Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
» Seasonal fruit picking, pruning and harvesting is prime short-term work for visitors. More than 30,000 hectares of
apples, kiwifruit and other fruit and veg are harvested from December to May. Rates are around $12 to $17 an hour (not
much) for physically taxing toil, working in the dirt under the hot sun − turnover of workers is high. You're usually paid
by how much you pick (per bin, bucket or kilogram): if you stick with it for a while, you'll get faster and fitter and can
actually make some reasonable cash. Prime North Island picking locations include the Bay of Islands (Kerikeri and
Paihia), rural Auckland, Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Hawke's Bay (Napier and Hastings).
» Winter work at ski resorts and their service towns includes bartending, waiting, cleaning, ski-tow operation and, if
you're properly qualified, ski or snowboard instructing.
Resources
Backpacker publications, hostel managers and other travellers are the best sources of info on local work possibilities.
Base Backpackers ( www.stayatbase.com/work ) runs an employment service via its website, while the Notice Boards
page on Budget Backpacker Hostels (BBH; www.bbh.co.nz ) lists job vacancies in BBH hostels and a few other pos-
sibilities.
Kiwi Careers ( www.careers.govt.nz ) lists professional opportunities in various fields (agriculture, creative, health,
teaching, volunteer work and recruitment), while Seek ( www.seek.co.nz ) is one of the biggest NZ job-search networks,
with thousands of jobs listed.
Check ski-resort websites for work opportunities in the snow; in the fruit-picking/horticultural realm, try the follow-
ing websites:
Seasonal Work ( www.seasonalwork.co.nz )
Seasonal Jobs in New Zealand ( www.seasonaljobs.co.nz )
Picking Jobs ( www.pickingjobs.com )
Income Tax
Death and taxes - no escape! For most travellers, Kiwi dollars earned in NZ will be subject to income tax, deducted
from payments by employers - a process called Pay As You Earn (PAYE). Standard NZ income tax rates are 12.2% for
annual salaries up to $14,000, then 19.2% up to $48,000, 31.7% up to $70,000, then 34.7% for higher incomes. A NZ
Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) scheme levy (around 2%) will also be deducted from your pay packet. Note
that these rates tend to change slightly year-to-year.
If you visit NZ and work for a short time (eg on a working-holiday scheme), you may qualify for a tax refund when
you leave. Complete a Refund Application − People Leaving New Zealand IR50 form and submit it with your tax return,
along with proof of departure (eg air-ticket copies) to the Inland Revenue Department ( www.ird.govt.nz ) . For more
info, see the IRD website, or contact the Inland Revenue Non-Resident Centre (
03-951 2020;
nonres@ird.govt.nz ; Private Bag 1932, Dunedin 9054).
IRD Number
Travellers undertaking paid work in NZ must obtain an IRD (Inland Revenue Department) number. Download the IRD
Number Application − Individual IR595 form from the Inland Revenue Department website. IRD numbers normally
take eight to 10 working days to be issued.
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