anyone done a working holiday/travelled in New Zealand?

mr tommo

mr tommo

mr tommo

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Ok so I feel abit stupid starting this thread. Originally I wanted to do Vancouver but having spoken to the immigration people, a working holiday visa is no longer available for this year. I was hoping for extra spaces to come available this summer but they have confirmed that due to ridiculous amounts of applications this year that this wont be happening as they already have people ready to jump at cancellations.

So, while I can't do Canada me and the GF want to ddefinately go ahead with this. It all depends on us being able to put a couple of things on hold but it is looking likely at the moment.

We want to go to New Zealand and take up the Working Holiday Visa. The earliest we could leaver would be September and we plan to work and travel over there, being almost totally dependant on wages earned while there. This may be fruit picking and living at camps at time to save up and experience new things. Which we really don't mind and even though it may sound like a fairly rubbish job we want experiences from the trip.

Would be planning on going from Septemper - April.

Just wondered if anyone had done this or travelled around New Zealand and can share your own experiences of the country/areas.

*Even if you've only been on holiday there any info would be helpful :)

I've checked with the Visa and we are both eligable and both have the amounts needed in our bank for arrival in the country.

Once we have spent some time in NZ we plan to visit Fiji, Oz & Thailand - depending on finances.
 
My cousin has recently done this, i think shes 26 (its bad i know).
She went to a farm to work for 3 months i believe, where she did some pretty crazy stuff, a number of bungy jumps, going round forests in a rhino buggy. I cannot remember the exact areas she went to but after New zealand she did the same in Australia and i only hear positive things about the hole trip. She found work on a lot of farms over there mainly i think as the farm she stayed at had a lot of useful contacts, as long as you have enough cash i would say go for it, i plan to do it once i leave school :)

Hope this helps

Thanks
 
Do you know where you want to go and are looking for opinions on these areas or do you not have anything specific in mind and want suggestions? North and/or South Island?
 
The problem is going to be the availability of employment - difficult to guage it until you are out there, difficult to fund yourself once there without work..
 
Where to go, way of life, cost of living, must see/do, best area to stay as a base etc?

I understand it's impossible for anyone to tell me how easy I will find a job but with it being a totally new country, a few basic pointers from past experience would probably help a great deal. Things like how much it cost to live and earnings etc.

I don't particulalry know what i'm after with regards to what information I want but everything helps. If I was off the australia the information seems readily available but I'm a little apprehensive about going to such a small country.

I know I went through all this in the Canada thread yesterday but that info was massively useful and if I was eligible for the visa I'd be heading there full of useful info.


Edit : I'd have enough to fund myself for a couple of months at the most (£2000), if I couldn't get work then I'd end up coming home and just settle for it being an extended holiday and cut my losses. I don't really want to use my savings though.

Did you look for work properly while in Oz fox?
 
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I didnt, no, but my girlfriend did (The 6 weeks before I went out) and found nothing at all, so we decided not to bother and just make it a long holiday. Annoyingly she only found it fruitless after I paid for and thus wasted a working travel visa :(
 
[FnG]magnolia;16372121 said:
...I just wanted to point out that NZ is larger than the UK, albeit with a fraction of the population.
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:p

@OP - I don't think I'll be of much use. My own experience of migrating included bringing family and looking for long term work.

I hear there is a bit of seasonal work available but the number of workers able to obtain a temporary work permit has been drastically reduced over the last couple of years. You may want to check out a dedicated forum for a properly informed response though. They speciallise in long term stays, but you might find the answers you're looking for. A colleague used http://www.move2nz.com/.

For places to visit - I recommend you visit Marbourough and travel down the West Coast for some amazing pics. Wanaka and Queenstown are tourist traps, but well worth a weekend if you have the funds. Visit Hanmer Springs for the thermal pools and Kaikora for the seals, surfing and whales.
 
[TW]Fox;16371338 said:
The problem is going to be the availability of employment - difficult to guage it until you are out there, difficult to fund yourself once there without work..
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This been in Australia and I personally know of 5-7 people who have been over there and not fuond any work at all. These are the sort of people who did go out looking for work and literally found nothing. As people I just know from the job/casual mates I think I must know of another 15 people who never got work out there. NOt sure who hard they tried mind:p

Work is far more difficult to find in NZ then in say Oz and if you earn the AUD it fares good with other currenicies at teh moment. Just my 2 c worth :)
 
Cybergangster said:
:p

@OP - I don't think I'll be of much use. My own experience of migrating included bringing family and looking for long term work.

I hear there is a bit of seasonal work available but the number of workers able to obtain a temporary work permit has been drastically reduced over the last couple of years. You may want to check out a dedicated forum for a properly informed response though. They speciallise in long term stays, but you might find the answers you're looking for. A colleague used http://www.move2nz.com/.

For places to visit - I recommend you visit Marbourough and travel down the West Coast for some amazing pics. Wanaka and Queenstown are tourist traps, but well worth a weekend if you have the funds. Visit Hanmer Springs for the thermal pools and Kaikora for the seals, surfing and whales.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that, insights into places like you mention to visit are really helpful. Going to buy a couple of guides on Oz and NZ today and have a good read of both of them. Decided that we will be going in Jnuary as its the earliest I can afford to go without dropping work into it.

divaboy said:
This been in Australia and I personally know of 5-7 people who have been over there and not fuond any work at all. These are the sort of people who did go out looking for work and literally found nothing. As people I just know from the job/casual mates I think I must know of another 15 people who never got work out there. NOt sure who hard they tried mind:p

Work is far more difficult to find in NZ then in say Oz and if you earn the AUD it fares good with other currenicies at teh moment. Just my 2 c worth :)
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I know of 2 people there at the moment, one walked straight into a diving instructor role without previous experience (lucky git!) and the other who is unable to hold down a job for more than a couple of week in the Uk never mind the other side of the world. He has ad a few jobs, restaurants and bars and failed to hold down any of them.

Im pretty open to both, just thought that NZ was a more scenic country with nicer landscapes different things to see compare to Australia. Not really though about currencies to be honest with you, would the AUD be better to earn than the NZ$ :confused:?
 
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mr tommo said:
Thanks for that, insights into places like you mention to visit are really helpful. Going to buy a couple of guides on Oz and NZ today and have a good read of both of them. Decided that we will be going in Jnuary as its the earliest I can afford to go without dropping work into it.



I know of 2 people there at the moment, one walked straight into a diving instructor role without previous experience (lucky git!) and the other who is unable to hold down a job for more than a couple of week in the Uk never mind the other side of the world. He has ad a few jobs, restaurants and bars and failed to hold down any of them.

Im pretty open to both, just thought that NZ was a more scenic country with nicer landscapes different things to see compare to Australia. Not really though about currencies to be honest with you, would the AUD be better to earn than the NZ$ :confused:?
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a lot better currency mate , Australia is a huge place and if time it right it doesn't have to be full of Uk backpackers. I had the time of my life there on the west coast and up in darwin. And then used the money I earnt to travel down the East coast as a "holiday for 3 weeks"

Never been to NZ but from I have been told the economy is on its knees and the currency is **** compared to the AUD if you want go travelling with the money you have earnt in said country.

Again don't let me put you off NZ I was planning going there but I met a girl blah blah so the NZ plans got shelved. Just giving you a alternative :)
 
No its good to hear both sides of the story.

I bought a fairly hefty New zealand guide book today to just get to know the place a lot better. I know a lot of people head to Australia and not so many go to NZ so its quite hard to get information.

How necessary is bar experience when working behind a bar? I have none but I've always fancied myself as a bit of a Tom Cruise in the film Cocktail :o

Surely it wouldn't be that difficult to get the hang of it? Or are my chances slim with zero experience?
 
I traveled through NZ for a month back in 2006.

Best place I have ever been to, though work was not on my mind.

Friendliest people I have ever met will never forget it. I want to move there one day.
 
Good to hear. Similiar to everything I'ce read about the place, nobody seems to have a bad word to say.

Where abouts did you visit? How much was accomodation?
 
mr tommo said:
No its good to hear both sides of the story.

I bought a fairly hefty New zealand guide book today to just get to know the place a lot better. I know a lot of people head to Australia and not so many go to NZ so its quite hard to get information.

How necessary is bar experience when working behind a bar? I have none but I've always fancied myself as a bit of a Tom Cruise in the film Cocktail :o

Surely it wouldn't be that difficult to get the hang of it? Or are my chances slim with zero experience?
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I worked in bar and bottleshops, the latter are far better , better money and easier work.

Why not take up a bar job in UK earn some money and then you have exprience as well. Thats what I do worked a treat. :)
 
Both me and my gf found jobs quite easily when we went to NZ and worked there for 6 months. We had loads to choose from. She ended up working for the council. I ended up working in the accounts department in a multinational law firm.

Also, my brother went out and got work at the uni pretty easily. I don't understand how people are finding it difficult to work there.
 
Slinkie said:
Both me and my gf found jobs quite easily when we went to NZ and worked there for 6 months. We had loads to choose from. She ended up working for the council. I ended up working in the accounts department in a multinational law firm.

Also, my brother went out and got work at the uni pretty easily. I don't understand how people are finding it difficult to work there.
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How long ago was this ? :confused:
 
One thing you MUST know.

If you want to travel about, you will either have to get buses, or buy a car. You can get a cheap car out there then sell it afterwards. Loads of people do this and it really is the only way to do it if you want independence.

I visited pretty much everywhere and went on a Stray bus - http://www.straytravel.com/

Just stayed in the backpacking accommodation which was cheap at the time, about a tenner a night and always clean.

Just make some time for the best little town in he world, Queenstown.
 
divaboy said:
I worked in bar and bottleshops, the latter are far better , better money and easier work.

Why not take up a bar job in UK earn some money and then you have exprience as well. Thats what I do worked a treat. :)
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what's a bottleshop?

I was thinking it may be an idea to get a bit of experience here before I go preferably before the busy Christmas period as I don't want to be working over Christmas.

Slinkie said:
Both me and my gf found jobs quite easily when we went to NZ and worked there for 6 months. We had loads to choose from. She ended up working for the council. I ended up working in the accounts department in a multinational law firm.

Also, my brother went out and got work at the uni pretty easily. I don't understand how people are finding it difficult to work there.
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did you have decent qualifications to land those jobs? I would be happy with picking kiwis if it paid for me to travel a bit more and then work in another place!
 
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