Getting through the Working Holiday Visa Gauntlet for New Zealand
I had been in Asia for 2 and a half years and wasn’t ready to go home so I wanted to take advantage of a working holiday. Being past 30 years old meant that Australia was out which was disappointing but being my last chance and I was going to take. That meant I had only a dozen or so countries to consider and I eventually landed on New Zealand.
It wasn’t too far away being in Malaysia and all I had to do was go online and apply at Immigration New Zealand. The application process for citizens of developed nations is different than some of the developing nations. For instance New Zealand only takes 1000 applicants from Argentina and they can only apply during a 24 hour period in September. While I was able to apply at any time.
What I needed to apply for a working holiday as a Canadian was my passport number, $5,000 in the bank, no criminal record, and a medical exam. Since I’ve been in Asia for more than 3 months (more like 3 years) within the last year needed to do a full medical exam including a chest x-ray.
You have 2 options on their working holiday scheme, a 12 month visa or a 23 month visa. As a type one diabetic I decided to do a 23 month visa. If you do a 12 month visa and have to see a Doctor while you are in country you have to either have travel insurance or pay it out of your own pocket.
In order to be covered by their health care system you need the 23 month working holiday visa. By having what amounts to a 2 year visa I could get my insulin for $5 NZD instead of paying the retail price which would was much too expensive.
A guide (click here) by New Zealand immigration gives you all the information you need to apply for a working holiday visa. Doing it online is the easiest way and you should hear back very quickly unless you have conditions like I do.
If you are applying from your a western country with no risk of tuberculosis and just a 1 year visa you may not need to do a chest x-ray. I needed to do a full medical exam and you had to do it through panel approved doctors in that country unless you come from a country where there are no panel approved doctors. When you get the results for your general medical certificate are sent to New Zealand immigration through the e medical system.
I applied for my visa on April 6th but from that date you have 2 weeks to get your medical exam done but if you email Immigration New Zealand you can get an extension which I did because I was in transit to Bali and decided to do it there.
I did my medical exam in Kuta, Bali at BIMC hospital. Since I am a diabetic I had to go back a few times for more tests. When you have a medical condition they take a deeper look at the results of your medical certificate.
Compared with Australia you get tested for HIV, STDs, and get a full blood work done which are then analyzed by Immigration’s own doctors. After waiting 2 weeks I expected my application to be rejected.
I was making plans to go back to Myanmar then to Thailand and continue on but after more than 1 month my visa was approved. It was my last chance to do a working holiday and I was not going to turn it down and like and work abroad.
I am thankful I was able to get the 23 month visa which is realistically the only option if you have a preexisting condition so you can take advantage of New Zealand’s medication coverage and their subsidization of doctors. It isn’t a hard process but differs from country to country but is worth taking if you feel the need to wander like I did.
