Seasonal work in New Zealand is a popular way to earn money and travel at the same time. Please check with us what orchard work we have available.

FRUITPICKING
If you want to get out of the city and see the country, fruit picking and packing may be for you. This is mostly labour intensive work and often experience is not needed. As an added bonus, some orchards provide discounted accommodation on site. You can earn between $200 to $400 a week. Packers receive an hourly rate but pickers can also be on contract, their wages reflect the quantity they pick. The main horticultural regions in New Zealand are Bay of Islands, Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay, Nelson, Marlborough and Central Otago.

The apple season starts about January to May in Hawkes Bay, Marlborough, Nelson and Canterbury; kiwifruit from May to July in the Bay of Plenty and the Northland; grapes begin in June to April in Marlborough and Hawkes Bay; citrus fruit begin in April to June in the Bay of Plenty, Poverty Bay and Northland; cherries from November to December in Marlborough and Central Otago; Stone fruit in December to February in Hawkes Bay and Central Otago but can vary from season to season.

LABOURING AND CONSTRUCTION
This work can be weather dependent as there is more work in the summer periods than the winter. Labourers can earn around $10.00 per hour, typically working from 7.00 to 5.30 five or six days a week. Wags for gibing, painting, scaffolding, installing glass and partitions range from $10 to $15 an hour. Most of the Labouring and Construction will be found in the central cities. If work is outside the city area, the Labouring and Construction companies will provide transport to and from each work site.

HOSPITALITY
The Hospitality Industry provides a large number of job placements for travellers. This ranges from hotel reception to bar and waitering to kitchen work and can generally be found in the central city area which means that travellers don't have to travel to far. Travellers can expect to work 40-45 hours per week on shift work. Most backpacker hostels offer free accommodation in return for a few hours of work. On average in Auckland, hotel receptionists receive $10 to $15 per hour, bar tenders $10 to $12, waitresses $8.50 plus tips, kitchen hands $10, porters $10 to $11, chamber maids $10 and chefs can earn up to $20 depending on their specialist field. Outside of Auckland, wages are lower due to cheaper living costs.

Chambermaids and kitchen hands generally don't need experience but bar tenders, waitresses and chefs do, as restaurants are usually too busy to train new staff. Most places would like travellers to commit to a minimum of 3 months of work.

OFFICE WORK
Short and long term temping assignments are also available within the central city area. The types of office work vary from telesales, bankers, clerks, sales and promotions, accounts, and personal assistants can be in huge demand over various times. A lot of travellers prefer this type of work, as it can be flexible.

On average, secretaries receive $16 - $18 an hour, data entry $13 - $15, clerks $10 - $12, accounts $15 - $18, telemarketers $13.

Accountants, auditors and business analysts all need to become members of the Chartered Accountants of New Zealand and take a couple of exams. On average, accountants (depending on size of the company) can receive $40 - $100,000 annually, tax consultants with 2/3 years of experience $55,000, senior audits $55,000 - $60,000 and business analysts with Bachelor of Commerce of equivalent qualifications can earn $55,000 to $60,000.

AU PAIR
Home help and Au Pair work is also great for those people who have had experience with children. It will give the traveller a chance to experience a New Zealand family and may lead to a free holiday away with the family. Depending on whether its live in or not, Au Pairs can expect free board/food and income.

FARM WORK
Farm work can also be provided if you would like to experience life on a New Zealand farm. This can either be paid work or volunteer work in return for free lodging and food.

SKI RESORT WORK
For the ski bunnies among you, there are 12 commercial ski fields in New Zealand, which employ around 1500 seasonal workers over the ski season, which begins June until November. Pay rates will depend upon the job, its degree of difficulty, skill required and level of responsibility. Ski field rates from $10 to $15 per hour.

Alternatively you can get work at a resort town, like Queenstown - which is the tourist capital of the South Island. It is close to the ski fields and is the adventure capital of the world. Work could range from bar tending to waitering. The only problem can be a shortage of accommodation in Queenstown, so you may need to sort something out ahead of time.

HEALTHCARE
This is another area crying out for workers. Registered nurses are required to register with the New Zealand Nursing Council and have some prior experience. On average, a registered nurse can receive between $16 - $20 an hour, care assistants (auxiliary nurses) $10 - $12 but this is all up for negotiation and can be more for specialists. Both doctors and therapists in all fields need to be eligible for New Zealand registration and have a least 2-3 years experience. There pay depends entirely on their specialist field and the hospital or clinic hiring them but all is up for negotiation.

N.B. If you are thinking about getting into the New Zealand Health System, it is a good idea to start the registration process a couple of months ahead of your travel.

Stay on New Zealand farms, orchards and horticultural farms for free! Help on the farm in exchange for all meals, bed(s) and use of family facilities. No experience necessary. Singles, couples and children welcome - all ages. They have over 150 farms for you to visit throughout the country. Meet real families farming deer, sheep, horses, cattle, flowers, fruit etc. See what makes New Zealand rural life so special.

Join in the family fun and have time to explore the area. Stay for a few days, weeks or even months - it's up to you. Hosts can collect you from the nearest town.

Purchase the FHINZ booklet with full details of each farm and family. The price is $25 per booklet if it is collected or posted within New Zealand. Contact us for more information.

WWOOF began in the UK in 1971 and in NZ in 1974. WWOOF acts as a means of putting members in touch with organic farms and growers. You would work in return for free accommodation and food. There are a variety of properties spread throughout NZ, including farms, market gardens, communities and ventures in self-sufficiency in which organic growing plays some part. If you wish to join WWOOF then you will be asked to come in and pick up your booklet from our office. To become a WWOOF member please Contact us for more information.