7. Fundraising
Although you have to be a certain kind of bubbly charmer to walk up to random people on the street and ask for money, it can really be a rewarding job for the right person. Fundraising jobs are limited to New Zealand’s largest cities but charities mostly hire 18-31-year-olds (Working Holiday Visa age) to help raise funds for their charity. Make sure you pick a charity you trust and give it a go for a base salary plus commission! Find out more in the 10 Reasons Why Charity Fundraising is an Awesome Backpacker Job.
Find fundraising positions on our Job Listings page.
© Pixabay8. Tourism
No doubt you have come to New Zealand to experience the awesome activities and the great outdoors! Working in tourism, i.e. with a tour company, is a great way to make the most of your working holiday in New Zealand. However, you will need a solid CV, to kick ass in your interview, and you may be required to have some past experience. Tourism job opportunities exist all around New Zealand!
Find tourism positions on our Job Listings page.
© NZPocketGuide.com9. Ski Field Work
The great thing about working on a ski field is that it is seasonal. You only need to work from the end of autumn to the beginning of spring, then you are free to move on to your next New Zealand adventure. What’s more, working on a ski field comes with many perks from free lift passes to free ski lessons. While there are lots of entry jobs on a New Zealand ski field, like hospitality, lift operators and parking wardens, many other jobs do require qualifications, such as ski instructors and ski patrol. Find out more in What it is Like to Work on a New Zealand Ski Field and What’s the Right New Zealand Ski Field Job for You.
Find ski field positions on our Job Listings page.
© NZPocketGuide.com10. Au Pair
Au pair, or childcare, is a popular job for young people on a Working Holiday Visa in New Zealand. This is a great opportunity to experience Kiwi family life and have food, accommodation and a wage provided usually for about six months to a year. Past childcare experience is usually required. Check out Being an Au Pair in New Zealand for a complete guide.
Find au pair positions on our Job Listings page.
© Pexels11. Construction
With a huge amount of building development across the country, as well as the rebuild from the Canterbury and Kaikoura earthquakes, helping hands on construction sites are badly needed. Therefore, construction work is one of the easiest jobs to get for people on a Working Holiday Visa in New Zealand. The easiest way to find construction work is through recruitment agencies, which you can find out more about in What You Need to Know About Recruitment Agencies in New Zealand.
Find construction positions on our Job Listings page.
© ATEEDMore About Working Holiday Jobs in New Zealand
That’s it on the best Working Holiday Visa jobs in New Zealand, but it’s by no means the end of our working holiday advice! Get your eyes on these guides:
- What Type of Job Can You Expect in New Zealand?
- 15 Best Backpacker Jobs
- New Zealand Working Holiday Employment Rights
Finally, find out everything you need to know about a working holiday in The New Zealand Working Holiday Visa: Everything You Need to Know!
