A Working Holiday in New Zealand

By Rhiannon Williamson
 
Even if you've never been to New Zealand you're probably already aware of what a stunning nation it is. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy was filmed in New Zealand because of its stunning and untouched, dramatic landscapes, and film and television producers who want to capture fabulous scenery have often chosen the nation because of the backdrop it offers them.

Unsurprisingly New Zealand has an incredibly successful tourism industry as a result! Adding to the benefits of taking a vacation in New Zealand are the facts that you can ski, sunbathe, mountain hike, bike, fish, sail, dive or take in a wealth of historical and cultural highlights as well! It's a nation with so much to offer and it is becoming a must visit destination on the global tourism trail.

The only trouble with New Zealand is that it is the remotest place on earth! Unless you live in Australia it is hardly 'local' to you, and so getting to New Zealand is an adventure in itself. A result of this very fact is that anyone planning a vacation tends to plan an extended holiday that gives them sufficient days to see the delights of both the North and the South islands.

Another way around the dilemma of time and distance is to do as Rhys Thomas has done and take a working holiday in New Zealand. On a career break from his job as a teacher in the UK, Rhys decided to travel to Australia and vacation there for eight weeks before taking up a position on a cattle station in New Zealand and working to earn spending money before taking weekends and days away to explore the delights of New Zealand.

Rhys negotiated a fair package with his employer who has taken on many such vacationing workers for up to six months at a time. With his visas in order and a thirst for adventure fuelling his decision to travel, Rhys journeyed 'down under' from the UK and has been enjoying his time working and exploring so much that he is reluctant to now come home!

That's the one downside of taking a working vacation in a country of such fabulous contrasts as New Zealand, when the time comes to leave, you may find it hard to say goodbye! The best way to plan a working vacation in a nation such as New Zealand is to get your tourism visa in order and travel to the nation in question and actively seek temporary work. Certain nations offer specific visa classes for those who want to travel and work temporarily. Contact the consulate of the nation to you want to visit and ask for full details about which visas are available to you.

The more open minded you are about the type of work you will undertake, the more likely you are to secure employment that will fund your adventures.

Rhiannon Williamson writes about living and working abroad, to read more about living and property in New Zealand as well as getting jobs in New Zealand visit her site ShelterOffshore.com 
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rhiannon_Williamson

What to Think About When Applying For New Zealand Working Holiday Visa

By Jo Alelsto 
 
New Zealand, located across the continent of Australia, is a relatively small, rugged but very scenic and tranquil nation. It's just about three hours by plane from Australia, and has a population of around 4 million people. The country's European settlers began to settle here in 1642, and today compose the majority of residents. The Maoris, or New Zealand's indigenous people, currently compose around 11% of the total population, and the rest are either Asian or Pacific islanders. It offers one of the highest living standards in the developed world, and has a thriving agro-industrial economy. Those who wish to travel and work in this lovely part of the South Pacific may now be able to do this, through applying for a New Zealand Working Holiday Visa.

The country remains an integral part of the British Commonwealth, and has strong cultural and economic ties with the United Kingdom. In this part of the world, apple trees, sheep, kiwi fruit, olives and grapevines are common sights, and the landscape has a tranquil English countryside feel. New Zealand has three major cities. Auckland, located in the North Island, has a population of almost a million residents. Located in the North Island is the city of Wellington, which is the nation's capital, and situated across the Cook Strait in South Island is Christchurch, which is the nation's largest city. It has a population of 300,000 and is famous for resembling an ornate English town complete with elegant stone buildings, wide green gardens and a lovely river that cuts through the city's central commercial district.

Living costs in this country are relatively lower compared to the United States or Canada; however the wages are a bit lower than those two nations. The economy here thrives around agriculture, the services sector, and the farming/mining industry. For those wishing to travel and work at the same time, the most common visa issued to these types of travelers is the New Zealand Working Holiday Visa (WHV). This work and travel visa is however, only limited to persons who live in countries that have reciprocal arrangements with New Zealand. Among the nations that have this arrangement with New Zealand are Canada, Argentina, Chile, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Ireland, France, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, USA, Uruguay and the United Kingdom.

In order to qualify for a New Zealand Working Holiday Visa, the residents of the following countries mentioned earlier need to be between 18 and 30 years old, are able to prove that they have access to sufficient funds to support themselves while in the country, do not have any dependent children with them while traveling, have not yet experienced working in New Zealand before, and can show evidence of adequate medical insurance for the duration of their visit. To legally work here, travelers also need to apply for an IRD number from the country's Inland Revenue bureau, for taxation purposes. In order to get an IRD number, all you need to do is to download and fill up the application form from the IRD Website and send these to the New Zealand Inland Revenue office. You may also download an IRD form while overseas. In addition, some of the nation's employers may require that you directly open a bank account, for the proper delivery of your salary and other temporary benefits. Although some banks here are quite wary of allowing foreigners to open a bank account, showing your working holiday visa and explaining that you are here for a year would help speed up the process.

Jo is a writer for 'Visas for Australia' (http://www.visasforaustralia.co.uk), one of the world's foremost visa authority that has a devoted sub team that processes New Zealand working holiday visa. If you are going to travel and apply for a New Zealand Working Holiday Visa or if you want to feel the excitement and ecstasy of staying in Australia then you should have a look at Visas for Australia.   Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jo_Alelsto