getting a working holiday visa to New Zealand 🥝🇳🇿
👋 hello again! it's been a while since I've posted regularly but I'm trying to get back on it now that I'm starting a new chapter of my life - my working holiday in NZ!
💬 how did I get here?
I'd been working full time for a couple of years after graduation, and was really feeling burnt out at my job in 2024. I stumbled across an article by Rice Media about Singaporeans going on working holidays to Australia and/or New Zealand, and got sucked in. The algorithm showed me videos of NZ, and accounts of people on their working holidays. I started dreaming about apple picking and hiking and the incredible views, and seriously contemplated quitting my job. I eventually left my job in 2025!
🍎 what's the working holiday visa?
For Singaporeans, it's technically called the Singapore Work Exchange Programme Visa. It's a visa that allows Singaporeans to holiday, study, and work in NZ for up to a year. You can holiday up to 12 months, work in temporary jobs for up to 12 months, or study/train up to 6 months in total. It's also a multiple entry visa, so you can take trips out of NZ anytime in the 12 months and return. From the time you get the visa, you have 12 months to enter NZ. From the date you enter NZ, the visa runs and expires in 12 months.
E.g. visa approved on 1 April 2026 - you have till 1 April 2027 to enter NZ. if you enter on 1 March 2027, you must leave by 1 March 2028.
💡 Requirements
to apply, you must be:
- aged 18-30 (when you apply)
- be a Singaporean citizen with a valid passport
- be a first time applicant for the visa
- have a university qualification or 2 years of full time university study
- be in good health (need to do a chest X-ray)
- be of good character
- have a genuine reason to go to NZ
- have at least NZD 2,250 to cover living expenses
- have full medical insurance for the stay
- have plans to leave NZ at the end of the stay
📄 the application process
I applied online through the NZ immigration website. The application form only takes about 10-15 minutes to fill up. At this stage, I also paid the NZD 770.
3 days later, I received an email informing me that I have to get a chest X-ray certificate. I went to Point Medical Group because they were the cheapest. My chest X-ray cost $70.85 total, and I didn't need to make a prior appointment. I just walked in to their Paragon branch and everything was settled in about an hour. The clinic submitted the X-ray results directly to NZ immigration.
That same day, I also received an email asking for a copy of my passport and documents showing my university qualification. I replied directly to the email with the requested documents.
About a month later, I received the email confirming that my visa was approved!
From there, I booked my round trip tickets to Christchurch. I flew on Qantas for about $1,500. The one-way tickets were $1,100 and round trip was $1,500 so I decided on round-trip haha. I picked Christchurch because I'm more interested in the South Island, and Christchurch is a bigger city to settle all the admin stuff before moving around NZ. Some people choose to start in Auckland or Queenstown instead!
I also got insurance for the whole year - Orbit Insurance has an insurance plan for people on working holidays, so I just went with that.
Finally, I packed my bags (thank you Decathalon), said my goodbyes, and headed to the airport 🥹 I brought along NZD 2,500 in cash just in case I needed to show proof of funds at immigration, but immigration didn't ask about that at all.
🚗 bonus - learning to drive
I have a whole other post on my trials and tribulations in learning to drive: getting humbled by driving. The only reason I went to learn how to drive was so I could go on a working holiday in NZ - I figured that I would need to know how to drive to get around in NZ, so off to BBDC I went 😭
💰 My Pre Trip Costs
visa application fee: 770 NZD (came up to just below 600 SGD)
chest X-ray: 70.85 SGD
insurance: 633.65 NZD (500 SGD) - I went with Orbit Insurance because they have a specific plan for working holiday folks!
round trip flights to Christchurch: 1,500 SGD - I flew on Qantas because that was the cheapest, and it was more economical to get a round trip flight than 2 one-way tickets
total costs - 2,670.85 SGD (+4,000 SGD for my driver's license)
Hoping to have the adventure of a lifetime!!
follow along for my journey in NZ 🥝
#workingholiday #workingholidayvisa #newzealand🇳🇿 #aotearoa #whv
If you're considering applying for the New Zealand working holiday visa, here are some helpful tips and insights based on my experience that might make your application smoother. Firstly, don't underestimate the importance of having all your documentation ready. Besides your passport and university qualifications, make sure you also have clear plans for your stay and proof of sufficient funds (I carried NZD 2,500 cash just in case). Regarding the health requirements, the chest X-ray was straightforward and affordable at Point Medical Group, but check if you need to book in advance as clinics’ policies vary. When choosing insurance, I highly recommend plans tailored for working holiday travelers, like Orbit Insurance. It gave me peace of mind and covered the full duration of my stay. Flight bookings can add up, so keep an eye out for deals. I opted for a round trip ticket to Christchurch which saved costs compared to buying two one-way flights. An unexpected but useful preparation was learning how to drive. Knowing how to drive in NZ helped me explore the beautiful South Island easily, especially places less accessible by public transport. Finally, budgeting is key. My pre-trip expenses totaled around 2,670 SGD excluding the driver's license cost. Plan ahead to avoid financial stress. This working holiday visa offers a fantastic opportunity to work, study, and explore New Zealand for up to 12 months. With proper preparation and realistic expectations, it can be a life-changing chapter full of adventures. Safe travels and enjoy your journey!
can you share more about what you are doing in NZ day to day?