12 Ways To Find Working Holiday Visa Jobs In New Zealand
Last Updated On 6th February 2024 By Lauren | Wild Lovely World
If you’re about to start your Working Holiday Visa in New Zealand and are looking for work, then this list of the best ways to find a job for your Working Holiday Visa will come in handy!
In this post, we will look at different ways you can find a job on your Working Holiday Visa in New Zealand. There are 8 main websites that you can use to find employment, as well as 4 other methods which are worth giving a try.
How To Find A Job On Your Working Holiday Visa In New Zealand
More Inspiration For Your Trip To New Zealand 🇳🇿:
- 7 Tips For Buying A Campervan In New Zealand
- 3 Best Camping Sites In Curio Bay | The Catlins, New Zealand
- 10 Best Things To Do In Curio Bay | The Catlins, New Zealand
- Curio Bay Accommodation: 5 Best Places To Stay | The Catlins, New Zealand
- 10 Epic Glaciers To Visit In New Zealand
- 12 Best Paid Backpacker Jobs In New Zealand
- 3 Types Of Work Visas For Backpackers In New Zealand
- 16 Must-Have Apps For Van Life In New Zealand
- The Best Freedom Camping Spots In Wellington City
- Pandemic Perks: Discovering New Zealand’s Hidden Gems As A Tourist For 3 YEARS!
How Easy Is It To Find A Job On A Working Holiday Visa In New Zealand?
If you’re coming to New Zealand to start your Working Holiday Visa, then you will be pleased to hear that it is very easy to get a job at the moment. You will likely have little trouble finding work all over New Zealand in many different industries.
Labour Shortages In New Zealand
New Zealand is currently facing a worker shortage. The country has had labour shortages for years, but the problem has been exacerbated due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Because New Zealand closed its borders in March 2020, no new backpackers were allowed into the country. So there were now no new workers for many of the jobs that backpackers used to typically do to fill those labour shortages.
Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, New Zealand allowed those already in the country on Working Holiday Visas to stay with free extensions. Many backpackers did stay, but over time many people left to go travelling to other countries or return home. So the number of people available to work in New Zealand decreased due to border closures and it has still not recovered.
There are a lot of job vacancies, you should still find that you do not need to worry about finding work.
If you’ve just arrived, or are on the way soon, then welcome! I hope that this post will help you to find work while travelling in New Zealand.
The 8 Best Websites To Find A Working Holiday Visa Job In New Zealand 💻
The main way to find a job is to apply online through different websites. Many businesses will advertise on job board websites. Here I will show you the best 8 websites to find a job for your working holiday in New Zealand.
1. Backpacker Board
Backpacker Board is the top job board for backpackers on Working Holiday Visas in New Zealand. Hundreds of vacancies are posted to Backpacker Board, with multiple new vacancies added daily.
The vacancies advertised on Backpacker Board are in a variety of industries including hospitality, construction/labour, farm work, fruit picking and packing, fundraising, accommodation work and more.
Backpacker Board’s job listings layout is very basic and the filter options have much to be desired. Jobs can only be filtered by region and annoyingly not by Island, which seems a total waste to me. However, there is the option to filter by job type and by payment, which can be particularly useful. For example, you can search for jobs which are paid positions and even those that provide accommodation as well as payment. This is very useful. Unfortunately, many employers try to exploit backpackers in New Zealand by offering only accommodation and/or food as payment for labour. The ability to filter out these options will help you to narrow down the jobs that are worthwhile applying for.
Wages are included in job descriptions as well as any experience required.
You can apply for jobs directly through Backpacker Board by using the in-page contact form. You can write a small message to the employer, and provide your work visa details, name and email address. Unfortunately, you cannot upload your CV to send with your application. Many employers include an email address in the job description so that you can contact employers directly by email. By doing this you will be able to send your CV and cover letter to apply for the job.
Backpacker Board is also a good website to find secondhand backpacker cars and campervans in New Zealand. For more information on this and the best places to find vehicles for sale, check out this post: 6 Places To Find Secondhand Campervans For Sale | New Zealand
2. Backpacker Job Board
Another website to try to find work on your Working Holiday Visa in New Zealand is Backpacker Job Board. While this website does not have as many vacancies as Backpacker Board, is it still worth giving a try.
The job listings tend to be in the larger cities and populated regions of New Zealand, such as Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay and Christchurch for example. It’s possible to filter by location as well as a job category. You can find jobs available in many disciplines such as fruit picking, office work, hostels, au pair jobs, sales, tech, healthcare, retail and hospitality and more.
To apply for job vacancies on Backpacker Job Board you will need to create a free member account.
Visit Backpacker Job Board here.
3. Jora
I really like Jora for finding work in New Zealand because it makes it really easy. Jora has thousands of job vacancies advertised because it basically scours the web looking for them. Then it collates them all for you in a list so that you can see all the jobs you’re interested in one go.
While I was job hunting on my Working Holiday Visa in New Zealand, I signed up for Jora’s job alerts. Jora would email me all the jobs that matched a search term I gave, as well as similar jobs for luck. I got the alerts at a frequency that suited me, such as daily or weekly. If any took my fancy, I could click the link and be taken directly to where the job was originally advertised.
You can find vacancies on Jora in every role imaginable and in every location. You will save a lot of time because Jora will do all the searching for you across all the job sites in New Zealand. I highly recommend using Jora if you’re looking for work on your Working Holiday Visa!
4. Seek
Seek is one of the biggest online employment marketplaces in the world. The company started in Australia in 1997 and has now expanded operations to multiple countries including New Zealand.
Seek is a good place to find work in New Zealand because it is so popular for employers to post their jobs. There are thousands of vacancies available to search through on Seek.
Vacancies are easy to search for and look through, with key information showcased on the job listings page.
To apply for a job, you can email the recruiter directly using the email address provided in the job listing or apply through Seek. To apply through Seek, you must create a free account with your email address. Once registered, you will be able to apply for jobs with the click of a button. It can make applying for many jobs rapid and easy. You can also save your favourite jobs to look at later.
One downside to Seek is that the filtration options are limited. You can also search by contract type, whether full-time, part-time or casual. There is also the option to filter by pay rate (if stated). Unfortunately, not all jobs will state how much they are willing to pay their employees as this is not a primary field on Seek. But, some businesses will state the hourly rate or hourly range on their ads which is awesome.
5. Indeed
The self-proclaimed number one job website in the world, Indeed is used internationally in many countries to find jobs and New Zealand is no exception. In New Zealand, Indeed is not as popular as many other online employment marketplaces, but it is still worth trying if you’re looking to find work on your Working Holiday Visa.
To find jobs on Indeed, you need to be quite specific in your search terms. For example, you should search for the job title or industry. It is also a good idea to add a location. This can be annoying if you are open to working anywhere in New Zealand and just want to see where the available jobs are. However, due to the thousands of jobs listed on Indeed, it will be much easier to find work if you can narrow down your preferences.
In the results, many jobs state the salary details, working hours and thorough descriptions which is great.
One cool feature of Indeed is that employees can rate employers. You can see a star rating out of 5 plus written reviews from employees on what it is like to work for the company. Applicants can ask questions about the employer to current employees and see salaries and photos of the work environment. This is a really cool feature of Indeed and makes up for the fact that Glassdoor is not available (yet?) in New Zealand.
To apply for a job on Indeed, you need to make an account for free. You can upload your CV and create a profile on Indeed which makes applying for jobs easy.
6. Trade Me Jobs
One of the biggest players in New Zealand’s online space is Trade Me. The online marketplace is New Zealand’s number one auction and classifieds site. Trade Me listings include not only jobs but motors, property, services and products. It is kind of like a mix between Gumtree and eBay (neither of which operate in New Zealand). It is a good place to look for work because it is so popular with New Zealanders.
The options for searching for work allow you to put in keywords so it does not need to be a specific job title. For example, you can search for ‘couple jobs’ if you are searching as a couple and want to work together. You can also filter by category and search for work in locations all over New Zealand. There are more filters to help you search by pay and working hours.
To apply for jobs, you will either be redirected to the employer’s own application portal or you can fill out an on-page form. If you apply through Trade Me, you can upload your CV and cover letter, as well as add a message and your contact details.
You can create a free account on Trade Me that you can use to save jobs to your ‘Watchlist’. With your free account, you can also use all the other sections of Trade Me such as the buy/sell listings.
Trade Me is one of the best websites to use for finding a job in New Zealand as a backpacker on a Working Holiday Visa.
If you’re looking to buy a vehicle in New Zealand, Trade Me is also a good place to look for cars and campervans. Check out this post to learn more about where to find secondhand vehicles for sale in New Zealand.
Horticulture & Agriculture Jobs 🥝
Jobs in horticulture and agriculture are abundant in New Zealand. There is a huge demand for workers in these industries in New Zealand and the vacancies have typically been filled by backpackers.
Working in this industry can be challenging physically and mentally, but it also provides good opportunities for the backpacker lifestyle. Seasonal work allows backpackers on Working Holiday Visas to travel around the country while earning money doing a variety of jobs. The jobs are usually for a few weeks at a time and offer many hours, so you can earn quickly to allow you to get on with your travels.
Work is available in vineyards, orchards, fruit and vegetable picking and packhouses and more.
Working Holiday Visa Extension
By completing 3 months of horticulture and agriculture work on your Working Holiday Visa, then you may be eligible to apply for a 3-month extension to your Working Holiday Visa in New Zealand. This prospect makes this kind of work appealing to backpackers because they want to get an extension to their visa. For more information on how to extend your Working Holiday Visa and what kind of work counts, visit the New Zealand Immigration website.
7. Seasonal Jobs
Seasonal Jobs is the go-to website for horticulture and agriculture job vacancies in New Zealand. The job listings are usually for fruit and vegetable pickers and packers, vineyard and orchard workers, and farm labourers. However, there are other seasonal jobs listed on the Seasonal Jobs website, including housekeeping, hospitality, construction and others.
Seasonal Jobs gives information on jobs currently available all across New Zealand. You can see seasonal jobs in the South Island and the North Island and search by region. There is also information on the different regions in New Zealand and what kind of industries are common there.
The website is very basic, but keeping it simple is good. The job listings have all the information you need, including the pay rate offered and how many positions are available.
You can apply for jobs by calling or texting the numbers on the ads or sending an email to the recruiter (usually direct to the farmer/warehouse). It is also possible to apply online using the in-page contact form. You can upload a CV to send along with your application. There is also the option to log in with Facebook so your information will be remembered so you do not need to add it again to apply for another job.
Seasonal Jobs is definitely an excellent place to find a job on your Working Holiday Visa in New Zealand!
8. PickNZ
PickNZ focuses on seasonal fruit and vegetable picking jobs in New Zealand. This website is simply a job listings board, so PickNZ is simple and easy to use.
Jobs available are in vineyards, orchards, packhouses and picking. Jobs are available all over New Zealand and are listed in chronological order from the date the vacancy was posted. The jobs may also state whether they provide accommodation or transport to/from work. Within the job ads, the pay rate is listed as well as the dates to/from required to work.
To apply for jobs, you can apply directly on the website by filling out the on-page form and uploading a CV. The website is very popular with employers in the horticulture industry so it is worth trying if you are interested in this kind of work.
4 Other Ways To Find A Working Holiday Visa Job In New Zealand 💰
There are several other alternative ways to find a job in New Zealand on a Working Holiday Visa. These are Facebook groups, noticeboards, signs in business windows and word of mouth. A lot of backpackers get a job this way while on their working holiday visas in New Zealand. Here I will explain more about these 4 other methods for finding work on your Working Holiday Visa.
9. Facebook Groups
Facebook is a very popular way for employers to advertise their job vacancies in New Zealand. This is mainly because it is free to post in Facebook groups so they do not need to pay any advertising fees.
There are a few main groups for backpacker jobs in New Zealand as well as regional groups for local employers.
Employers can post job vacancies to the groups but also people looking for work can post that they are available to work in the group too.
If the group is private then you will need to request to join the group. To apply for jobs just contact the original poster.
Here are the Facebook Groups to check out and join if you’re looking for work on your Working Holiday Visa:
All New Zealand
- New Zealand Backpacker Jobs (Private group – 35K members)
- New Zealand Backpacking Jobs (Public group – 8K members)
- Backpacker Jobs NZ (Private group – 5K members)
- New Zealand Jobs – Part Time/Full Time/Permanent/Temporary (Public group – 19K members)
- Visa Sponsored Jobs In New Zealand (Public group – 51K members)
North Island
- Jobs In Northland, New Zealand (Private group – 6K members)
- Jobs In Auckland, New Zealand (Private group – 87K members)
- Jobs Available/Wanted – Hamilton & Waikato (Private group – 53K members)
- Tauranga Jobs (Private group – 38K members)
- Rotorua Jobs (Public group – 23K members)
- Jobs In Hawkes Bay, New Zealand (Private group – 24K members)
- Jobs In Taranaki, New Zealand (Private group – 12K members)
- Jobs In Wellington, New Zealand (Private group – 40K members)
South Island
- Jobs In Marlborough, New Zealand (Private group – 14K members)
- Jobs In Motueka, Richmond & Nelson, New Zealand (Private group – 15K members)
- Jobs In Nelson & Tasman, New Zealand (Private group – 22K members)
- Jobs In The Mackenzie District (Public group – 1.3K members)
- Jobs In Canterbury, New Zealand (Private group – 11K members)
- Queenstown Jobs NZ (Private group – 27K members)
- Queenstown New Zealand Job Opportunities (Public group – 16K members)
- Queenstown, Cromwell & Wanaka Jobs (Public group – 3K members)
- Wanaka Jobs (Public group – 13K members)
- Central Otago Jobs (Public group – 3K members)
- Dunedin Jobs New Zealand (Public group – 16K members)
- Christchurch Jobs (Private group – 58K members)
- West Coast Jobs New Zealand (Public group – 1K members)
As you can see, there are heaps of Facebook Groups dedicated to helping backpackers find work in New Zealand. There are way more than I have listed above so if there is a region/city you are interested in and I haven’t listed it here, then go search on Facebook and I am sure you will find it!
10. Signs In Windows
Many employers in New Zealand will put signs in their windows to say that they are looking for staff. In particular, you can find work in cafes, restaurants and shops by seeing signs on windows.
To apply for these jobs, just go into the store and ask to speak with the manager. You can take a copy of your CV with contact details to leave for them to look at and to follow up with you.
You can even try businesses that don’t have signs in the windows and just go in and see if they are looking for staff. Chances are they will be because I think every business in New Zealand has job vacancies at the moment! If you’re in an area you like, just walk around with CVs in hand and stop by all the places you would like to work. Hand out your CVs and see what happens!
11. Supermarket & Community Notice Boards
It is still very popular in New Zealand to put ads up on the notice boards in supermarkets and local community notice boards. Lots of people use these for buying/selling, services and job ads. Next time you’re in the supermarket stop and take a look at the noticeboard and see if there are any job vacancies advertised.
12. Word Of Mouth
Lastly, it is possible to find work by hearing about it by word of mouth. Although I do not agree with it so much, it is very common in New Zealand for employers to hire people because it is someone they know (family, friend or acquaintance) or by word of mouth. It is not exactly the fairest and most robust recruiting system but it is really popular in New Zealand. So, try to use this to your advantage and let anyone you meet know that you’re looking for a job. Chances are they will know someone who is hiring and will be able to put you in touch with them. In many cases, you can start reasonably quickly and may not even need an interview.
12 Ways To Find A Job On Your Working Holiday Visa In New Zealand – Thanks For Reading!
In this post, we have looked at different ways you can find work as a backpacker with a Working Holiday Visa in New Zealand. There are 8 main websites that you can use to find employment, as well as 4 other methods which are worth giving a try. I hope that this post helps you to find work in New Zealand and you enjoy your Working Holiday experience! – Lauren x
Did you find this article useful? Let me know in the comments or join me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram. Buy me a coffee here!
If you enjoyed this post, share it with a friend! 💌
Read these posts for more amazing New Zealand information and trip ideas 💖:
- 7 Tips For Buying A Campervan In New Zealand
- 3 Best Camping Sites In Curio Bay | The Catlins, New Zealand
- 10 Best Things To Do In Curio Bay | The Catlins, New Zealand
- Curio Bay Accommodation: 5 Best Places To Stay | The Catlins, New Zealand
- 10 Epic Glaciers To Visit In New Zealand
- 12 Best Paid Backpacker Jobs In New Zealand
- 3 Types Of Work Visas For Backpackers In New Zealand
- 16 Must-Have Apps For Van Life In New Zealand
- The Best Freedom Camping Spots In Wellington City
- Pandemic Perks: Discovering New Zealand’s Hidden Gems As A Tourist For 3 YEARS!
My Travel Resources guide will help you get the best deals when booking your next trip – check it out here!
Lauren | Wild Lovely World
Lauren is a coffee and cat obsessed travel writer from the U.K., specialising in solo female, couple travel and budget backpacking. She has previously lived in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, England and Scotland. Follow her adventures around the world on her blog WildLovelyWorld.com
One Comment
Pingback: