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NZ Working Holiday Visas: Country by Country

INZ lists 45 working holiday schemes. Most are for ages 18 to 30, nine are for 18 to 35, and each country's page states its own yearly cap, stay length and money requirement. Figures below are from INZ's country pages as read on 10 October 2026.

New Zealand does not run one working holiday visa. It runs a separate scheme for each country that has an agreement with it, and every scheme has its own age range, yearly cap, length of stay and money requirement. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) lists 45 of them. Searches such as "nz working holiday visa age limit" and "uk working holiday visa nz" are really asking which scheme's rules apply, and the answer is on the page for the passport you hold.

This article explains how the schemes work and sets out the age range and cap that INZ states on each country's page. It does not say which scheme a particular person can use, and it does not give the number of places left in any scheme. Those change during the year, and each INZ page also shows whether applications are open or closed at the time you read it. Where a page does not state a yearly number, this article says so rather than filling the gap.

All figures were read from INZ's country pages on 10 October 2026. Check the page for your country before you plan, because caps, ages and opening dates can change.

What a working holiday visa is, in INZ's words

INZ describes the visa this way: "Working holiday visas allow young people from recognised countries to work and travel in New Zealand, normally for up to 12 months." The visa is for people from countries that have a working holiday agreement with New Zealand. INZ says: "If your country is not listed, we cannot give you a working holiday visa."

The visa lets the holder travel, work and study. On the study side, INZ says a holder can study one or more courses for up to 6 months in New Zealand, for example English, a Study Abroad programme or a short training course. On the work side, INZ says the holder "must work for an employer under an employment contract or a contract for services. You cannot operate a business as an owner." It also says holders cannot take a permanent job. A person who wants a longer-term job needs a different visa, for example the Accredited Employer Work Visa.

Two rules matter for how a working holiday is meant to be used. INZ says the holder needs "a return ticket, or be able to pay for one", and must be "coming mainly to holiday — work or study should be secondary intentions."

One more rule applies to every scheme. INZ says: "You can only get a working holiday visa once to work in New Zealand, even if you do not use it." The UK page repeats the point: an applicant cannot apply if INZ has given them a working holiday visa before, even if they did not use it. Working holiday visas from other countries do not count against this.

Age range: 18 to 30 for most, 18 to 35 for nine schemes

INZ's overview says working holiday visas are available to young people "normally aged 18 to 30, but 18 to 35 in a select few countries." The country pages show which. As read on 10 October 2026:

  • Age range 18 to 35: Argentina, Canada, Chile, the Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Slovakia, the United Kingdom and Uruguay.
  • Age range 18 to 30: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, China, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the USA and Vietnam.

Singapore's scheme is called the Singapore Work Exchange Programme Visa rather than a working holiday visa, and Hong Kong's page asks for a resident of the Hong Kong SAR rather than a citizen. Some schemes also set conditions beyond age and citizenship. The USA page, for example, asks for a US citizen aged 18 to 30 who is also living in the USA, and INZ says that "you must be in China when you apply for the China Working Holiday Visa."

The way INZ counts the age cut-off for a given scheme is stated on that scheme's page, so read the page for your country rather than assuming the same method applies to all of them.

Yearly caps: what INZ states and what it leaves out

Many schemes limit the number of visas per year. INZ's country pages show this as a "Visas available" line giving the number each year. These are the numbers shown on 10 October 2026.

  • 15,000: United Kingdom.
  • 3,000: Korea.
  • 2,000: Spain.
  • 1,200: Czech Republic.
  • 1,150: Malaysia.
  • 1,000: Argentina and China.
  • 940: Chile.
  • 600: Taiwan.
  • 400: Hong Kong SAR.
  • 300: Brazil and Singapore.
  • 200: Israel, Mexico, Uruguay and Vietnam.
  • 100: Austria, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Thailand and Turkey.
  • 50: Luxembourg, Malta and Portugal.

For Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the USA, the INZ page header does not show a yearly number. This article therefore does not state one. If a cap matters to a plan, check the country page and INZ's current messages about whether the scheme is open.

A cap is not a countdown a reader can see. INZ says that "you can only apply when the working holiday visa for your country is open for applications" and that "if you apply before the opening date, your application will be automatically deleted." Each country page carries an Open or Closed notice. On 10 October 2026 several schemes showed as closed, including some with small caps. That status changes through the year, so treat any list that is not on INZ's own page as out of date.

Length of stay, and the two schemes that go longer

For most countries INZ shows a stay of up to 12 months. The exceptions on 10 October 2026:

  • United Kingdom: up to 12, 23 or 36 months. INZ says a person on a 12 or 23-month visa can apply for a Subsequent Work Visa to extend to 36 months. Applying for 23 or 36 months needs "extra evidence".
  • Canada: up to 12 or 23 months. INZ's overview says a holder of a 12-month Canada visa can apply to extend their stay for up to another 11 months.
  • Austria and Malaysia: up to 6 months.
  • Denmark and the Philippines: the page says "Stay for 12 months" rather than "up to".

INZ states that applications for a subsequent working holiday visa under the UK or Canadian scheme "cannot be made online" and must be made on a paper form, the Working Holiday Scheme Subsequent Work Visa application (INZ 1223).

A separate short extension exists for seasonal work. INZ's Working Holiday Extension Work Visa lets a holder who has done at least 3 months of seasonal horticulture or viticulture work stay for another 3 months. INZ's page shows a fee from NZD 800 and says only one such extension can be given. The work does not need to be continuous or for the same employer, and the extended visa has the same conditions as the original.

Fees and the money requirement

Every country page shows the application cost as "From NZD $770", with 80% of applications completed within 2 weeks. The fee finder can return a different figure for some schemes. Queried on 10 October 2026 for a Japanese citizen on the Japan scheme and a US citizen on the USA scheme, it returned NZD 100, with the note: "Citizens of Japan do not have to pay a fee or immigration levy for this application. An International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) of NZD $100 is charged and is included in the cost." The USA result carried the same wording for citizens of USA. A UK citizen on the UK scheme was shown NZD 770. Use INZ's fee finder with the passport and country of residence you will actually apply with, and read the figure it shows. The cost note on INZ's pages says the fee includes the immigration levy.

The money requirement is set per scheme. INZ shows a monthly figure for some and a lump sum for others. As read on 10 October 2026:

  • United Kingdom: at least NZD 350 a month to cover living expenses.
  • Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the USA: at least NZD 4,200.
  • Austria: at least NZD 2,250.
  • Peru: INZ's English page says normally the amount is NZD 7,000, reduced to NZD 4,200 with a successful English test.

INZ also asks for evidence of a way out. It says it may ask for "your ticket for travel out of New Zealand at the end of your stay", or documents such as bank statements showing enough money to buy one. The money for the ticket "must be in addition to what you have to live on."

Many schemes also ask for full medical insurance for the length of the stay. The pages for Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the USA list it among the requirements. The Irish and Japanese pages did not list it in the same place. Because the lists differ, the country page is the only safe check.

English language, medical and character rules

English is only tested for some schemes. INZ says a person must show they can speak and understand English for the China, Philippines, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam schemes, and "There are no English language requirements for any other working holiday visas." The proof differs. China and Vietnam require an English test. The Philippines and Turkey accept either a tertiary qualification taught entirely in English or a test result. Thailand accepts evidence of schooling in English or a test. Peru is optional, and a successful test lowers the money needed, as described above. Tests must be sat in person at a test centre and be no more than 2 years old.

Health rules depend on how long the person will be in New Zealand. For a scheme that allows up to 12 months, a person applying from outside New Zealand needs a chest X-ray if they have spent more than 3 months in the last 5 years in a country that does not have a low incidence of tuberculosis. INZ says that "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." That applies to UK and Canadian applicants who ask for longer stays. For people applying from inside New Zealand, INZ says that in most situations they must have both a chest X-ray and a general medical examination, with different rules for Austria and Malaysia. Our guide to NZ visa medicals sets out how the X-ray and examination work.

Character rules also vary by length. The UK page says that if the total time in New Zealand will be 24 months or longer, an applicant aged 17 or older must provide police certificates less than 6 months old from the countries they are a citizen of and countries they have spent more than 5 years in since turning 17. For shorter stays INZ says it will tell the applicant if certificates are needed.

Work rules since April 2026

INZ announced on 24 February 2026 that new employment conditions for open work visas would apply from 20 April 2026. For working holiday visas, INZ's announcement says they are in the group of open work visas "requiring work for an employer". The announcement says: "If you have a working holiday visa any work you do must be for an employer, as an employee under an employment agreement or a contract for services." It adds: "You cannot operate a business on a working holiday visa."

INZ also says that on any open work visa "you cannot employ other people", and that a holder cannot provide commercial sexual services or run or invest in a business that provides them. For people already doing work that was not permitted, INZ's transitional note says they "may continue until your visa expires."

The same page makes a point about seasonal work: INZ describes the main purpose of a working holiday visa as allowing visitors to holiday, with temporary work to support the stay. The visa is not a route to a permanent job. Anyone considering a move from a working holiday visa to a longer work or residence visa should read INZ's visa pages and, for questions about their own situation, speak to a licensed immigration adviser.

How to apply, and what goes wrong

INZ says all working holiday visas "must be applied for online" and that "you can only apply when the working holiday visa for your country is open for applications", with two exceptions: the UK and Canadian subsequent visas are on paper. Most schemes accept applications from any country, including from inside New Zealand, but some require the applicant to be in their home country. An online account in INZ's online services is needed first.

Several problems come up because of how the schemes are built:

  • Applying before opening. INZ says early applications are automatically deleted.
  • Arriving too late. After a visa is granted, "you must come to New Zealand within 12 months of the date your visa is issued." INZ says: "You cannot delay or cancel a working holiday visa. If you do not arrive in New Zealand within 12 months, the visa will expire, and you will not be able to apply for another working holiday visa."
  • Ticking the wrong box at the border. INZ says a person from a visa waiver country must tick the option 'I hold a temporary entry class visa' on the New Zealand Traveller Declaration. If they do not, INZ says "we may give you a visitor visa at the border, and your working holiday visa will be cancelled."
  • Passport. INZ says a valid physical passport is needed when applying and that the application "may be declined" without one.

These are process rules INZ publishes. How they apply to a particular person's circumstances is a question for a licensed immigration adviser, and the directory lists advisers who are licensed to give that advice.

Questions people ask

What is the age limit for the NZ working holiday visa?

It depends on the scheme. INZ says the visas are normally for ages 18 to 30, and 18 to 35 in a select few countries. On 10 October 2026 the 18 to 35 schemes were Argentina, Canada, Chile, the Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Slovakia, the United Kingdom and Uruguay.

How long is the UK working holiday visa for New Zealand?

INZ's UK page says up to 12, 23 or 36 months. A 12 or 23-month visa holder can apply for a Subsequent Work Visa to extend to 36 months, and the longer stays need extra evidence. INZ shows a yearly figure of 15,000 visas for the UK scheme.

Can I do a working holiday in New Zealand more than once?

INZ says a person can only get a working holiday visa to work in New Zealand once, even if they did not use it. Working holiday visas for other countries do not count against this.

How much does an NZ working holiday visa cost?

INZ's country pages show the cost as from NZD 770 with 80% of applications completed within 2 weeks. The fee finder shows the figure for a specific passport: on 10 October 2026 it returned NZD 100 (the tourism levy only) for Japanese citizens on the Japan scheme and US citizens on the USA scheme, and NZD 770 for UK citizens. Check it before paying.

Do I need a medical or X-ray for a working holiday visa?

It depends on the length of stay and where the person has lived. INZ says a stay of more than 12 months, including time on other visas, needs a chest X-ray and a general medical examination. Shorter stays depend on time spent in countries without a low incidence of tuberculosis.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-10.

Related guides

  • NZ Visa Fees 2026: The Main Visa Costs in One List — Immigration New Zealand's fee finder showed these main application costs on 9 October 2026: visitor visa NZD 441, AEWV 1,540, Fee Paying Student 850, Post-Study Work 1,670, residence under the Skilled Migrant, Straight to Residence and Work to Residence visas 6,450, and Partner of a New Zealander Resident 5,360. Each is a stated amount for the passports and places queried.
  • NZ Visa Processing Times: What INZ Publishes and How to Read It — Immigration New Zealand publishes processing times in two forms: an average wait time (50% of applications) and a most-completed-within figure (80%), in working days, updated weekly for applications processed in the last 4 weeks; and a separate 80% figure in its fee finder. On 9 October 2026 the two sources gave different numbers for some visas, so the source and date matter.
  • NZ Visa Medicals and Chest X-Rays: Who Needs Them — INZ's rules turn on length of stay, visa type and time spent in countries without a low incidence of tuberculosis. Residence applicants need both an X-ray and a medical; results must be no more than 3 months old when INZ receives the application. Read from INZ on 10 October 2026.
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  • Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV): The 2026 Rules — The Accredited Employer Work Visa is New Zealand's main employer-sponsored work visa. The job must be full-time (30+ hours), with an accredited employer holding an approved job check, and paid at least the required rate. INZ showed a fee of NZD 1,540 and 80% of applications within 5 weeks on 9 October 2026. The longest continuous stay is 5 years, or 3 years for skill level 4 or 5 jobs.
  • NZ Immigration Changes 2026: A Dated Timeline — This is a dated list of 2026 changes announced by INZ or Govt.nz, in order of effective date. Each entry says whether it is in force or still to come. Nothing here is a proposal unless it is labelled that way. Read on 10 October 2026.