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New Zealand · youth mobility

Working Holiday Visa

By · Last reviewed:

Guidance updated 10 September 2026. Full-review date shown above.

Source check: all 10 official citations reconfirmed 13 September 2026

Temporary visa for young people (18–30 or 18–35) from partner countries to work, travel, and study in New Zealand.

No sponsorship requiredDoes not lead to permanent residencyUsually 12 months; some schemes allow longer stays, including up to 23 months for Canadians and 36 months for UK citizens.
Processing time
INZ country pages currently show 80% of applications processed within about 2.5 weeks.
Government fees
Country-specific; current INZ pages for the UK and USA schemes show fees from NZD 770.
Typical duration
Usually 12 months; some schemes allow longer stays, including up to 23 months for Canadians and 36 months for UK citizens.
Sponsorship required
No
Leads to permanent residency
No
Reviewed Immigration New Zealand (INZ) ↗

In short

Temporary visa for young people (18–30 or 18–35) from partner countries to work, travel, and study in New Zealand. Guidance updated 10 September 2026. Costs, application stages and eligibility conditions are set out with their sources below.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/new-zealand/working-holiday-nz#answer

Check the New Zealand Working Holiday scheme for your passport

Nationality-specific guidance checked against INZ pages on . The live country scheme controls.

Working Holiday rules vary by passport: participation, age, quota, funds, fee and stay length are all scheme-specific. Use INZ’s country lookup before relying on the general 18–30 summary.

Example schemeAge/stayFunds/fee
UK18–35; 12/23/36 monthsNZD 350/month; NZD 770 from; 15,000 places
Germany18–30; 12 monthsNZD 4,200; NZD 770 from; insurance
Check the official INZ schemeUK scheme requirementsGermany scheme requirements

What is the Working Holiday Visa in New Zealand?

Working Holiday Visa is an unsponsored New Zealand route. Indicative government fees are Country-specific; current INZ pages for the UK and USA schemes show fees from NZD 770; indicative processing time is INZ country pages currently show 80% of applications processed within about 2.5 weeks; typical duration is Usually 12 months; some schemes allow longer stays, including up to 23 months for Canadians and 36 months for UK citizens. This route does not lead to permanent residence.

Primary guidance checked with Immigration New Zealand (INZ) on 1 July 2026.

Overview

New Zealand has Working Holiday Scheme agreements with over 40 countries, and every scheme is country-specific: age limits, annual caps, funds evidence, and maximum stay all depend on your passport. The standard age window is 18 to 30, extended to 18 to 35 for a small group of countries including the United Kingdom. Most schemes allow 12 months of work and travel; Canadians can stay up to 23 months and British citizens up to 36 months. You need at least NZD 4,200 in available funds (the UK scheme is expressed as NZD 350 for each month of stay) plus a return or onward ticket, or the money to buy one. Fees on current INZ country pages start from NZD 770, and INZ lists 80% of applications processed within about 2.5 weeks. The visa allows work for any employer, though not in a permanent role, and up to 6 months of study. Some schemes are capped - the UK scheme has 15,000 places a year, and smaller country quotas can fill very quickly after opening. Completing 3 months of qualifying seasonal work can add a 3-month extension for many nationalities.

Guidance by nationality

Specific information for applicants from these countries. Don’t see yours? The general eligibility criteria above apply to everyone.

Additional sources

Eligibility

Typical criteria

Common blockers

Typical evidence

Application pathway

  1. Check your country's scheme

    Confirm that your country participates, the age limit, and whether quota places are available.

  2. Apply online

    Submit the application via INZ's online system. INZ currently lists 80% of applications processed within about 2.5 weeks.

  3. Travel and work

    Work for any employer at any skill level. Study for up to 6 months. Travel freely.

  4. Consider extending or transitioning

    Some nationalities can extend by 3 months with qualifying seasonal work. Otherwise, transition to an AEWV or student visa before expiry.

After approval: prepare for your next step

For Working Holiday Visa, use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.

  1. 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
  2. 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
  3. 3. Confirm what you may do. Check whether employment, self-employment, remote work or study is permitted under the status granted. Do not infer unrestricted work rights from the absence of an employer sponsor.
  4. 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
  5. 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.
Official Working Holiday Visa instructionsBuild my moving plan for this routeMoving to New Zealand

Plan the practical side of your stay

Once you have checked the official route, you can prepare for day-to-day life in New Zealand. These optional services are separate from the application and do not establish visa eligibility.

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

  1. ApplyApplicant
    Check eligibility and apply online ↗

    Applicant checks their country scheme, quota, age rules, and INZ online-application instructions.

    Immigration New Zealand (INZ) · verified

Fees and processing time

A typical Working Holiday Visa application runs about NZ$770 in government fees (single applicant, UK scheme). A decision then typically takes INZ working holiday country pages, including the United Kingdom scheme, currently list 80% of applications processed within about 2.5 weeks.. Both change over time, so the dedicated pages below carry the itemised breakdown and the current official figures.

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Frequently asked questions

Who can apply for a New Zealand Working Holiday visa?+

Citizens of the 40-plus countries that hold a Working Holiday Scheme agreement with New Zealand, normally aged 18 to 30. A small group of countries has an extended 18 to 35 age window - the United Kingdom is the best-known example. You apply online, need funds for your stay and a return or onward ticket (or the money for one), and must meet health and character requirements.

How much does the New Zealand Working Holiday visa cost?+

Fees are country-specific. Current INZ country pages, including the UK and USA schemes, list the cost from NZD 770. Check the INZ page for your own country before applying, because each scheme sets its own fee and requirements.

How much money do I need for a Working Holiday visa?+

Most schemes require at least NZD 4,200 in available funds to cover living costs, and the UK scheme expresses the requirement as NZD 350 for each month of your stay. You also need a return or onward ticket, or enough extra money to buy one. Keep the funds in an account you can evidence with a bank statement.

Are there caps on New Zealand Working Holiday visas?+

Many schemes are capped. The UK scheme has 15,000 places a year, and many smaller country schemes have much lower annual quotas that can fill very quickly after opening. Check your country page on the INZ website for the quota and the next opening date, and be ready to apply as soon as places are released.

How long can I stay in NZ on a Working Holiday visa?+

Most schemes are for 12 months. Canadians can stay up to 23 months and UK citizens up to 12, 23 or 36 months. Many nationalities can also extend by 3 months if they complete 3 months of qualifying seasonal work in specified industries. Check the INZ page for your country because age limits, quotas, funds evidence, and maximum stay vary.

Can I get a Working Holiday visa for New Zealand from India?+

No. India does not currently have a Working Holiday Scheme agreement with New Zealand. Indian nationals seeking to work in NZ must use the AEWV, SMC, or other standard work visa categories.

What work and study can I do on a Working Holiday visa?+

You can work for any employer at any skill level, but you cannot take a permanent job, and you can study or train for up to 6 months in total. Many working holidaymakers use the year to line up a skilled role and then switch to an Accredited Employer Work Visa, which has no age limit.

How long does a Working Holiday visa take to process?+

INZ country pages currently list 80% of applications processed within about 2.5 weeks. For capped schemes the real constraint is quota timing rather than processing: places can go quickly when a scheme opens, so apply on the opening date if your country's quota is small.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

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How we verified this

We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.

Primary source: Immigration New Zealand (INZ)

Last checked: 1 July 2026

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