👩🌾 Introduction to Seasonal Jobs and Work in New Zealand
Whether you’re taking a gap year from college, backpacking through New Zealand with the hopes of rediscovering yourself, or a visitor trying to immerse yourself in the local culture, you should definitely find seasonal work.
It’s a great way of fueling your traveling funds, creating new networks, and learning the local culture.
There is a demand for seasonal workers in New Zealand, and you will need to be willing to work even at short notice for different durations.
If you decide to take on the seasonal job challenge, you should expect to work in an environment that will offer you a chance and the freedom to explore this beautiful country.
The rest of this article will lean on being informative about seasonal jobs in NZ. We shall discuss what they are, how to apply for them, their duration, and other essential aspects of seasonal employment.
1. What Does it Mean to Work Seasonal?
As a seasonal worker, you’re required to work temporarily during a specific time of the year. Businesses that acquire more customers or have more work during specific seasons employ workers for the extra help they can provide during these seasons.
Hence, some seasonal jobs are only present during either the cold or warm weather, so businesses usually slow down in other seasons.
Nevertheless, many companies in NZ offer temporary and seasonal job opportunities every year and in every season. For instance, the fruit industry employs hundreds, if not thousands, of seasonal workers to help with the harvesting and packing of fruit.
But even though NZ’s fruit industry is available all year long, the peak is often from December to May.
Seasonal work isn’t limited to the agricultural sector. Anyone interested in seasonal jobs can find work in the tourism or construction sector during the summer or winter.
So if you plan to visit New Zealand and get some seasonal work, make sure you get relevant information from the NZ Immigration office.
2. Some Seasonal Jobs You Can Do in New Zealand
— Farm jobs
— Fruit harvesting jobs
— Customer service jobs
— Au Pair jobs
— Campsite jobs
— Ski resort jobs
— Activity instructor jobs
— Construction work
— Bartending
3. How to Find Seasonal Work in New Zealand
As mentioned above, seasonal work is an excellent way of meeting new people, gaining valuable experience, and earning good money. Seasonal jobs are perfect for anyone keen on flexible hours that’ll give them the freedom to explore the country.
Nevertheless, before you start the process of finding work in NZ, ensure that you:
— Have a working holiday visa that allows you to work in NZ legally.
— Have your tax code and your IRD number ready.
— Have a CV ready
Once you have this ready, an important question arises, “how do you find seasonal jobs in NZ?”
You can check out different job boards and backpacker job listings in newspapers, supermarket job boards, and hotel job boards. You can always ask employers whether they have any opportunities available.
There are lots of online resources and job boards that can be useful to you. One of them is Seek. This is an online platform with listings of hundreds of job opportunities that are updated every day.
All you need to do is click on the jobs that interest you and follow the procedure to apply.
Another way to find a seasonal job is by doing some research on Facebook groups related to traveling and backpacking in New Zealand.
Remember, however, that there are seasonal jobs almost all year round. So don’t despair and give up your search.
There’s always something for everyone in NZ, after all: you are still bound to get some work after a few inquiries.
If you aren’t sure about what you want to do, you can try some more versatile jobs. Make sure you factor in the duration of your visa while applying for jobs.
4. How Much Should I Expect to Earn From My Seasonal Job?
Wages for seasonal jobs will vary depending on the industry in which you work. The salaries due to you will differ depending on whether you’re paying for your accommodation or not.
If you have the opportunity to get some tips, your wages might increase as well.
If the job you’re working for requires you to have a high level of skill, you will be paid more. Such roles include construction workers or instructors in ski resorts. Overall, it depends on the particular industry.
The average gap year roles are usually paid NZ$23/ hour. If you’re working as a crop worker, the wages will differ depending on where you work and what you will do.
For instance, a new crop worker is typically paid the minimum wage, while workers who have 2–3 years of experience can earn up to NZ$35 an hour.
If you have a more supervisory role as a crop worker, you can expect to earn up to NZ$25 an hour. Fruit pickers are typically paid according to how much crop they pick, but this will pay more than thinning or pruning work.
5. Tips for Seasonal Jobs in New Zealand
As a seasonal worker in NZ, you should know what to expect from your employer. Before you agree to do a job, ensure that your employer gives you an agreement with the following information:
— Your name and the name of the employer
— A detailed description of the work you will perform
— An indication of where you will work
— The maximum and the minimum number of hours you’re expected to work.
— The salary or wage payable.
— A direction on how to solve employee issues such as grievances.
— The nature of your employment and whether it is casual, fixed, or permanent.
— Agreement that you will get the time and a half compensation for working during a public holiday.
Conclusion
When it comes to seasonal jobs and work in NZ, there’s something for everyone. Remember, even if you’re doing a casual or seasonal job, you are entitled to breaks while at work.
You are entitled to have unpaid meal breaks of 30 minutes and 10–15 minutes of paid rest breaks.
Happy job hunting! 👨💻
