New Zealand Working Holiday Visa
A Working Holiday Visa (WHV) allows young people (under 30) to travel and work temporarily in another country, with short-term employment to help fund their adventures.
As a Malaysian, I am able to apply for a working holiday visa for only two countries: Australia and New Zealand. In the end, I decided on the Australian visa because of the flexibility of timeline (valid for 1 year vs 6 months) and the similar costs. I also heard that the New Zealand application is extremely competitive.
Below, I’ve shared the resources I gathered during my research. There were considerably more resources for the Australian visa compared to the New Zealand one so I apologize in advance! Hope it helps :)
New Zealand WorkingHoliday Visa
Google Doc version (as of Jan 2025)
Useful links:
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/visas/visa/malaysia-working-holiday-visa
https://meowtainpeople.com/new-zealand-working-holiday-malaysia/
https://www.wanderingjournal.com/new-zealand-working-holiday-visa/
Application opening date: typically February
Regularly check the official site. Application is extremely competitive, so be prepared down to the second. (2024 application started on 8th February, 10am New Zealand time)
(80% of applications processed within 2 weeks)
Length of stay: 6 months
Quota: 1150 Malaysians / year
Cost:
Application fee: NZD 455 (~ RM1200 / 290 USD)
Proof of savings: NZD $2,250 (~ RM 5900 / 1500 USD)
Conditions:
Work for up to 6 months (can’t accept a permanent job)
Study or train for up to 6 months in total
You must enter New Zealand within 12 months of the date your visa is granted.
Leave and enter New Zealand as many times as you want.
You must apply for entry permission when you arrive in New Zealand (check above link)
You need a New Zealand bank account and IRD number to pay tax
You must leave New Zealand before your visa expires
To be eligible to apply for an extension, you need to have done seasonal work in the viticulture or horticulture industries for a total of 3 months
