Foreigners can migrate to New Zealand for employment-related reasons under a wide variety of visas. These are designed based on the abilities, the age and the qualifications of the applicant, the type of employment contract (long-term contracts or seasonal work), for highly skilled persons and other important aspects related to employment.
The immigration legislation available here also provides visas for young persons. Individuals who are considered young (with an age below 35 years old) can apply for the New Zealand Holiday Work Visa, which is a type of visa that provides the right of working here for a limited period of time, while also visiting the country or friends and family, as the case may be. When applying for this visa type, the person will also receive a short-term stay New Zealand residence permit, covering the duration of the visa.
Although this document has the same eligibility criteria for all the applicants, specific differences may appear based on the nationality, and this is why we invite you to receive legal assistance on this matter from our immigration lawyer in New Zealand.
Foreigners who will be moving from USA to New Zealand under the holiday working program must know that the New Zealand authorities provide an unlimited number of visas that can be issued for American nationals.
For other nationalities, this visa type can be capped to a maximum number of participants per year. Regardless of the nationality, all accepted applicants must have a minimum of NZ $4,200.
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Who can apply for the New Zealand Holiday Work Visa?
The right of applying for a New Zealand Holiday Work Visa is available for certain countries with which the local authorities have signed agreements on this matter. This type of visa can be used as a way to migrate to New Zealand for a determined period of time and was created with the purpose of offering the right of obtaining an income while living in the country for visiting purposes. The visa can’t be used for permanent relocation in this country or for obtaining New Zealand citizenship.
The New Zealand Holiday Work Visa can be used for developing a seasonal work activity, such as working in the hospitality industry, but it is also available for those who want to work here in a field which is related to their degree. The applicants must meet a set of requirements, such as:
• when they immigrate to New Zealand, they must comply with the standard health requirements;
• they must also prove that they comply with the good character standards;
• it must be noted that, regardless of the nationality, the New Zealand Holiday Work Visa does not allow the right to bring your children, if the applicant has any children;
• the applicant must also have a return ticket or, if the ticket has not been yet purchased at the moment when the application is made, then he or she must have sufficient funds to purchase one;
• the applicant may have already arrived in this country under other types of visas, but not under the New Zealand Holiday Work Visa program.
What other conditions are available for a New Zealand Holiday Work Visa?
As we have mentioned at the beginning of the article, although there are a set of criteria that are the same for all nationalities, some differences may appear and these can be analyzed on the website of the Immigration Office and more information can also be provided by our immigration lawyer in New Zealand. The applicant interested in obtaining a New Zealand Work Holiday Visa should also meet the following:
• have an age between 18 years old to 30 years old;
• in the case of certain nationalities, the age criteria can be of maximum 35 years old;
• this visa provides the right of studying in this country for a period of up to 6 months;
• the applicant can immigrate to New Zealand for a period of maximum 23 months (this can vary based on the nationality and this applied to UK nationals, for instance);
• passport holders of countries such as France or the United States of America can stay here for a period of up to 12 months, which means that they will be granted with a New Zealand residence permit with a validity of 12 months also.
As a participant in this program, a foreigner will obtain temporary residency in New Zealand. For this, he or she must prepare the following:
- the valid passport;
- the visa issued for this program;
- the travel tickets (the arrival and the departure);
- the proof of paying the application fee;
- any other documents that can be requested by the immigration authorities.
Are there any tax obligations for work visa holders in New Zealand?
Yes, any person who obtains a taxable income in this country is required to pay taxes accordingly. The tax law applicable here has two main categories of taxpayers: New Zealand tax residents and non-resident taxpayers. Those who arrive here under a New Zealand Holiday Work visa will be considered non-resident taxpayers, which means that they will have to be registered for taxation if they are employed in this country.
In this case, they will have to register with the Inland Revenue of New Zealand. Considering that the foreigners’ tax residency is not in New Zealand, they will need to pay taxes only for the income obtained from taxable activities carried out on the country’s territory.
The holders of a New Zealand Holiday Work Visa can have more jobs at the same time if they want and they will need to pay taxes for all their contracts. However, as a foreign natural person, one must know that such taxes will be paid by the employer, but the employee is the one who must apply for a tax number with the above-mentioned institution.
For more information, we invite you to contact our immigration lawyer in New Zealand. Our lawyer can advise on the steps you need to take if you want to relocate here on a permanent basis and obtain the New Zealand citizenship.
We can also provide details on other types of visas, such as the investor visa in New Zealand.
