The New Zealand Working Holiday Visa for Canadians
Canada's scheme has no quota and no opening date — applications are accepted all year. It runs to age 35, offers 12 or 23 months, and expresses funds as NZ$350 per month of stay. It costs NZ$770, and half of applications are decided within 4 days.
Quick Facts
| Cap | None. One of 13 schemes with no quota |
| When you can apply | Any time. No opening date |
| Age | 18–35 — one of only nine schemes running past 30 |
| Duration | 12 or 23 months — you choose |
| Funds | NZ$350 per month of stay |
| Cost | NZ$770 = NZ$215 + NZ$455 immigration levy + NZ$100 IVL |
| Processing | 50% in 4 days, 80% within 1.5 weeks |
| Reaching 23 months | Usually a 12-month visa, then a Subsequent Work Visa on a paper form |
| Extension | The 3-month seasonal extension stacks on top of the 23-month ceiling |
| How many times | Once, ever |
| Source | INZ Canada scheme page and Operational Manual WI2, read 20 August 2026 |
Why Canadians have it easier than almost anyone
Three settings put this scheme at the top of the system, and only the United Kingdom scheme competes with it.
There is no quota. Thirteen of the 45 schemes have none, and Canada is one of them. No opening date, no 10:00 alarm, no race. You apply when you are ready.
Age runs to 35. Only nine schemes go past 30, and only two of those nine also have no quota — Canada and Finland.
Twelve or 23 months. Every scheme other than Canada and the United Kingdom is a fixed length, and 41 of the 45 are fixed at 12 months.
The United Kingdom scheme is longer at up to 36 months, but it is capped at 15,000 places and opens on a set date. Canadians get the flexibility without the deadline.
The two ways to reach 23 months
You can ask for 23 months at the outset. Most people do not.
The usual route is a 12-month visa first, then a Subsequent Work Visa to extend to the 23-month ceiling. That second application:
- is made on a paper form, not online
- is made from within New Zealand, while you hold a valid visa under this scheme
- does not require proof of funds, unless an immigration officer specifically asks for it
That last point is unusual and worth knowing. On most extension routes, money has to be re-evidenced. Here it does not, by default.
The Subsequent Work Visa is a top-up to an existing maximum, not a fresh entitlement. It does not reset the once-in-a-lifetime rule.
Funds: NZ$350 a month
Canada's requirement is expressed per month rather than as a lump sum, which matters because the visa length is a choice.
| Duration | Funds at NZ$350 a month |
|---|---|
| 12 months | NZ$4,200 |
| 23 months | NZ$8,050 |
INZ publishes the monthly rate, not these totals — the figures above are what the rate produces. Confirm the amount for your chosen duration on the scheme page.
On top of the funds, every scheme requires a return ticket or enough money to buy one, and that must be additional. See the funds requirement.
Stacking to 26 months
The Working Holiday Extension Work Visa adds 3 months for at least 3 months of planting, maintaining, harvesting or packing crops in horticulture or viticulture. It costs NZ$800 and can be used once per person, ever.
It stacks on top of the 23-month ceiling, giving a maximum of 26 months.
Two categories of work are not accepted towards those 3 months: plant nurseries and food processing.
The full breakdown is at which seasonal work qualifies.
What it costs
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee | NZ$215 |
| Immigration levy | NZ$455 |
| International Visitor Levy | NZ$100 |
| Total | NZ$770 |
The same NZ$770 applies whether you take 12 months or 23. There has been no general INZ fee or levy increase since 1 October 2024.
Canadians in New Zealand
2,634 Canadians were approved for work visas in FY2025/26. Canada is also on New Zealand's 60-country visa-waiver list, so ordinary travel needs only an NZeTA and the International Visitor Levy — but that permits no work, which is the whole reason this visa exists.
See the NZ visa for Canadian citizens.
Step 1: Decide 12 or 23 months, and evidence the funds for it
NZ$350 per month of the duration you choose, plus a return ticket or the money to buy one.
Step 2: Arrange medical insurance for the whole stay
Full cover including hospitalisation, current for the entire period, and it may be checked when you arrive.
Step 3: Check whether a medical or chest x-ray is triggered
Choosing 23 months puts you over 12 months, which triggers both a chest x-ray and a full medical examination. A 12-month visa usually triggers neither, unless you have spent more than 3 months in the last 5 years in a high-tuberculosis country or you are applying from inside New Zealand. Evidence must reach INZ within 15 days of submitting and be less than 3 months old.
Step 4: Apply online and pay NZ$770
Lodged online, in English. See how to apply.
Step 5: Travel within 12 months of the grant
The visa expires unused if you do not make your first entry within 12 months of it being granted.
Step 6: If you took 12 months, apply on paper for the rest
The Subsequent Work Visa, from within New Zealand, while your current visa is still valid.
Once, ever
You may hold a working holiday visa once in your lifetime, and INZ's country pages say this applies even if you did not use the visa. The Subsequent Work Visa is not an exception — it extends an existing visa to the 23-month ceiling rather than granting a new one.
Conditions while you are here
No job offer is needed to apply, and Canada's scheme sets no per-employer limit. Study is capped at 6 months in total, including any extension. You cannot take a permanent job.
From 20 April 2026, holders must work under an employment agreement or a contract for services, and cannot sole-trade, own or operate a business, or employ others. See conditions and restrictions and the self-employment rule.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can Canadians stay in New Zealand on a working holiday visa?
Twelve or 23 months, chosen by you. The 3-month seasonal extension can be added on top, giving a maximum of 26 months.
Is there a quota for Canadians?
No. Canada is one of 13 schemes with no quota and no opening date. Applications are accepted year-round.
What is the age limit for Canadian applicants?
18 to 35 inclusive. Only nine of the 45 schemes run past 30, and Canada is one of them.
How much money do Canadians need?
NZ$350 per month of the stay you choose — NZ$4,200 for 12 months, NZ$8,050 for 23. A return ticket, or the money to buy one, is required in addition.
How do I get from 12 months to 23?
Apply for a Subsequent Work Visa on a paper form, from within New Zealand, while your current visa is still valid. Proof of funds is not required unless an immigration officer asks for it.
Do I need a medical for the 23-month option?
Yes. Staying longer than 12 months triggers a chest x-ray, and staying over 12 months in total triggers a full medical examination. Both must reach INZ within 15 days of submitting and be less than 3 months old.
How much does it cost?
NZ$770 — a NZ$215 application fee, a NZ$455 immigration levy and the NZ$100 International Visitor Levy. The 3-month extension, if you take it, is a further NZ$800.
How long does the application take?
Half of working holiday applications are decided within 4 days and 80% within 1.5 weeks. There is no paid faster option in New Zealand.
Can I apply twice?
No. The visa can be held once in a lifetime. The Subsequent Work Visa tops up an existing visa to 23 months and does not create a second entitlement.
