New Zealand Immigration has confirmed the 2024 reopening dates for capped Working Holiday Schemes (WHS) for various countries. Once each scheme opens, applications will be open until the quota is filled. Once the quota is filled, the scheme will close until 2025. Working holiday schemes that still have places left from 2023 will remain open until the quota is reached. The quota will then reset on the 2024 opening date.

Eligibility and criteria for working holiday visas

Working holiday visas are available to young people, usually aged 18 to 30, but 18 to 35 in a select few countries. They let you travel and work in New Zealand for up to 12 months. If you are from Canada they let you travel and work for up to 23 months, and for up to 36 months if you are from the United Kingdom.

Employment conditions

You cannot accept a permanent job offer while on a New Zealand working holiday visa. Employment conditions vary between the different countries. Check the details for your country’s working holiday visa scheme. Importantly, you need to have enough money to pay for a return ticket, and coming mainly to holiday, with both work or a short amount of study your secondary intention.

Studying and training courses

With your working holiday visa you can study one or more courses for up to 6 months in New Zealand. For example, you could study English for up to 6 months, do a Study Abroad programme for up to 6 months, or a short training course in New Zealand.

All working holiday visas must be applied for online — and only if the visa is ‘open’ for applications. In most cases you can apply for a working holiday visa from any country, including within New Zealand.

However, some schemes require you to be in your home country when you apply. For example, you must be in China when you apply for the China Working Holiday Visa.

If you apply for a Working Holiday Visa while in New Zealand you may be required to provide a medical certificate. If you plan to stay in New Zealand for more than 12 months (including time on visas other than a Working Holiday Visa), you must have a chest x-ray and a general medical examination.

If you have been granted a working holiday visa, you must activate it by arriving in New Zealand within your given timeframe. This is usually 1 year from the date it is granted. You cannot delay or cancel a working holiday visa that has been granted. If you cannot activate the visa, it will lapse. You cannot apply again for a working holiday visa if one was already granted to you.

Working holiday visas are only available in countries that have an agreement with New Zealand for working holiday visas. In 2022, the New Zealand Government and the Government of Viet Nam agreed on changes to increase the Viet Nam WHS cap from 100 to 200. Your country’s working holiday visa criteria, will tell you:

How old you have to be

How long you can stay

How much money you need to bring

any specific working criteria for your country’s arrangement with us.

Working Holiday Visa Scheme 2024

Date each scheme will open, as well as how many places are available in each scheme for 2024.