If you are in New Zealand on a visitor permit you may apply to have the conditions of your permit varied to allow you to do seasonal work (planting, maintaining, harvesting, and packing crops) in the horticulture or viticulture industry.
You can only get a variation for this purpose once in each visit to New Zealand. The maximum time you are allowed to work is for six weeks. To get a variation to do seasonal work, you must:
- show you are a genuine visitor to New Zealand, and
- submit the appropriate form and fee.
Once you hold a variation of conditions under this policy, you may only work in a region where the Ministry of Social Development has declared a seasonal labour shortage. Regions with current seasonal labour shortages are:
- Central Hawkes Bay and Hawkes Bay (until 26 April 2009)
- Central Otago (until 31 May 2009).