Welcome to Backpacker Job Board. Backpacker Job Board is the web's best employment site for working holiday makers in New Zealand. From fruit picking jobs and seasonal harvest work, through to au-pair, hospitality work and housekeeping jobs, Backpacker Job Board is home to a wide variety of different casual jobs for backpackers. We have full-time, part-time and temp roles to suit all travellers in NZ. Browse our jobs database and apply for jobs online for free. No fees required! Any questions, feel free to contact us - we're happy to help. In the meantime, here's some useful links:
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Featured Backpacker Jobs
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Latest Backpacker Jobs
New 5hr 21m ago
Food & Beverage attendants required to work in our busy restaurant Hiku at our beautiful property Sudima Hotel Kaikoura. $26 per hour.We prefer applicants with...
New 22hr ago
Who We Are | Ko Wai MātouPodium Restaurant is situated within Sudima Queenstown Five Mile and offers a flavorful dining experience and is the perfect place to...
New 23hr ago
About UsTarora is developing a boutique resort on an idyllic 1,000-hectare private estate, located 30-minutes outside the closest township of Te Anau.This...
New 1d ago
Stonefruit pickers and grading & packing .No experience needed, just a good attitude, as on-site training is given
New 1d ago
Motutere Bay TOP 10 Holiday Park is excited to announce that we’re now interviewing for our 2024/2025 summer season! We’re seeking enthusiastic Holiday Park...
New 1d ago
We have a well-paid 5+ month farm assistant contract starting ASAP for a working holiday visa holder to work on a farm 1.5 hours from Ashburton. The farm is a strong...
New 2d ago
We have a position for an experienced cook / chef + kitchen hand for our busy cafe in the beautiful small tourist town of Twizel.We have day time positions...
New 2d ago
Job Description: Organic Lavender Farm WorkerAre you looking for a job that allows you to enjoy the beauty of the New Zealand Alpine Lavender farm If so, we have...
New 3d ago
Are you ready to dial up the FUN and cash in on a great opportunity? We’re looking for enthusiastic, outgoing people to join our buzzing telemarketing squad! Work...
New 3d ago
An exciting opportunity awaits a full time Outlet Manager at our rooftop bar Sunset, at Sudima Auckland City. Influences from beloved bars from around the world have...
New 3d ago
TWIZEL HOTEL - LIVE ONSITE WITH ACCOMODATION INCLUDEDCalling all hospitality stars or great people with kitchenhand, housekeeping, restaurant or bar experience....
New 3d ago
Landscape Gardener | Shotover MowingLocation: QueenstownPay: based on experienceGet paid to work in the great outdoors of QueenstownWork with a fun,...
New 3d ago
The Glebe Apartments is a 36 unit apartment complex in the heart of Queenstown CBD. We have long term tenants as well as welcome nightly guests for hotel stays. We...
New 3d ago
We are looking for a tractor driver to assist us with planting of sweet potato (kumara) and other farm tasks. You will need to be experienced in driving tractors and...
5d ago
Im looking for a Handy-person to help out and work along side myself with tasks such as water blasting, painting and general home maintenance over two properties...
6d ago
We are seeking someone who is highly focused and mature to work in our popular Splash Park this summer. The ideal candidate will have a positive attitude, excellent...
6d ago
Come and join our award winning team for summer. Everyone LOVES our Pizzas so we need a superstar to join our busy team and smash out pizzas all summer long! Full...
7d ago
Looking for front desk rental car customer sales rep/service rep for a car rental business based near the Auckland airport.-Must have good English communication...
8d ago
EXPERIENCED BARTENDER WANTED.????????????????The Smoking Barrel in stunning Motueka is on the lookout for an experienced BARTENDER.Reckon you can bring the...
Backpacker Jobs New Zealand
From fruit picking Jobs, fishing Jobs and seasonal harvest work to au-pair and hospitality work, Backpacker Job Board NZ is home to a huge variety of different casual Jobs for backpackers. We have full-time, part-time and temp roles to suit all travellers. Browse our job vacancy database and apply for Jobs online for free. You can also subscribe to our mailing list or follow us on Facebook and Twitter and be the first to get all our latest backpacker job vacancies live as we receive them. Any questions, feel free to contact us - we're happy to help. In the meantime, here's some useful links:
Latest News from our Blog
How do I find a Backpacker Job in New Zealand?
Travelling in New Zealand is a costly pursuit. The good news is for backpackers on a working holiday visa you can earn as you travel, by working in a variety of temporary, part-time and casual jobs while traversing the north and south island of New Zealand.
Finding the right job at the right time is key to a successful working holiday. New Zealand is a different country with a different culture, but the work options for backpackers are aplenty.
If you're searching for a casual job in a bar, a stretch of remote work on a farm, or a short term position at a hostel, Backpacker Job Board NZ is the ideal place to start your job search. Here's our guide to find the ideal job. Let us walk you through the process of job hunting as a backpacker in New Zealand.
How to find a job in New Zealand?
How easy is it to get a job in New Zealand on a working holiday visa? Let's take a look. Here's how to find a job in New Zealand when backpacking. Note; it can take about 5 days to find work successfully and you may need a few items (WiFi, Resume, Computer or Mobile Phone).
You can't work as a backpacker in New Zealand without holding a working holiday visa.
You must secure your visa before you arrive in New Zealand, as you'll need to supply a number of original documents as part of the application, and it will be checked at the airport on arrival.
Having arrived in the country with visa in hand, your first job is to get a Kiwi mobile number. Head to the nearest mobile operator store and grab a SIM card so that you can make contact with and be contacted by employers. Pick a SIM with plenty of data - you'll need it!
When was the last time you gave your resume a spit and shine? It's important that it is up to date, and highlights the skills, qualifications and experience that aligns with the type of job that you'll be looking for while travelling. You may well have been a lawyer in your home country, but that experience won't be super helpful in finding a job behind the bar in Wellington or fruit picking in Christchurch. Instead highlight any relevant experience and transferable skills.
A picture is worth a thousand words, and ideally yours will yell "Employ Me!" 500 times over. Make it professional, captivating, and unmistakably you.
As New Zealand's number one backpacker job marketplace, signing up with Backpacker Job Board will grant you access to a huge number of potential jobs. It only takes about a minute to register as a backpacker, and it's totally free!
Once you've registered with Backpacker Job Board you're ready to start browsing! We have lots of new jobs posted every day, so keep checking your preferred job category pages often. All our jobs are also posted to our Facebook page. Follow us on Facebook for more updates.
Have a read over job descriptions for any specific eligibility criteria.
Some jobs will require specific qualifications or experience. Save time in the long run, and apply for the most relevant jobs first
Is the employer legitimate? Do they have a good reputation? Will they follow through on their promises? It's important that you get a good sense of the employer before you get too far down the road. Check the employer's online presence for things like a New Zealand Business Number (NZBN), contact details and an address, and do your best to search out former employees to get first hand info on what they're like as a boss (Google, Facebook and Glassdoor reviews are a great place to look). It's important that you stay safe.
Cover letters are important. They have the job of personalising your resume, explaining exactly why you, with your skills and experience, are perfect for this particular job. You need to spend time getting it right. If you feel as though your English isn't as good as it needs to be, get a friend to take a look!
Once you've found some good jobs from good employers and developed a knock-out resume and cover letter, it's time to send out applications!
While you don't want to be overeager - the employer will likely be busy, as they're currently looking for help - it's smart to follow up within a day or two. This demonstrates initiative, and shows that you're eager to work.
The job market is competitive in New Zealand, so it's important that you respond quickly to any correspondence from a potential employer. Reply to their questions in a polite and professional manner, and be sure to ask any more that you might have - this is your chance to clear up any confusion.
You want to know a healthy amount about the job, the employer and the industry before you sit down for an interview. You will probably be going for plenty of jobs that you don't have much experience in, but if you can show that you've learnt a little bit about the field before you've gone to the interview, it'll demonstrate real initiative.
A job offer is on the table, but this is your last chance to decide whether this is the right choice for you, so take it. On top of your earlier due diligence, which ensured the employer was trustworthy, you should take the opportunity to look at the area that you'll be working in, and the type of work, the pay and the work conditions, to ensure that this is the right move. All of these things should be clearly laid out by the employer before you accept.
Congratulations - the job has been offered and you've accepted! But before you get to work, you need to make sure you have everything you need.
The first items on your checklist will be any certificates and qualifications you might need in your new job. Your employer will be able to advise the specifics, but common qualifications include the White Card / Site Safety Card certificate for labour and construction jobs.
You also may need to have clothing and personal protective equipment (PPE). Check what, if anything, the employer supplies, then go shopping for the extras. This is particularly important for labouring, fruit picking and farm work.
You've done it! It's time to put in the hours and get paid.
There's one final step in the process. Getting paid is great, but it does mean that the government gets paid too, by taxing your income. You want to be sure you're not passing too much money on to them, and our backpacker tax calculator helps you to do just that. Simply pop in your income and the tax you paid, and we'll let you know what you can expect to get back at the end of the financial year!