Your #1 Guide to New Zealand Working Holiday | Singapore

It started with an application for the Working Holiday Visa to New Zealand in Nov 2018. I planned to enjoy and learn as much as I could in New Zealand before moving on to another continent. The goal was to try as many unconventional jobs as I could that can’t be found in Singapore. So when the opportunity arose to take on this visa, I resigned from my relatively comfortable job in a heartbeat and flew to New Zealand.

After all, the Working Holiday Visa – nicely and strangely coined as the Singapore Work Exchange Programme – is available only to the young. You have to be under thirty.

I was supposed to be in the country for six months. Maybe less. But covid threw all that out of the window. With the pandemic ravaging beyond the shores of New Zealand, six months grew to a year, and later two years.

At a time when travel restrictions were heavily imposed, and mass lockdowns and strict regulations were in force, I was having one of the best moments of my life✨.

So here it is! A lengthy post covering visa application, accommodations, bank and tax accounts, finding jobs, and ways to get around for your transformative experience in New Zealand!

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A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.

Oliver Wendell Holmes 

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This article was first written on 12 Mar 2022. The post is updated periodically and contains affiliate links that cost nothing to you but support my blog. Cheers!

The Working Holiday Visa aka the Singapore Work Exchange Programme

The Working Holiday Visa, funnily coined as the Singapore Work Exchange Programme, allows Singaporeans aged 30 and younger a chance to travel and work in New Zealand for a year. It used to be for six months, but Jacinda Ardern’s visit to Singapore right after New Zealand lifted its border closure changed that.

You can still apply for this visa as long as you are below 31 at the time of application.

Unlike the visa offered to the youth of other countries, Singaporeans have an additional condition to meet – they have to hold a university qualification or have successfully completed the equivalent of at least 2 years of full-time university study.

Yikes, what’s that? University qualification?

Fret not my folks, if that’s you. There have been cases of Singaporeans with A level/ diploma/ ITE cert who applied and got through. University education is no longer a requisite as shown in this piece of news and also your evidence to challenge the officer. But you still must show your two years of tertiary education.

There are 300 visas up for grabs per year for Singaporeans - an increase from the previous 200. The cost has increased from NZD 245 I paid in 2018 to about NZD 420 in Mar 2024.

Unlike applicants from other parts of the world, Working Holiday visas are not popular in Singapore, so you do not have to wake up at 5 am (NZT 10 am) and be the first to apply. When I checked on the evening of 24 Mar 2024, the portal was still open for applications. Friends from Malaysia, China and Taiwan had to be competitive for their slots.

Once you have made the payment, wait for an email from the New Zealand immigration requesting your chest X-ray scan (more on this below). Your waiting time could be as long as a month, so have patience!

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What’s Next After Application?

With the payment completed and the X-ray result submitted, it is now time to daydream and make plans for your departure.

You have exactly one year to do that before your visa is forfeited.

Example: You applied in Apr 2024 and received a request for the X-ray in May 2024. After the X-ray submission, you received the evisa in your mailbox on 1 Jun 2024. You have until 31 May 2025 (one year) to enter NZ. Let’s say you flew into New Zealand on 27 May 2025. You now have a year to live in New Zealand and enter and exit as you wish until the Working Holiday Visa expires on 26 May 2026. Accumulate three months' worth of payslips from the horticulture or viticulture industries to extend another three months to 26 Aug 2026. Extending the visa cost another NZD 455 (Mar 2024).

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First Port of Call

There are four popular places to land in New Zealand – Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Queenstown.

Auckland

Auckland has the cheapest direct flight from Singapore on Singapore Airlines or Air New Zealand. You can check for your flights here.

It is also the most popular destination for most Working Holiday Makers. The city is very accessible to set up bank accounts and arrange for accommodations for the first week at least. You get to meet other Working Holiday friends in Auckland too. It is also a place to buy your (first) car.

Auckland (links to map) is at the top of the North Island.

Some accommodations to consider for the solo budget-conscious in the CBD: LyLo Auckland for their privacy pods, or Haka Lodge Auckland. These are still relatively affordable considering their location and reviews. Couples or a group of friends may look into Kiwi International Hotel or Verandahs Parkside Lodge. If not, check through some of the Facebook groups I’ll mention below to look for sharehouses.

Christchurch

Christchurch is another popular destination for WHV, especially for those who like the outdoors. As with Auckland, you could manage your administrative work, find accommodation, and purchase your car easily in Christchurch. Unlike Auckland, public transport is infrequent, but you do not have skyscrapers or crowds. 

There are direct flights from Singapore to Christchurch as well.

Christchurch (links to map) is at the centre of the South Island.

While in Christchurch, accommodations for the solo budget travellers in the CBD include Hotel Give and Urbanz. If you were to reach CHC late in the evening, LyLo is by the airport. Choosing to stay in hostels is better than hotels as you can meet other travellers easier. Besides, those cheaper hotels in CHC are older. Those in bigger groups can look into couple rooms or book the entire bunk room.

Queenstown

For those landing in Queenstown, I think you have the same idea as me. I chose to land in Queenstown to explore the most beautiful town in New Zealand before all else.

There are no direct flights from Singapore to Queenstown – you transit from Auckland.

As with Auckland and Christchurch, it is easy to set up your bank account in Queenstown. However, accommodation is expensive and scarce, since it is, after all, a top tourist destination in New Zealand. (I’ve written an article about the hostels I stayed in QT here.) Buying a car is generally not recommended in QT as the market isn’t as big as in Auckland or Christchurch.

Queenstown (links to map) is located further south, or about a six hours drive from Christchurch, on the South Island.

While in Queenstown, I stayed in Adventure Queenstown (they have a second outlet Adventure Q2), Absoloot, and Jucy now called LyLo for my first month. I returned to QT and stayed at YHA Lakefront with friends, and Haka Lodge as a couple. Nomad is also a good hostel if all the other places are booked.

Wellington

I don’t know why you would land in Wellington, except that it is the capital of New Zealand.

As with all the cities mentioned above, it is easy to manage everything in Wellington too. Getting around via public transport is convenient, and you can board the ferry from Wellington to the South Island.

Wellington is on the south of the North Island.

The Marion Hostel is an excellent place for solo backpackers in terms of price, location and reviews. There’s a Nomads in Wellington too, though I’m unsure if it’s related to the one in QT. Hotel Waterloo & Backpackers have budget rooms catered for solo and couples.

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Timing is Important

New Zealand is in the Southern Hemisphere. It is relatively close to the Antarctic – about a fortnight on a luxury cruise. As such, there are four seasons in New Zealand. 

Summer in New Zealand isn’t as hot as you imagine; some may find it cold, according to Singaporean standards – less than 25 °C on some days. Winter in the South Island can be bitterly cold at negative single digits. The transition seasons – Spring and Autumn – have large temperature fluctuations, like 5 °C at 6 am, 28 °C at noon, and 8 °C at 8 pm.

There are jobs for Working Holiday Makers all year round in New Zealand. However, winter tends to be the worst period as there are limited seasonal jobs.

The fruit harvesting period beginning in late Spring is the best time to find seasonal work in the fruit orchards and packhouses. Time yourself to arrive a fortnight earlier to find jobs.

More on jobs under a separate section below. I’ve written an article about packing tips here.

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Important Administrative Matters

Chest X-Ray

A new criterion appeared for application in 2022 when the visa was extended from six months to a year.

Under the new scheme, New Zealand Immigration sends an email requesting a chest X-ray scan after acknowledging your payment. You then visit an X-ray clinic to have that checked and reverted to the immigration.

According to those who applied, some popular X-ray clinics include SATA and Radlink. Cost ranges from SGD 50 to SGD 120 in 2022.

Ring the clinics to check their schedule, book your appointment, and understand if the clinic or you are sending the results to New Zealand Immigration.

Bank Account

Most Working Holiday Visa holders choose ANZ or Kiwibank.

I went with ANZ. Three weeks before my departure to Queenstown, I emailed ANZ indicating my interest. ANZ reverted to me the nearest location and time for my appointment in Queenstown. They also requested documents to prove my Singapore home address and photocopies of my passport and the evisa.

For the home address, use your local bank account statement or utility bill. Remember to block out sensitive information.

On the day of the appointment, ANZ in Frankton grouped the new applicants in a meeting room. We reviewed a series of PowerPoint slides, signed some forms, and received our generic nameless debit/ EFTPOS card for NZD 10 each. The staff also taught us to download and use their banking app.

I deposited whatever cash I had into the ATM and relied on the EFTPOS for all my purchases.

EFTPOS is an electronic transaction of funds at the point of sale. A function where you just tap and pay like PayWave.

You do not need a Kiwisaver. Kiwisaver is a voluntary retirement savings account, sort of like CPF. If your employer has erroneously enrolled you, have them cancel it. IRD will credit the funds into your bank account once you’ve opted out.

Apart from wiring money to your New Zealand bank account, you could tap into multi-currency cards like Revolut, YouTrip or Trust until you officially start work.
I’ve used YouTrip for my backpacking trips and saved on the conversion cost and stress of carrying excess cash. If you haven’t got yours yet, sign up for it with me here (link valid till 25 May 2024)!
There’s a new local player Trust that functions as a credit card instead of a prepaid one. This means you can cancel the card if there’s a fraudulent use without it eating into your top-up cash! Sign up for your Trust card with me (download the app and use code SURW9MK5) and enjoy additional perks!

Savings Account

If you have gone with ANZ like me, know that there are two accounts you could apply for.

Go Account is a generic account for your expenditure. It does not earn any interest or has any transaction or minimum deposit fees.

The Serious Savings Account is a savings account and carries an interest. However, withdrawing from this account comes with a penalty. You would either lose interest for the month on your first withdrawal or incur an NZD 5 penalty fee for subsequent withdrawals.

The trick is to keep what’s needed for your expenses for the month or two – if you’re working – in the Go Account and transfer the rest to the Serious Savings Account.

There must be a minimum of NZD 20 transferred into the Serious Savings Account every month to enjoy the bonus interest rate, on top of the existing base rate. If you’re afraid you might forget to transfer, arrange for a recurring transfer in the app.

Important! Make sure you have your IRD number recorded in your bank account or the highest possible 45% tax deduction will be made on your interest.

Joint Account

Some Working Holiday Makers asked about opening a joint account in New Zealand. While many of us have not done it, there were a couple who did with ANZ without opening an individual account.

Reach out to ANZ for the most updated information here.

IRD/ Tax account

The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) collects your taxes from all capital gains – income and bank interest.

You must apply for your IRD before you start working, or else it is considered illegal work. For any job you do, apart from the contract and bank account details to fill in, there is also the IRD form.

Apply for the IRD number on the day you arrive in New Zealand as your Working Holiday Visa has to be activated before you can do so.

Any wages you’ve received have taxes automatically deducted before they go into your bank account. Make sure you choose the right tax code when you fill in your IRD form. It should be M for most cases if you are doing one job only.

Additional taxes collected are remitted back to the bank account entered in your IRD account after their tax audit sometime between April and July. Check your IRD account during this period.

There is news that you may apply for IRD before flying to New Zealand by sending the following documents to [email protected]. I find the excess work tedious compared to applying it on the day you arrived.

1. Photo ID (passport)
2. Proof of address (your bank/ utility statement)
3. Evidence of a functioning bank account (point (2) can double for (3))
4. Proof of intended activity (your e-visa)
5. Form IRD 742 (application for non-resident/ offshore individual)

Tip: Store your IRD number in your phone as you’d need it for every job contract.

SIM card

Buy a SIM card from the airport, a supermarket or a dairy/ convenience store. A SIM card usually costs NZD 2. Download the app of your preferred network and choose your monthly plan.

Some popular mobile networks include Spark, Vodafone, Skinny and 2Degrees. Coverage differs for each network, with Spark offering the best coverage nationwide and Skinny with the cheapest endless data plan.

Tip: Find friends who are already there and get referral codes to enjoy additional savings. For Skinny, I remembered an NZD 20 to the referrer and an additional few GBs for the referee.

NSmen

This section discusses what our operationally ready national servicemen (NSmen) have to take note of should they max their stay in New Zealand. From April 2023, NS exit permit requirements are only required for overseas trips that are 12 months or longer. 

But, to be safe, apply for one even if you think you’re not staying for the entire year. Imagine being called up during your working holiday experience to serve your In-Camp Training (ICT). You must return to serve if you did not apply for an exit permit beforehand.

Disclaimer: I am no NSmen but someone asked and other brothers commented, so here goes:

• Apply for an exit permit, presumably here on this portal
• Attach your visa
• Get clearance/ inform your ICT commanders for ICT deferment (optional but would be nice to inform your superior beforehand)
• Might get called by MINDEF to confirm the exit permit

If you did not apply for one and were called for ICT and did not show up, you may get fined up to S$10,000.

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Places to Look for Accommodations and Jobs

The best places to look for a place to stay or jobs to work are none other than Facebook.

Join the various Facebook groups catered for New Zealand Working Holiday, and get yourself started on what to expect for your experience. Some groups I frequented as a Working Holidaymaker include the New Zealand Backpackers, the New Zealand Backpacker Jobs, and a predominantly Chinese MY Working Holiday.

I also join groups specifically created for certain small towns in New Zealand to find rooms to rent. One example is in Te Puke, where I did kiwi grading. Finding a place to stay in Te Puke was notoriously difficult during the kiwi harvest season, but a local saw my post and rented a room to me.

Facebook Marketplace is also great for car purchases or room rentals. Those living in New Zealand love to use the website Trademe to shop for cars, rental properties or secondhand goods. I’ve written a guide about buying your first car in New Zealand here.

Aside from Facebook, I also joined groups on other social networks like Telegram, Line, and WeChat to reach out to others already in New Zealand.

The backpacker board is another helpful website to check out.

It could take a couple of weeks to establish yourself in the country. It took me almost a month to find work as I arrived during a festive period. Have faith, and don’t give up. 

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Accommodation in New Zealand

There are several places to stay as a Working Holidaymaker in New Zealand. You could stay in a hostel, a sharehouse of renters, housing provided by the employers, with a local, a caravan, or your own camper.

Rentals in New Zealand are advertised as rents per week, and not per month like in Singapore. 

Hostel

I have never stayed in a hostel while working, as they do not provide the convenience and privacy I crave after a day’s work. However, if you are looking for a subsidised stay, I know some WHV who exchanged a few hours of work in the hostel for a free stay. They then spent the rest of their free time working elsewhere or exploring the country. 

Sharehouses

Sharehouses are usually owned by Asians, who have (1) either migrated to New Zealand a long time ago and hence own those properties, or (2) were once on the WHV and are now working in New Zealand and are living in rented properties.

Sharehouses are great places to meet other Asian WHV. They are also great places to get information about jobs from hosts who have hosted many others before you. 

For the two years in New Zealand, I stayed for a month in a sharehouse that was registered under Airbnb in Christchurch. Through the host, I contacted another sharehouse in Motueka, where I stayed through the pandemic and did apple packing. I stayed in another sharehouse in Christchurch twice for flower packing, and again just before I flew home to Singapore. 

Accommodations by the Employer

Some orchards or farms in the rural countryside have houses that they rent or provide for free to their employees.

In the cherry orchard I worked in at Cromwell, we lived in container rooms, fully furnished with ensuite toilets and heat pumps.

While I worked as a calf rearer in Canterbury, we stayed for free in a room with a heater, ensuite toilet and a shared kitchen.

As hops trainers in Tapawera, my partner then and I shared a caravan for seven weeks.

Living with the Locals

Rooms were hard to find during the harvest season for kiwifruit in Te Puke. The town is small but sees an influx of workers during the peak period. I posted my profile on a Facebook Group catering to people living in Te Puke and was invited to stay in a house of a local who did not advertise her rooms for a very reasonable price of NZD 120/ week. This was back in 2021.

I did the same in a small town for my lamb-rearing job.

Advertising yourself in Facebook groups specifically catered for the town connects you to the locals looking for someone to move in.

Living in Camper Cars or Vans

Are you inspired to lead the nomadic life out of a van? You can do that in New Zealand. Having an automobile designed to become your moving house saves money in the long run.

The downside is the inconvenience of finding places to wash up and power up. But the moving house, like Howl’s Moving Castle in Studio Ghibli, will open the possibility of living anywhere in the wilderness.

My partner then and I had a taste of the campervan life for our trip to the Northland. We liked it so much that we bought a camper car a few months later.

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Jobs in New Zealand

Here is a general list of seasonal jobs in New Zealand. Most farms and orchards need lots of workers during their peak season, and that is where you would want to be to earn, experience and save a bit more for your next trip.

In case you’ve jumped straight to this section wondering how to find a job, it’s under this section.

Dec – Feb (Summer)

• Cherry harvest in Central Otago
• Stone fruits harvest in Central Otago
• Blueberry harvest in Hastings, Motueka
• Mussel opening in Motueka

Mar-May (Autumn)

• Apple harvest in Tasman, Bay of Plenty (late Feb – early Jun)
• Kiwi harvest in the Bay of Plenty, mostly Te Puke (late Feb – Jun)
• Winemaking in Blenheim
• Grape harvest in Blenheim
• Beer hops harvest in Tapawera
• Carrot Harvest in Ohakune

Jun – Aug (Winter)

• Ski resorts
• Hoki with Talleys or Sealord in Motueka/ Nelson
• Citrus fruits harvest in Gisborne
• Vineyard pruning in Blenheim

Sep – Nov (Spring)

• Calf rearing around Canterbury (mid-Aug – early Oct)
• Lamb rearing around Taupo or Hamilton (Aug to Oct)
• Beer hops training in Tapawera
• Apple thinning
• Kiwi thinning
• Asparagus harvest in Ashburton
• Honey harvest

Jobs largely unaffected by the seasons

• Hospitality
• Sorting parcels/ merchandise in Christchurch
• Flower packing/ working in the nursery in Christchurch
• Fishing in the deep sea with Sealord (Nelson)
• Working in the greenhouses for strawberries, tomatoes, eggplants and cucumbers (Christchurch and Auckland)
• Cheese factory in Timaru
• Milking in dairy farms

Working with animals may require prior animal-handling experience. Another way to help with the application would be to work a week or two on farms under HelpX or Woofing before walking in with a list of good testimonies.

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Insurance

Insurance in Singapore

If you are planning to be in New Zealand for less than three months, local insurance agencies provide affordable plans to cover your stay. I usually buy from FWD. Look out for their promotions!

Insurance in New Zealand

However, most Working Holiday Visa holders max out their visa in New Zealand. That renders the local insurance coverage useless. For my two years in New Zealand, I bought my personal insurance from OrbitProtect, which covered my losses from a car burglary.

OrbitProtect, based in New Zealand, also provides short-term and long-term insurance plans for foreigners with various visas in the country – Working Holiday visas, Supplementary Seasonal Employment visas, Study visas, and Work visas.

A half-year plan costs NZD 240 for those on Working Holiday in 2021. Buying a longer plan works out to be cheaper per month. The company does not provide discounts for an extension.

OrbitProtect covers not just your travel plans to and fro Singapore and New Zealand, but also travels to Australia and the South Pacific from NZ (please clarify with them again). However, if you would like to travel beyond those places, it may be better to go with international coverage insurance from other providers like SafetyWings.

I claimed under OrbitProtect when our car was burglarized after an accident while on the highway to Kaikoura. The claim process was efficient, and they paid for all our monetary losses. That accident reinforced the importance of insurance – personal and car. I have explored more about the importance of car insurance in this new post.

International Coverage Insurance

If you happened to travel beyond the countries stated in OrbitProtect, you would have to buy international personal insurance.

While I have not tried any such insurance, a few travel nomads of mine recommended SafetyWings.

Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC)

Everyone in New Zealand, including visitors, is covered by the country’s health coverage, ACC. But coverage costs are limited and, for those on their Working Holiday, mostly related to work injuries. You are still advised to get your personal insurance to cover more than just health – against theft, disrupted travel plans or illnesses.

Car Insurance

If you buy a car in New Zealand, you must have it insured too. Check this post for the insurance to buy, and tips for purchasing your first car in New Zealand.

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Closing Note

This introductory post should be helpful to you as you plan for your once-in-a-lifetime adventure in New Zealand.

If you would like to know more about buying your first car, I’ve written about it here.

Don’t know what to bring along or how to pack your bags? I’ve also written about it here.

I have a strange habit of collating my spending overseas and have amassed two years’ worth of expenditure data to analyse. Maybe I’ll deep dive and look into that one day and update this blog too. No promises though! Ahem, the post about my expenses is finally out! Yahoo! ✨

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Checklist

Here is a checklist for what you need to do to have a fun and enjoyable New Zealand Working Holiday:

1. Apply for the visa. The new cycle opens in mid-November for Singaporeans and stays open for the whole year until all places have been snatched up.
2. Plan your departure. Fly in before the deadline, which is a year after you have received your visa.
3. Join the community. Find new friends, check out the accommodations and possible jobs to do. 
4. Buy your insurance. Estimate when you’d leave the country. Buy a longer-term plan to maximise savings.
5. Set up a bank account. Email the bank a few weeks before your departure.
6. Set up your IRD account. On the day you arrived in New Zealand.
7. Buy a car. Highly optional but very convenient. You may consider travelling with others first before buying your wheels.
8. Start working, begin exploring, and have fun in your adventure.

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More Pointers

This section contains information useful for those already in New Zealand on their Working Holiday. I’ll periodically dump new information in, so check back often.

REMINDER: Please check with the relevant authorities for the latest updates/ developments! 

Transitioning from a Working Holiday Visa to a Visitor Visa

For those already in New Zealand on the Working Holiday Visa but don’t intend to fly home ASAP after their holiday, you could continue to stay in New Zealand on the tourist visa.

That is if you do not plan to work for money anymore. If not, apply for another three months of working holiday extension by accruing three months of horticulture payslips.

Else, the visitor visa is the hack to spend another three months travelling in New Zealand.

But getting one is a bit tricky if you are already in New Zealand.

According to friends who tried during the pandemic, and information from others post-pandemic, you have to either (1) exit New Zealand (most fly to Australia) and return on a tourist visa; or (2) have a chest X-ray/ medical exam for those who have stayed for more than 12 months to be eligible for the new visa.

(2) seems too troublesome for me. (1) is what most WHV chose. You cannot hold two visas at the same time. Once your tourist visa is approved, your working holiday visa is voided. Plan wisely.

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Past Updates

This is a section for those who are interested in the transitions of the Working Holiday Scheme since covid restrictions have eased. I slotted the information below haphazardly throughout this post previously, but have since consolidated them here for your curious perusal!

Refer to this blog post on how the pandemic lengthened my visa and stay in New Zealand.

March 2022

In March 2022, the New Zealand Government reopened the Working Holiday Schemes and brought up the border opening dates for those who still held on to their Working Holiday visa.

Those who applied for the visa but couldn’t travel due to the pandemic received a new visa on 13 March. They had six months to enter the country (until 13 September).

Singaporeans who do not have the visa but want to apply could now do so on 14 June 2022. Hooray!

August 2022

The government announced another round of extensions to ease labour shortages. Those with a visa expiring between 31 Oct 2022 and 31 May 2023 will receive another six months extension. Those who had applied before the pandemic could now delay their entrance to the country from Sep 2022 to Jan 2023.