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The New Zealand working holiday visa scheme has been expanded to include the Philippines. From 5th February 2014, 100 young Filipinos aged between 18 and 30 have been able to spend a year working and holidaying in New Zealand each year. The agreement is a reciprocal one so 100 New Zealanders will be able to spend a year in the Philippines as well.
Young Filipinos will be able to work to support themselves while they are in New Zealand and, if they do three months seasonal work in the horticulture or viticulture sector, they will be able to extend their stay for a further three months on top of the usual one year period.
New Zealand is a remote country in the Pacific Ocean renowned for its beauty. It is roughly the same size as the UK but has a population of only 4m compared to the UK's 63m. It has beautiful beaches in the north, snow-capped mountains in the south and is full of unique wildlife.
Eligibility criteria
To qualify, Filipino applicants must- Be aged between 18 and 30
- Have a passport valid for at least three months beyond the end of their proposed trip
- Have a return ticket to their homeland (or funds to cover the cost)
- Have a degree (has to have been at least a three year degree level course)
- Speak and understand English to a level that is assessed at least at ' functional'
- Have a minimum of NZ$4,200 in their bank accounts at the time of application to show that they can support themselves in New Zealand
- Take out health insurance to cover themselves in New Zealand
Working holiday visa holders may not bring their children with them on their trip. They must be able to show that they have no criminal record and a clean bill of health.
The inclusion of the Philippines in the New Zealand working holiday scheme brings the total number of countries included in the scheme to 41.
Other countries
Other countries that are part of the scheme are;
| Argentina | Austria |
| Belgium | Brazil |
| Canada | Chile |
| China | Czech Republic |
| Denmark | Estonia |
| Finland | France |
| Germany | Hong Kong Special Administrative Region |
| Hungary | Ireland |
| Israel | Italy |
| Japan | Korea |
| Latvia | Malaysia |
| Malta | Mexico |
| Netherlands | Norway |
| Peru | Poland |
| Singapore (work exchange programme) | Slovakia |
| Slovenia | Spain |
| Sweden | Taiwan |
| Thailand | Turkey |
| United Kingdom | United States of America |
| Uruguay | Vietnam |
Rules vary
Please note that the rules of the scheme vary significantly from country to country. Nationals from some countries can use the scheme until they are 30, others until they are 35.There are also different levels of funds required for citizens of different countries. Applicants from most countries do not need to have university degrees.
In practice, because of the requirement that Filipinos should have a degree, it is unlikely that they will be able to apply for a working holiday visa until they are at least 21.
Caps for most countries
There is a cap on the number of working holiday visas that can be issued annually to citizens of most countries.There is no cap on the number of visas that can be issued to UK citizens. UK citizens can also stay for up to 23 months.
If you would like to apply for a visa WorkPermit.com can help. WorkPermit.com is a specialist visa consultancy with 25 years of experience dealing with visa applications. We can help with a wide range of visa applications to your country of choice. Please feel free to contact us for further details.
