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Traveling for long periods of time is expensive; many backpackers try their hand at odd jobs for a few weeks to support their travel habit. New Zealand’s climatic diversity ensures that picking jobs are available nearly year-round, and the popularity of the work among young people has created a fruit-picking subculture. Many hostels in picking areas cater specifically to workers, offering transportation to worksites and other amenities.
In cities and highly touristed areas, hostels often feature employment boards and sometimes offer services to help lodgers find temporary work. One popular option is to work several hours a day at a hostel in exchange for free or discounted room and/or board. Most often, these short-term jobs are found by word of mouth, or simply by asking owners of hostels or restaurants. Due to high turnover in the tourism industry, establishments are eager for help, even if it is only temporary.
As for all jobs, travelers should visit a work site and try to speak with current employees to get a feel for the conditions of employment before signing on for any amount of time. The job listings at www.backpackerboard.co.nz are a good place to look for general openings ranging from farmhand to au pair.
One of the most popular short-term work options in New Zealand is picking fruit. Pickers are paid by a piece-rate wage and can expect to earn about NZ$400 per week. Some work is available year-round, but highest demand for pickers is from January to May. The Hawke’s Bay region on the North Island is the center of the agricultural industry. Other opportunities can be found in Blenheim , Kerikeri , Motueka , Napier , Tauranga , and Takaka . Websites are a good place to start looking for work, but often your best bet will be to keep an eye out for job boards around town. Seasonal Work NZ (www.seasonalwork.co.nz) is a local search engine that has a variety of seasonal listings. AgriVenture (www.agriventure.com) places job-seekers in farms throughout New Zealand for terms of more than four months.
Other options for short-term work can be found at bars, cafes, and restaurants in heavily touristed destinations. Waitressing or bartending usually pays NZ$14-16 per hour; just remember that tipping is not customary in New Zealand. Ski resorts often hire people for the winter season (July-Oct.), usually in restaurant positions or as lift operators, but sometimes as ski instructors if you have demonstrated skill and proficiency. Hourly pay may be supplemented by a lift pass, free food and drink, and discounts on ski-related gear. For example, the Mt. Ruapehu ski fields recruit 700 staff members every February. Hostels offer a more sedentary work option. Many travelers work as receptionists or housekeepers for four hours per day in exchange for room and board. Such work is informally arranged through hostel owners or other locals. Changing Worlds, 11 Doctors Ln., Chaldon, Surrey CR3 5AE, UK, is a service that places travelers in paid tourism and farming jobs or even unpaid work as deckhands on tall ships. Since most placements involve small pay, the fee covers the cost of placement and airfare to New Zealand from the UK. (☎44 01883 340 960; www.changingworlds.co.uk. UK£2630.)
New Zealand has become a popular destination for learning English. Teachers are often expected to provide proof of a TEFL certification. Language Studies International (☎09 303 3097 in Auckland; ☎03 377 7337 in Christchurch; www.lsi.edu) has locations in Auckland and Christchurch with frequent job openings.
The Earthwise Living Foundation New Zealand (ELFNZ), P.O. Box 108, Thames 2815, NZ (☎09 353 1558; www.elfnz.com), is a New Zealand-based organization that sponsors individualized internships in areas from photography to horse breeding. ELFNZ also sponsors a variety of eco-adventures aimed at getting people out into the wilderness with a focus on conservation projects and sustainable living. Programs start at NZ$3895 for six weeks.
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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