The New Zealand Working Holiday Visa for Chinese Citizens
China's scheme has 1,000 places, runs from age 18 to 30, lasts 12 months and requires NZ$4,200 in funds. It opened at 10:00 New Zealand time on 2 July 2026 and has since filled. It also requires a senior high school qualification verified by CSSD, current residence in China, and English evidence less than 2 years old.
Quick Facts
| Places in 2026 | 1,000 |
| 2026 opening | 2 July 2026, 10:00 New Zealand time — now filled |
| Age | 18–30 inclusive |
| Duration | 12 months |
| Funds | NZ$4,200, plus a return ticket or the money to buy one |
| Qualification | Senior high school qualification verified by CSSD |
| Residence test | You must currently reside in China |
| English | Required — test results less than 2 years old |
| Mandatory forms | INZ 1027 (mainland, 17+) · INZ 1220 (Hong Kong and Macau) |
| Cost | NZ$770 = NZ$215 + NZ$455 immigration levy + NZ$100 IVL |
| Source | INZ China scheme page and Operational Manual WI2, read 20 August 2026 |
Status as at 20 August 2026
The scheme opened on 2 July 2026 and has filled. It will not accept new applications until its 2027 opening date, which INZ will publish in January.
Applications already submitted continue to be processed. No service can obtain a place in a closed scheme, and anyone offering one is committing fraud — see immigration scams to avoid.
Places are allocated first come, first served from the opening moment. There is no draw, no lottery and no random selection at any stage — see how places are actually allocated.
The four requirements that are specific to this scheme
Most schemes ask only for a passport, an age, funds and insurance. China's asks for three more things, and each takes time to arrange.
A senior high school qualification, verified by CSSD
The qualification must be verified by CSSD — the verification body New Zealand accepts for Chinese academic records. Verification is a process with its own timeline, and it cannot be started the week a scheme opens.
Current residence in China
You must currently reside in China when you apply. Holding a Chinese passport while living elsewhere does not satisfy it.
English evidence, less than 2 years old
China is one of six schemes with a genuine English proficiency requirement, alongside the Philippines, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam and Peru. The test result must be less than 2 years old.
We do not publish accepted tests or minimum scores. INZ's own English page for these schemes does not list them — it directs applicants to a lookup tool instead. Any site quoting you a specific score has taken it from somewhere other than INZ. Check the tool before booking a test.
Form INZ 1027 or INZ 1220
Mainland Chinese applicants aged 17 and over must complete form INZ 1027. Applicants from Hong Kong and Macau use INZ 1220. These are mandatory additional forms, not optional extras. See INZ 1027 and INZ 1220 forms explained.
Non-English documents need a translation plus the scanned original. See document translation requirements.
Hong Kong SAR runs a separate scheme
Hong Kong SAR is a separate scheme with its own 400 places, which opened on 19 March 2026 and was still open on 20 August 2026.
It requires you to be a resident of Hong Kong SAR holding a valid HKSAR or British National (Overseas) passport. Macau has no scheme at all.
If you hold a Hong Kong SAR passport, that is the scheme that applies to you, not this one — and as at August 2026 it still had room.
What it costs
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee | NZ$215 |
| Immigration levy | NZ$455 |
| International Visitor Levy | NZ$100 |
| Total | NZ$770 |
There has been no general INZ fee or levy increase since 1 October 2024. On top of that, budget for the CSSD verification, the English test, translations and medical insurance for the whole stay.
China in the New Zealand data
Two figures put this scheme in context.
China is now New Zealand's number one migrant-arrival citizenship, at 17,800 — overtaking India for the first time in the series.
China is also New Zealand's largest source of international students, at 23,302 student visas, with the lowest refusal rate of any major nationality at 3.4%.
So a scheme with 1,000 places sits inside a relationship that produces tens of thousands of visas a year through other routes. If the working holiday scheme is closed, the study route is very much open — see the student visa for Chinese citizens.
Step 1: Start the CSSD verification early
It is the long pole. Begin it months before the scheme's opening date, not weeks.
Step 2: Sit the English test and check its age
The result must be less than 2 years old when you apply. Confirm the accepted tests through INZ's lookup tool first.
Step 3: Complete INZ 1027, or INZ 1220 for Hong Kong and Macau
Mandatory for everyone aged 17 and over from mainland China.
Step 4: Evidence NZ$4,200, plus the return ticket separately
Bank statements in your own name, translated with the originals attached.
Step 5: Arrange medical insurance for the whole 12 months
Full cover including hospitalisation, and it may be checked when you arrive in New Zealand.
Step 6: Be ready at 10:00 New Zealand time on the 2027 opening date
The scheme filled in 2026. Treat opening day as a hard deadline, with the whole application already assembled. See how to apply.
Conditions while you are here
No job offer is needed to apply, and China's scheme sets no per-employer limit. Study is capped at 6 months in total. 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.
The 3-month seasonal extension is available. See how to extend.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many places does the China working holiday scheme have?
1,000 a year. It opened on 2 July 2026 at 10:00 New Zealand time and filled during 2026.
Is the China scheme still open?
No. It filled after opening on 2 July 2026. The 2027 opening date will be published by INZ in January.
What qualification do I need?
A senior high school qualification verified by CSSD. The verification is a separate process and takes time, so start it well before the scheme's opening date.
Do I need an English test?
Yes. China is one of six schemes with a genuine English proficiency requirement, and the test result must be less than 2 years old. INZ does not publish accepted tests or minimum scores on its own page — use its lookup tool rather than a figure found elsewhere.
Do I have to be living in China to apply?
Yes. The scheme requires you to currently reside in China. A Chinese passport alone does not satisfy it.
What is form INZ 1027?
A mandatory additional form for mainland Chinese applicants aged 17 and over. Applicants from Hong Kong and Macau complete INZ 1220 instead.
Can Hong Kong passport holders apply?
Not under this scheme. Hong Kong SAR has its own scheme with 400 places, which opened on 19 March 2026 and was still open on 20 August 2026. It requires residence in Hong Kong and a valid HKSAR or BN(O) passport. Macau has no scheme.
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 CSSD verification, English test, translations and insurance are additional.
How quickly did the 1,000 places go?
INZ publishes no fill-time data for any scheme, so no honest answer exists. What is known is that the scheme opened on 2 July 2026 and had filled by 20 August 2026.
