New Zealand’s tourism industry has welcomed the announcement made by New Zealand Immigration Minister Michael Wood yesterday that there will be changes to the Working Holiday Visa which will support the sector’s recovery.
Working holidaymakers already in New Zealand with visas expiring between 26 August 2022 and 31 May 2023 will have their visas extended by six months, while existing Working Holiday Visa holders who have yet to arrive will have new visas issued which will allow them to enter the country by January 2023.
The number of visas permitted under capped Working Holiday Schemes will be doubled, enabling for up to an extra 12,000 working holidaymakers to enter and work in New Zealand.
Welcoming the news, Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) chief executive Rebecca Ingram said it was good timing in gearing up for the summer season.
“We are hopeful this will help to relieve some of the immediate pressures on employers. And there are added benefits – while not all Working Holiday Visa holders will work in tourism and hospitality, they will all want to enjoy tourism activities and experiences while they are in New Zealand,” Ingram said.
“We are grateful that Ministers have listened to us and put in place measures to support the recovery of the tourism industry workforce this summer.”
Furthermore, the tourism industry is also reviewing the Better Work Action Plan released for consultation last week. The Plan has the long-term objective of building a more sustainable workforce model for the tourism industry and individuals who choose to build their career in tourism.
