Insurance for Seasonal Workers in New Zealand

Summer is just around the corner and that means seasonal workers will be making their plans to head to New Zealand.  

A New Zealand working holiday visa is a perfect opportunity for you to enter our country and work legally. Working holiday visas are available to young people aged 18-30, and 18-35 in a select few countries. New Zealand currently has agreements with 34 countries and this visa allows you to work here for 12 months (or 23 months if you’re from the UK), and up to 3 months for any one employer.   You need to have a return ticket or enough money to pay for one and have the intention to mainly holiday, with work being a secondary intention. 

Examples of New Zealand summer seasonal work includes harvesting or packing fruit, vegetables, and grapes, pruning trees, and maintaining crops.  The beginning of the season is usually about October and can go right through to March in some areas.   All growers provide on the job training, so you just need to be fit and able. Locations that are desperately short of workers include the Hawke's Bay and Bay of Plenty.

Seasonal work is the perfect way to see the real New Zealand, meet locals and get to know other travellers - all while earning money! New visa laws also mean better conditions for workers. As of this September, all employers will need to be accredited to recruit foreign workers and there will be thorough checks before a temporary work visa is issued.

If you do plan on coming over on a Working Holiday Visa you are required to hold comprehensive travel insurance and adequate medical insurance as part of the visa requirements.   At Health and Travel Insurance Brokers we have a wide range of economical policies available through a number of different insurers and prices can be tailored to match the length of your stay in New Zealand.  Best of all, the insurers are based in New Zealand so understand exactly what our health system will and won't do.

If you are traveling to other countries after your stay we can also provide a range of travel insurance options.   We also offer plans for Australian Working Holiday Visa holders, and for corporate entities that have staff living and working in New Zealand and/or Australia.

You can find out more information about visas and apply online on the NZ Immigration website.

For travel and medical insurance information, give Sandra a call on +64 7 8550772 to discuss your needs, or email at sandra@healthandtravel.co.nz

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