Home > Our Publications > New Zealand Outlook > 2000 > August

By Lawrence Johnston

DESPITE the increase this year in the number of places the New Zealand Government is making available for the Working Holiday scheme, people don't seem to be leaving it to chance. That is if the experience of the Irish quota is anything to go by.
So popular does the scheme remain among the Irish people, that 250 of the places available to them were already snapped up in the first fortnight.
It had been thought that a quadrupling to 1,000 in the number of places available this year for Irish people, would mean less of a scramble than usual for places. As it turned out, the eagerness of the Irish to experience New Zealand life, meant that the equivalent of the previous year's quota went quicker than ever.
As Jan Clark chief migration officer at New Zealand House in London says: "The impression we've had from the honorary consuls is that they've had many more people asking about the scheme than before."
Nevertheless, the increased quota means there are still 750 places to be filled by Irish people.
Their eagerness could be a pointer to how quickly the increased quota of 8,000 places available to UK applicants will go when the UK scheme opens on September 1.
The scheme's popularity meant that last year the first in the queue on the opening day, arrived at 3.30 am, more than four hours before the doors of New Zealand House in London opened. At one stage there were 200 people in the queue.
This time, the doubling in the UK quota makes it unlikely that anyone who wants a working holiday visa will miss out, provided they meet the necessary criteria.
Last year it wasn't till February that the New Zealand Immigration Service ran out of places and by then the number of applicants had slowed, so the increased quota means there is no need for a mad rush at the start and queuing up.
Jan Clark says the heartening thing about the increased quota is that the immigration service won't have to turn eligible people away.
"In the past the scheme has tended to be well over subscribed, leaving us with a long list of people who say they want to go next time," she says.
The scheme enables people aged between 18 and 30 without children to work in New Zealand for up to a year and for young New Zealanders to work overseas under reciprocal agreements.
UK citizens in that age group can apply, but are only allowed to go via the scheme once in their lifetime.
A valid British passport and the correct fee of £30 sterling, which could change subject to the fluctuating exchange rate, must accompany an application. Though cash, a bank draft or postal order are acceptable, personal cheques and credit cards are not.
Those who are not applying by visiting New Zealand House also need to send in a completed working holiday application form.
Successful applicants need to provide evidence of their return or onward travel ticket. Also, on arrival in New Zealand they need to have a minimum of some NZ$4,200 in funds for living expenses, though they don't need to have already mustered that sum by the time they apply.