Thousands Of Workers On The Way For Summer

Thousands of working holiday makers overseas now have new visas and are set to bring key skills to the New Zealand economy over the next three months, after the Government took action to extend the visas of offshore working holiday makers, Immigration Minister Michael Wood has announced.

“All the new visa holders will have open work rights, can work in New Zealand for 12 months with multiple entry rights and must be in New Zealand by 31 January, 2023,” Michael Wood said.

“Our government recognises the crucial part working holiday visa holders’ play in the New Zealand economy. We need their skills here to meet demand in industries like tourism, hospitality, agriculture, horticulture.

“We are doing everything we can to make New Zealand an attractive place to visit and work in an internationally competitive market for labour.

“Our move to give these working holiday makers new visas comes after we have extended visas by six months for working holiday holders who are already in New Zealand.

“We’ve also doubled the Working Holiday Scheme caps with a one-off increase to recognise the spots that were unused last year due to the border restrictions.

“Take-up for the new spots has been swift with many schemes filling up only hours after opening.

“The working holiday scheme changes are part of our plan for re-opening the country. The quick and positive response we are getting from visa holders and those who are applying for visas show that people want to come here.

“New Zealand has a lot to offer and I know that businesses in key sectors will welcome these workers warmly,” Michael Wood said.

Over 34,200 working holiday visa applications have been approved, with 14,400 visa holders arriving in New Zealand since borders reopened.

Working Holiday Scheme (WHS) visa holders offshore now have more time to travel to New Zealand after being granted new visas. The new visas give the visa holder a further three months to enter New Zealand. WHS visa holders offshore have until 11.59pm, 31 January, 2023, New Zealand summer time, to be in New Zealand.

All new visa holders will have open work rights (excluding permanent work) and can work in New Zealand for 12 months from their first arrival. Their new visas will allow them as a visa holder to make multiple entries in and out of New Zealand.

The new visas for offshore holders were part of a series of changes for WHS visa holders, announced in August 2022. The changes help increase access to working holiday makers already in New Zealand, and those looking to travel to New Zealand:

· extending the visas of working holiday makers already in New Zealand with visas expiring between 26 August 2022 and 31 May 2023 by 6 months

· doubling the Working Holiday Scheme caps with a one-off increase to recognise the spots that were unused last year due to the border restrictions.

o The capped Working Holiday Schemes that still had open spaces, had their caps doubled on 8 September 2022, and remained open.

o The capped schemes that had already filled and closed, began re-opening with extra places available from 8 September, and will all have re-opened by early December 2022. This will ensure each country gets the benefit of this year’s allocation.

ENDS

Media contact: Travis Mills - 021 865 714

© Scoop Media