Working Holiday Visas doubled to 20,000

The Government will double the number of Working Holiday Visas to 20,000 places a year.

"Increasing the number of Working Holiday Visas will help keep New Zealand an attractive tourist destination for young overseas visitors, and many of those become our future permanent migrants," the Minister of Immigration, Lianne Dalziel, said today.

Working Holiday Schemes allow 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 these reciprocal agreements.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Phil Goff, said these reciprocal schemes provided a wonderful opportunity for New Zealanders to work in these other countries and gain valuable experience, which they can bring home.

The present number of places is very restrictive in terms of the potential these schemes can offer New Zealand, Lianne Dalziel said.

"Demand for places from most participating countries exceeds supply, which leaves no places available to establish schemes with other countries, such as those where the Government encourages new investment," she said.

Nine countries already have reciprocal Working Holiday Schemes with New Zealand.

Lianne Dalziel said that additional schemes would now be established, with Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay high priorities. She said the Government is currently negotiating to establish schemes with Italy, Germany and Hong Kong.

"The extra 10,000 places made available will help secure schemes with these countries," she said.

The additional places will also allow for an increase in the number of places available to young people from the nine countries already in the scheme.

The Minister of Tourism, Mark Burton, described the expansion of the Working Holiday Visa scheme as another positive development for the Tourism Industry. "Many of the young people who participate, establish a lifelong link with New Zealand – they become our 'tourism ambassadors' when they return home," he said.