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New Zealand Travel Tips & Questions

What type of job can you expect to get in NZ?

Once armed with a working holiday visa you are legally able to work in New Zealand which not only helps you make your travel funds stretch further but can also gain you invaluable work experience.

The following are the most common types of jobs for New Zealand visitors but there are plenty more.

Food and beverage industry – While the majority of job posts for those on working holiday visas tend to be big city based the entire country is packed with cafes, bars, eateries and restaurants. This means if you prefer to be away from the urban bright lights you can probably find something to suit here. Roles include waiting tables, kitchen assistants, dishwashers, cleaners, baristas, bar workers and chefs. Many of these are open to non-qualified staff although chef and barista roles will usually require you to have some prior experience or qualification. These roles can typically be found year round but numbers of staff needed rises significantly in the high tourist numbers summer months.

Hospitality – Encompassing the food and beverage industry, hospitality jobs are also those which are found in hostels, campsites, hotels and other holiday accommodation provision places. Typical roles are receptionists, cleaners and porters.

Au pairs and nanny roles – Besides some aspect of child care this type of role varies considerably regarding what duties you will have. The majority of roles are live-in which generally means free accommodation and food and the wonderful aspect of being part of a welcoming Kiwi family.

Construction – Although this type of work is possible without any former experience anyone with any skills or qualifications is going to sail easily into a job as construction has a skill shortage in New Zealand.

Picking – One of the most popular choices for New Zealand visitors, the picking industry based around orchards, farms and vineyards offers a variety of roles which includes both indoor and outdoor positions. The most common role is picker but there are also packing, managerial roles and more. This type of work can be found year round in New Zealand but there are exceptionally busy periods depending on the product in question and which part of the country you are in.

Farming – There is no single bigger industry in New Zealand than that of farming so, if this type of role interests you, you should have no trouble landing a job. Roles include general farmhand, milking, caring for livestock and buildings maintenance.

Ski field work – Obviously highly dependent on season, this work area includes roles as diverse as instructor to ski-lift operators. Jobs tend to come with a variety of perks such as lift passes and heavily discounted equipment hire and may even throw in free accommodation.