Working Holiday Scheme agreements allow visa holders from 45 different countries to come to New Zealand to visit, work, or study.
31 countries have an annual quota and 14 other countries have no cap.
In 2019, almost 60,000 people were granted Working Holiday Visas.
Initial deferral
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the New Zealand Government deferred the opening of capped WHV schemes. The Government will continue to defer the opening of all capped Working Holiday Schemes. These include:
- Capped schemes that were due to open from 9 April 2020 to 17 September 2020 (previously deferred)
- Estonia, Hong Kong, Slovenia, Spain, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Luxembourg, South Korea, Taiwan, China, Malta, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, Croatia, Peru, Brazil, Argentina.
- Capped schemes due to open from October 2020 to March 2021
- Chile, Uruguay, Singapore, Israel, Lithuania, Malaysia, Philippines, Latvia, Poland, Czech Republic, Portugal, Mexico
When will these reopen?
This decision will be reviewed in 2021 as the pandemic evolves.
Can I apply if my scheme is uncapped?
Uncapped WHV schemes remain open but only to people currently in New Zealand. Uncapped WHV schemes are available to citizens of Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, United States of America, Ireland, Sweden, Japan, Norway, Finland, United Kingdom, Belgium.
What if I have a Working Holiday Visa already? Can I enter New Zealand?
If you hold a WHV but have not yet travelled to NZ, you are unable to do so at the moment, unless you meet the requirements for a border exemption.
We understand many people are concerned that their activation date will lapse before they can travel. Unfortunately, the Government has given no indication of whether they would extend the entry date to those visa holders whose Working Holiday Visa was granted offshore.
