Hon Phil Goff
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade

9 February 2005
Media statement

Working holiday scheme with Germany expanded

New Zealand is expanding the number of young Germans who can take working holidays in New Zealand, Foreign Minister Phil Goff announced today.

Mr Goff and his German counterpart Joschka Fischer, who is currently making a bilateral visit to New Zealand, confirmed the arrangement this afternoon.

"Currently the number of young Germans able to come here for a working holiday is limited to 2000 per year," Mr Goff said.

"Reciprocating the current German arrangement, where there is no limit on the number of young New Zealanders who can have a working holiday in Germany, the limit on the number of young Germans on working holidays here has been removed. It also brings us into line with Australia, which places no limits on its holidaymaker schemes."

Under the working holiday scheme, Germans aged between 18 and 30 can stay in New Zealand for up to one year and may work for their entire stay as long as they do not work for the same employer for longer than three months.

“Expanding our working holiday scheme with Germany will further develop the strong people-to-people links that form the basis of our bilateral relationship," Mr Goff said.

“Today's young people are tomorrow's decision-makers. Working holiday schemes attract educated and talented young people to New Zealand who then take an understanding of, and empathy for, our country back home again.

"With unemployment so low, working holidaymakers are also a valuable source of temporary labour for New Zealand, especially in the horticultural and agricultural sectors where peak demand for seasonal workers in summer coincides with the most popular time for working holidaymakers to visit.

“A study in 2003/04 found working holidaymakers clearly have a positive effect when they come to New Zealand by spending both the money they brought with them and the money they earned while here.

"The study found working holidaymakers filled the equivalent of 7000 fulltime jobs, and spent $309 million during 2003/04, with that expenditure creating an estimated 11,000 jobs," Mr Goff said.

ENDS

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