Category: News

Explore beautiful New Zealand in your time off, visiting all the attractions on your bucket-list. Experience the adventure of a lifetime, you have earned it!

Congratulations! You have successfully completed our programme and are a real DairyTalent.

What’s next?

We will look for a permanent job for you and take care of all the paperwork during the immigration process. Our DairyTalent Initiative helps to open doors to a secure and successful future in New Zealand’s dairy farming industry.

After a wonderful year in New Zealand, home is calling. We hope you have enjoyed your time in our beautiful country, and should you ever decide to come back, the team at The Regions will be happy to help with your journey. If you have decided that you’d like to make New Zealand your home, we can help with that too!

Throughout your year abroad in New Zealand, we will support and advise you at every stage. If you have any questions or issues that might arise while you are here, our supportive staff are always there for you with a wealth of knowledge and experience. Our Key Account Managers are located across the country and are close to your farm. Additionally, our staff members in our head office in Hamilton are committed to your wellbeing and will take care of your concerns quickly. Short reviews of your experience after each assignment and a final review of your overall adventure will reflect your satisfaction with the programme to ensure its quality, as we are all committed to a successful completion.

Explore beautiful New Zealand in your time off, visiting all the attractions on your bucket-list. Experience the adventure of a lifetime, you have earned it!

Your final assignment as a DairyTalent is when you can use the knowledge and expertise you have gained so far during your previous two assignments to support the dairy farmer.

You can also decide if this lifestyle is for you! If it is and you decide to stay on in New Zealand, we can help you apply for your working visa and find your new “home-farm”.

After your first assignment you will have an idea of what dairy farming looks like in New Zealand. Your second dairy farm experience will deepen your knowledge and expose you to different approaches and working styles. You will have the opportunity to explore a different area of the country on your days off and meet new people during your time on the farm.

After you have settled in and got over your jetlag, it’s time to get started. From day one you will work on the dairy farm as a valuable team member and be given responsibility for various tasks. As you settle into daily working life you will soon discover what real Kiwi dairy farming is all about.

It can be a little daunting moving to the other side of the world on a working holiday. That’s why we will give you tips and tricks on what to do on your arrival, where to go afterwards, what you need to know to open a bank account and how to apply for an IRD (tax) number. If you want to buy a car, we can help with that too!

We will guide you through your Working Holiday Visa application process and support you before your arrival to New Zealand. A schedule of what you need to keep in mind will help you in your last weeks at home and before you come to beautiful New Zealand. If you have any questions during that time, please feel free to contact us anytime.

For the past few years, all applications need to be made through Immigration New Zealand’s online portal, thereby facilitating the application process and making it faster. However, you are probably excited about applying and don’t want to make a mistake, dreading that you might not be able to travel and work in this beautiful country if you do anything wrong. Relax! We will help and guide you through the application process.

First things first: Open Immigration New Zealand’s website and use it alongside our instructions. So, you can make sure you do everything right. A double insurance so to speak that will ease your mind.

1. Register online on Immigration New Zealand

• Set up a new account
• Fill out all the relevant information requested by Immigration New Zealand
• Click Register
• Check your Inbox for your Registration email (check also your Spam folder)
• Follow the instructions in your e-mail

2. Apply for a working holiday

• Now Log In with the Username and password with which you registered
• Click to apply for the Working Holiday Schemes
• Then select your country of origin before clicking on Apply Now
• Fill out all your personal details and make sure that they are correct before you save the data
• Fill out the rest of the personal section by giving proof of your Identification and if relevant of your occupational details. Remember to save the data.
• Click onto Health and answer the questions before saving the information.
• Answer the Character questions truthfully and save the data.
• Move on to the Working Holiday Specific part and answer the questions before submitting the information.

3. Confirm and pay for your Working Holiday Visa

• Confirm the legal information by ticking the box next to the statements and then submit the data.
• You can now pay for your Working Holiday Visa or save it for later. However, please keep in mind, that Immigration New Zealand is only processing your application when you have paid for the Visa. The prices vary depending on your country of origin. If you want to pay the fee, please proceed to the Secure Payment Site and fill out your payment details.

4. Check your application and wait for Immigration New Zealand’s reply

Awesome! Now you just need to wait until Immigration New Zealand has processed your application. This can take a few days or a few weeks, always depending on their workload. Once your Working Holiday Visa is granted, you have 12 months to enter New Zealand and activate it.

Do I need a car?

You do not necessarily need a car on all farms. If you don’t have a car, you can always talk to the farmer if you want to join them on their next trip into town to buy some groceries. However, as a lot of the dairy farms are quite remote it might be hard for you to leave the farm on your days off if you do not have a car. Some farmers will let you use their cars, but this is not always the case.

What do I need to include in my job application to The Regions?

Please check out our online application form as it asks you for all the relevant information we need, in order to search for a suitable job on a dairy farm for you.

Can I as a female apply for a dairy farm position?

Of course, you can! There are no gender differences and we are happy to hire female dairy workers for our clients.

What do I get paid?

You will usually get above minimum wage plus 8% holiday pay. As the working hours are normally quite high, you can earn a considerable amount within a short time period, usually without huge expenses. If you want to buy a car soon, want to travel around afterwards or need a new backpack, the dairy industry is the place to make money. But besides your salary, you will be able to gain much more, such as the respect of your boss, lifelong friendships and working experience in one of the world’s most innovative dairy markets.

What do I do, if I have issues with the dairy farmer?

A lot of issues can be traced back to communication problems. Keep in mind, that most backpackers’ native language is not English and that you might have issues understanding Kiwi slang. Besides the language issues, the culture barrier can be the reason you don’t feel well. Therefore, the first step for you would be to talk to the farmer or the farm manager. Sometimes the problem can be solved by simply talking about your concerns.

If these issues concern your salary, work tasks or workplace safety then it is important to raise these topics from the start, especially as New Zealand employment legislation is strict in these matters.

Should you feel uncomfortable to raise these issues directly with the farmer, then please contact us immediately (email to backpackers@theregions.co.nz or call us under 0800 100 274) and we will give you advice on what to do or we will address the problem with the farmer directly.

Who can I contact if I have any questions?

The Regions is here to support you. This is our vision and we live it every day. Just send us an email to backpackers@theregions.co.nz or call us under 0800 100 274.

The Regions is one of New Zealand’s leading immigration law expert and recruitment companies for dairy farmers. We support more than 500 dairy farm owners throughout the country by giving hardworking and reliable farmworkers new opportunities in one of the world’s most innovative dairy markets. Over the past two years we have placed more than 1500 migrants in secure employment in New Zealand.

We are here to help you short-term (up to 12 months on a WHV) to gain working experience on a dairy farm in New Zealand. If you decide to stay long-term in Aotearoa, we are more than happy to support you with the Immigration process and find a secure job on one of our client’s dairy farms for you.

Your experience as dairy farm worker is a full-time job with usually between 40 to 55 hours per week and time off frequently. A common roster is for example 12 days working and 2 days of free time. But that varies from farm to farm and could also be 6 days working and 1 day off.

New Zealand has strict rules regarding worker’s holidays and therefore you are also entitled to have paid days off. However, as backpackers are only employed for a short period, most prefer to get these days paid on top of their salary. This means you will get 8 % holiday pay at the end of your dairy farm experience.

You should be able to work on a dairy farm at least for 2 months, preferably longer. The Working Holiday Visa allows most backpackers to work in New Zealand for up to 12 months (whereas some countries have limits to the length they can work for one employer).

However, if you decide you want to stay long-term in New Zealand and work on a Dairy Farm, you might be eligible for a work visa. We are happy to discuss this option with you and if you meet the requirements, support you with the Immigration process for your new visa.

You will be provided accommodation on the farm. Often, the farmers have a separate, simply furnished house that they provide to their employees. The rent varies but is generally quite low.

“My daily routine starts at 5 o’clock in the morning, when I drive my motorbike to the paddock to collect the cows and then I start milking. I work in a herringbone shed with 30 cows on each side. It was pretty stressful at first, but you get used to it. After milking I need to take the cows back to another paddock and clean the shed. After my breakfast break, I need to feed the calves and help the farm manager with some other farm duties like tractor work. I really love having the routine to milk the cows in the morning and in the evening and doing various jobs throughout the day and learning new things.

I have a lot of responsibility here on the farm. I’ve never felt such appreciation before in my life. It’s not just a job for me, I enjoy being outdoors no matter what the weather conditions are, and I often get rewarded by nature. Because in which job do you get to see the sunrise and sunset every day, help a cow bring her calf to the world and have a personal outdoor gym. Personally, I consider it as a great enrichment to work on a dairy farm in New Zealand.”

No farm is like the other. There are different farm and herd sizes. Some farmers are milking their cows in a rotary and others in a herringbone shed. The specific tasks and the intensity of the work vary as well. The farm routine often starts at 5 o’clock in the morning before the sun rises and ends in the evening when the sun has already set, as well as in all weather conditions. But you will have enough breaks during the day to recharge your batteries.

You might now ask yourself: what kind of work will I be doing? You will experience a whole lot of exciting activities, such as:

• Moving cows,
• Milking,
• Cleaning the shed,
• Calf rearing,
• Fencing,
• Weeding, or
• Tractor work.

About the position:

• Good salary, usually above minimum wage, plus 8% holiday pay
• Accommodation on farm (whereas rental charges may apply)
• Training is applied depending on your level of experience
• 40 to 55 hours of work weekly

As we want you to have an amazing time in New Zealand, The Regions offers ongoing support for you. If you have any questions or issues, let us know and we can help you.

After you have sorted all the bureaucratic obstacles and spent a few days setting everything up and getting accustomed to your new Kiwi life, you want to work in New Zealand and earn some money. Good, then let’s get started and milk the cow for some cash!

As you are not allowed to work permanently under your Working Holiday Visa, a short-term job is therefore your best option. The Regions will support you in looking for the right job on a dairy farm. Just apply today, so we can check our vacancies and contact you regarding your job opportunities.

As in every job there are a few conditions you need to meet in order to be able to work as a backpacker on a dairy farm in New Zealand. Besides having a valid Working Holiday Visa for New Zealand, you:

• Enjoy working in nature and with animals
• Are physically fit, reliable and hard working
• Have a (relatively) good command of the English language

A plus would be, if you:

• Have experience working on a farm, particularly on a dairy farm and with cows
• Have your own transportation or at least an international driver’s license
• Can already or are willing to learn how to ride a motorbike, quad or tractor

New Zealand’s currency is the Dollar with which you can pay everywhere. You can get New Zealand Dollars before arriving to New Zealand at your home country bank or at exchange bureaus at most international airports. However, in New Zealand you can pay almost everything and everywhere with your credit/debit card, that’s why you should have that ready as well. When buying goods or services you need to pay 15% Goods and Services Tax (GST) which is included in the displayed price.

When working in New Zealand you must pay an income tax which is deducted through the PAYE (Pay As You Earn) system. This tax varies depending on your salary. Those earning up to $14,000 are taxed at 10.5%, between $14,001 and $48,000 at 17.5%, from $48,001 to $70,000 at 30% and above $70,000 at 33%. So that you can be a good taxpayer and your employer can deduct the right amount it is essential for you to apply for an IRD number. This process is easy, as you can do it online. Go to Inland Revenue’s website and apply today. Please remember at the end of your year, that you could be owed a tax refund. Check Inland Revenue’s website for further information.

In order to apply for an IRD number you require a bank account. For opening an account, you usually need your passport or passport number, your foreign tax identification number (FIN), your visa plus the dates of your arrival and length of stay, as well as a proof of your new residential address. Some banks let you apply prior to arrival online, but a lot of backpackers apply during their first days in the country. You just go to the local branch of your preferred bank to open the account. Please take into consideration, that most banks especially in the Working Holiday hotspots like Auckland or Christchurch have a waiting list and require you to make an appointment a few days in advance. If you don’t want to or cannot wait for that long, try to contact a branch outside the city centre.

New Zealand offers many different means of transportation, whereas taking the hop-on hop-off bus or buying a campervan/car are the most common among backpackers.

The public transport and the hop-on hop-off bus system are generally good between bigger cities but might not be as frequent to smaller towns or villages, which means that you might have to change busses. Hence, the route becomes the destination! But with spectacular views on your way, you are probably willing to make a short detour anyways to reach you final location.

To buy a car, or not to buy a car: that is the question!

Particularly, as many of the farms are located in remote areas you might want to have a car in order to explore the surroundings on your days off. Thus, buying a car is on most backpacker’s to-do list. Just check different Facebook groups or Trade-me for good deals. Before buying a car make sure that it is safe and will take you around the island without any incidents. If you are not that mechanical-savvy than take advantage of the pre-purchase checks offered at many mechanic’s workshops. The AA also offers this service and can give you more information on what to keep in mind when buying and driving a car in New Zealand.

Don’t be afraid, just be honest!

Finally, you made it on the plane and are excited about going to New Zealand. On the plane you should get the Passenger Arrival Card which you need to fill out as you need it handy after landing and passing through Passport Control. There you will either get checked by an Immigration officer or you can pass through the eGates, always depending your country of citizenship. Just follow the directions which will lead you to the right lane. Afterwards you pick up your luggage and then need to go on to Biosecurity. Before you board the airplane, you might have heard of New Zealand’s strict biosecurity rules. This is not to annoy you or that our friendly boarder police officers can eat your chocolate in their lunch breaks. No, it is to protect the beautiful nature you want to explore. Lastly, you need to go to customs if you must declare something before you are finally and legally in New Zealand.

New Zealand SIM card

After arriving to the airport and a probably long flight to New Zealand, you might want to let your parents or friends back at home know that you got to New Zealand safely. One of the easiest options to keep in touch is to buy a SIM card for your unlocked mobile phone before you even leave the airport. There are booths of New Zealand’s most important providers at the international airports. Just grab the SIM card with the best deal for you and text or call your loved ones.

Settling in

Take a few days to settle in and get accustomed to the country and your new life as a backpacker. So it might be wise to book accommodation in advance for the first few days in New Zealand. Additionally, a lot of foreigners might experience a jet-lag. So take a few days off, explore your first experience of New Zealand and enjoy finally being here.

A lot of backpackers whose native language isn’t English are afraid, that their English language skills are not good enough for working and travelling New Zealand. Don’t worry, so many other people have done it without being proficient. Even if you have issues reading this guide and you have the translator open beside you, you will get much better as soon as you are talking the language frequently, whether it be at the supermarket check-out, with your Kiwi friends in a bar or when talking to the dairy farmer at work. Just relax, don’t force it and try to speak English as much as possible!

This list shall give you a short overview of the essentials you should bring, so you can Work & Travel New Zealand in Style. But remember, New Zealand is a developed country in which you can buy all relevant items in a store. Don’t bring too much as you have to carry it (until you decide to buy a car, then you just have to drive it around) and might want to bring some souvenirs back home.

Carry-on bag

• Passport
• Flight ticket or Boarding Pass
• Mobile phone (it should be unlocked, so you won’t have any issues using a New Zealand SIM Card, plus don’t forget the charger!)
• Working Holiday Visa plus supporting evidence (e.g. bank statement and health insurance, onwards flight ticket or sufficient funds to buy it)
• National Driver’s License and/or International Driving Permit (if required)
• Some cash in New Zealand Dollars for your first days in New Zealand (just in case)
• Credit card and/or debit card
• Toiletries (in travel-sized containers)
• Medication (remember to check the maximum amount you can bring into New Zealand)
• Entertainment (e.g. download your favourite Netflix series before the flight or bring a thrilling book or a New Zealand Guidebook for some last-minute travel ideas)
• Headphones (if you are planning on watching that series during the flight)
• Travel pillow and some warm socks
• Best to put your valuables, such as camera, etc. in your carry-on in case your luggage gets lost
• Bring a pen, as you have to fill out the arrival card on the plane
• Money belt (just to keep your money/passport/bank cards safe)

Backpack or Luggage

• Outdoor Clothes (because that’s where all the fun is happening)
  • Warm/waterproof/windproof jackets
  • Hiking pants/shorts
  • Pair of jeans
  • T-shirts and pullovers
  • Hiking boots
  • Comfortable/sports shoes
  • Hat (sun/winter), gloves and scarf
  • Sunglasses
  • Bikini or bathing suit/pants
  • In case you are planning on camping, bring a tent, sleeping bag and mat, etc.
• Different styles
  • Are you planning to go out? Then pack a few party/dinner/theatre/… essentials
• Other essentials
  • Socks and underwear
  • pyjamas
  • Flip Flops (for the hostel shower)
  • Travel towel
  • Padlock (for the hostel lockers)
  • Toiletries and other medication
  • Travel adapter
  • Power bank (always good if you are on the go)
  • Earplugs (if you are a light sleeper and want to stay in dorm rooms)

Additionally, make copies of all the paperwork which you carry around including your passport, visa, etc. and upload in a cloud. In case you get robbed, you have a back-up online.

Last but not least, and of course most importantly, bring old clothes to wear on the dairy farm!

As one of the world’s most isolated countries, most people arrive in New Zealand with the airplane. There are five international and several regional airports. Just check the different airlines or flight search engines online for your best options. It might also be worth checking possible stopovers or different arrival airports for the cheapest flights.

Whatever time you prefer, there is always adventure awaiting you in New Zealand. Be it in the Southern Alps on a snowboard during winter or diving in one of the hotspots on the North Island in summer. Completely after the motto: “There is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes!”

However, keep in mind that New Zealand is in the Southern Hemisphere, which means that summer is during the months of December, January and February and winter in June, July and August.

Which means, that you should rather pack your Bikini for the Christmas holidays than your woollen hat!

A huge concern for a lot of first time Working Holiday participants is, if they should organize their experience abroad by themselves or pay an agency to organize it for them.

We highly encourage you to organize it by yourself. It is a very simple process that is explained in detail on Immigration New Zealand’s website and for which you should not pay hundreds of dollars to an agency. Plus, New Zealand is one of the world’s favourite backpacker destinations with a large number of budget accommodations and transport options. There will always be people that can help or guide you, if you feel lost.

Now you might think: Why does an immigration law firm give me this kind of advice? It is because we care about you and want you to have an awesome experience in the country we love. Well, and having saved a few bucks at the beginning of your adventure isn’t that bad, is it?

Just make sure to take your time to plan and organize your experience. Most people start gathering information 4 to 5 months before they actually come to beautiful Aotearoa. That way you have enough time to apply for the visa, book your flights and get everything ready for the adventure. As you have found our Website this is the first step to a great experience!

There are different requirements for applying for a Working Holiday Visa. These for instance include:

• Identity and Citizenship (You need to proof your identity by providing your passport details, which will also proof that you are a citizen of the country your Working Holiday Visa is for.)
• Age (At the time of your application you need to be between 18 and 30 years, for some countries 35 years, old.)
• Funds (You need to have sufficient financial resources to fund your Working Holiday. These amount to 4,200.00 NZD.)
• Health (You need to be in good health. Please keep in mind, that some countries need to provide a chest x-ray and/or medical examination to proof it.)
• Medical Insurance (You need to have medical insurance for the whole time of your stay in New Zealand.)
• Good character (You must be of good character and prove this by answering questions about it during your application.)
• Return or onward flight (You need to either have booked a return flight or have sufficient funds to buy it.)

Find out if your nationality is among the 30+ different schemes and if you are eligible to apply for a Working Holiday Visa by checking Immigration New Zealand’s website for further information.

Please be aware that the Working Holiday Visa is only granted once and that you cannot apply again after it has been approved.

Because of its nature… New Zealand has a lot to offer in terms of landscape and culture, that should not be missed. Whether sea, beaches, cliffs, mountains, glaciers, pastures, … here you will find everything your heart desires. Enjoy nature at work and in your free time! Typical activities for New Zealand are for example hiking, swimming in the sea, hot springs or crystal-clear lakes, diving, fishing, skiing or snowboarding, and so many more. In other words, a country of endless outdoor opportunities.

Because of its people… New Zealanders, or Kiwis, are very friendly, cheerful and open-minded people who like a good joke. You will meet people of different backgrounds every day and you will always have the chance for a chat with a local, whether it’s while walking through the park, a grocery store or when buying a delicious coffee in the nearest bakery. You will experience true helpfulness. And can make friends for life!

Because of its work opportunities… New Zealand is also one of the leading agriculture states in the world. A country with more dairy cattle than inhabitants and thus the perfect destination for you to get to know real dairy farm life. The Regions works with farms of different sizes all over New Zealand, on the North and South Island. Our aim is to place the right candidate on the right farm at the right time. That’s why we work closely with dairy farmers, farm workers and backpackers like you.

Well, we could probably go on for days to explain why you should travel our beautiful country, but we will just leave it to you, to explore New Zealand and discover its secrets.