It seems everyone is flocking to the home of bungy jumping (above). According to Immigration New Zealand (INZ), the south seas country is seeing huge increases in the number of people from the UK successfully applying for a working holiday visa.
The visa allows young people to live, work and travel in the country for up to 23 months and figures for successful applications from January-May this year are up 12.8 per cent on the same period in 2012.
According to INZ, more than 4,400 people from the UK were granted a working holiday visa in the first five months of 2013, with many more expected to apply during the notoriously busy summer months – with August/September being the period when most applications are made.
New Zealand’s working holiday visa allows UK residents between the ages of 18-30 to work in a variety of jobs during their stay in the country, including skilled employment. The visa is valid for up to 23 months, although you can only work for 12 months. The application process for the visa is very straight forward and can be approved within just three days when submitted online.
Some of the job opportunities on offer include:
Organic farm work
Visitors can live and work for free with Willing Workers on Organic Farms (WWOOF). Workers generally do not receive financial payment but the host provides food, accommodation, and opportunities to learn, in exchange for assistance with farming or gardening activities and hands-on experiences, such as earth building, cooking, wine, cheese and bread making. See www.wwoof.co.nz
Conservation jobs
There are hundreds of on-going conservation jobs throughout the country, which can be joined at any time during the year. Projects range from helping in Wellington Zoo to being a hut warden in one of New Zealand’s National Parks or restoring the country’s historic beaches. See www.conservationvolunteers.org.nz
Ski instructors
New Zealand has 11 commercial ski fields across the North and South Islands from Mt Ruapehu in the North (the country’s only skiable volcano) to Wanaka in the South. The season runs from June-October but there are still opportunities available for anyone looking for a last minute job as a ski instructor. See www.nzsia.org/ski/careers/employment-in-nz
To apply for the visa, see www.newzealandnow.govt.nz.
