New Zealand-france Working Holiday Scheme Agreement Signed

The New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Rt Hon Don McKinnon, and the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hubert V édrine, signed the New Zealand-France Working Holiday Scheme Agreement in Paris today.

This agreement allows for an annual quota of young people aged 18 to 30 years to holiday and work in each other's country for up to twelve months.

"New Zealanders have a long tradition of spending some of their early adulthood, travelling and working for brief periods abroad," Mr McKinnon said.

"France is an attractive destination for this "overseas experience" and I am delighted that this agreement will make that possible. Its signing today reflects the excellent state of the relationship between our two countries and I am sure that these exchanges of young people will help keep it that way," the New Zealand Foreign Minister concluded.

'I share this expectation, and would add that the opportunity offered to young French people to discover new countries under schemes combining tourism and work represents a new approach," Mr Védrine said.

"This is in fact one of the very first agreements of this kind signed by France. I am particularly happy that it will enable New Zealand to become a favoured destination for young French people," the French Foreign Minister concluded.