The New Zealand Working Holiday Visa for French Citizens
France's scheme has no quota and no opening date — applications are accepted all year. It runs from age 18 to 30, lasts 12 months, requires NZ$4,200 in funds and costs NZ$770. France recorded 8,080 work visa approvals in FY2025/26, the fifth-highest of any nationality, driven largely by this scheme.
Quick Facts
| Cap | None. One of 13 schemes with no quota |
| When you can apply | Any time. No opening date |
| Age | 18–30 inclusive |
| Duration | 12 months |
| Funds | NZ$4,200, plus a return ticket or the money to buy one |
| Cost | NZ$770 = NZ$215 + NZ$455 immigration levy + NZ$100 IVL |
| Processing | 50% in 4 days, 80% within 1.5 weeks |
| Insurance | Mandatory, covering hospitalisation for the whole stay, and may be checked on arrival |
| Extension | The 3-month seasonal extension is available |
| How many times | Once, ever |
| Source | INZ France scheme page, Operational Manual WI2 and INZ decision statistics, read 20 August 2026 |
No quota, no calendar
France is one of the 13 schemes with no annual limit and no opening date, alongside Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the USA.
There is nothing to diarise, no 10:00 New Zealand time alarm and no risk of places running out while you gather documents. See capped and uncapped schemes.
The only fixed deadline is your 31st birthday. France is not one of the nine schemes that runs to 35, and there is no waiver.
Why the French numbers are so large
France recorded 8,080 work visa approvals in FY2025/26 — the fifth-highest of any nationality.
That is far above what France's overall migration footprint in New Zealand would predict. The reason is this scheme. With no quota, no opening date and no competition for places, French applicants convert steadily all year, while nationalities on capped schemes are limited to their annual allocation.
It is a useful illustration of a general point: the schemes that produce the most visas are the ones with no cap, not the ones with the biggest cap.
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. See what a working holiday visa costs.
Funds: NZ$4,200, plus the ticket
NZ$4,200 is the standard figure, equivalent to NZ$350 a month across 12 months.
The return ticket sits on top. Every scheme requires a ticket out of New Zealand, or proof of enough money to buy one, in addition to the living funds. A balance of exactly NZ$4,200 evidences the living funds and nothing else. See the funds requirement.
Insurance is mandatory, and it is checked
Full medical insurance covering hospitalisation, current for your whole stay, is required on this scheme as on all 45 — and it may be checked when you arrive in New Zealand.
This catches people out more often than any other condition. A standard European travel policy sold for a two-week holiday will not usually cover twelve months, and it may not cover inpatient hospital treatment adequately.
New Zealand's ACC scheme covers accident-related injury for everyone in the country, which is often misread as full healthcare cover. It is not. Illness and non-accident hospital admission are exactly the gap your policy has to fill. See insurance and medical requirements and ACC explained for migrants.
Extending to 15 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.
Two categories of work are not accepted towards those 3 months: plant nurseries and food processing.
France's own wine and horticulture background makes viticulture work a natural fit for many applicants, and Marlborough, Hawke's Bay and Central Otago all run substantial vineyard operations. The full breakdown of what counts is at which seasonal work qualifies.
Documents and language
Applications must be lodged online and in English, with a translation for any French-language document, attached to the original.
That is a documentation rule, not an English test. France is not one of the six schemes with an English proficiency requirement. See document translation requirements.
France is also on New Zealand's 60-country visa-waiver list, so ordinary travel needs only an NZeTA plus the International Visitor Levy — but that permits no work. See the NZ visa for French citizens.
Step 1: Confirm you are 18–30 and have never held one of these visas
Approved counts, even if the visa was never used.
Step 2: Evidence NZ$4,200, plus the return ticket separately
Bank statements in your own name, translated into English with the original attached.
Step 3: Buy insurance that covers hospitalisation for the whole 12 months
Match the policy dates to the visa dates, and carry the documents when you travel.
Step 4: Check whether a chest x-ray is triggered
Required if you have spent more than 3 months in the last 5 years in a country with a high rate of tuberculosis, if you are staying longer than 12 months, or if you are applying from inside New Zealand. Evidence must reach INZ within 15 days of submitting and be less than 3 months old.
Step 5: Apply online and pay NZ$770
See how to apply.
Step 6: Travel within 12 months of the grant
The visa expires unused if you do not make your first entry in time, and the fee is not refunded.
Conditions while you are here
No job offer is needed to apply, and France'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 the self-employment rule.
You will need an IRD number to be taxed correctly — see IRD number and tax for new migrants.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a quota for French applicants?
No. France is one of 13 schemes with no annual limit and no opening date. Applications are accepted year-round and the places cannot run out.
What is the age limit for French applicants?
18 to 30 inclusive. France is not one of the nine schemes that runs to 35.
How much money do I need?
NZ$4,200, plus a return ticket or enough money to buy one, which must be additional to the NZ$4,200.
Is insurance really compulsory?
Yes, on this scheme and on all 45. It must cover hospitalisation and remain current for your whole stay, and it may be checked when you arrive in New Zealand. ACC covers accidents only and does not satisfy the condition.
Do I need an English test?
No. France is not one of the six schemes with an English proficiency requirement. You must lodge the application in English and translate any French document, but that is a document rule rather than a test.
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 stay longer than 12 months?
By 3 months, using the Working Holiday Extension Work Visa, which requires at least 3 months of qualifying horticulture or viticulture work and costs NZ$800.
Can I work in a vineyard?
Yes, and vineyard work in planting, maintaining, harvesting or packing counts towards the 3-month extension. Ask the employer what the role actually involves before you take it, because the qualifying activities are specific.
Can I apply twice?
No. The visa can be held once in a lifetime, and INZ's pages state that this applies even if you never used the visa you were granted.
