Working in New Zealand as a French Citizen: Working Holiday, Visas, Minimum Wage, Taxes and the Economy

A French citizen has four ways into New Zealand employment: the Working Holiday for ages 18 to 30, the work visa tied to an accredited employer, the student visa (up to 25 hours of work a week during term) and the partner work visa, which opens all jobs to the spouse of a work visa holder (Immigration New Zealand). Residence follows for qualified profiles: Green List or Skilled Migrant Category.

The job market deserves close attention: Stats NZ counts 2.905 million people in work in the second quarter of 2026, with an employment rate of 66.7% and unemployment at 5.6% (171,000 people), up from 5.4% in the previous quarter. A firm job offer before departure therefore simplifies the process. The guide to working abroad complements this page.

The France Working Holiday is for ages 18 to 30, for a stay of up to 12 months, at a cost from NZD 770. Immigration New Zealand asks for a passport valid for 3 months beyond the visa’s expiry, NZD 4,200 in funds, an outbound ticket or the means to buy one, good health, good character and comprehensive medical insurance for the whole stay: proof may be requested after lodging, including for hospital cover. The visa can be applied for only once: a previous New Zealand Working Holiday, even if unused, rules out a new application. 80% of applications are decided within 2 weeks, and the visa is used by entering the country within 12 months of its issue.

It allows temporary jobs, under an employment contract or a contract for services. A permanent job and running a business as an owner are excluded, and study is limited to 6 months in total.

Extension: a holder who has worked at least 3 months in horticulture or viticulture (planting, maintenance, harvesting, packing) can apply for the Working Holiday Extension Work Visa, lasting 3 months, from NZD 800, without a prior job offer; nurseries and food processing do not count. The 3 months of work do not need to be continuous or with the same employer. See the working holiday guide and the proof of working holiday insurance.

The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is the main work visa. It is applied for from NZD 1,540, with 80% of applications decided within 5.5 weeks. It requires a position of at least 30 hours a week with an accredited employer whose offer has passed the job check, as well as 2 years of relevant experience or a qualification at level 4 or above of the New Zealand framework (Immigration New Zealand).

The length reaches 5 years at most for skill levels 1 to 3 and 3 years for levels 4 and 5. The visa is tied to an employer, a job title and a location: any change goes through a variation application. Since 10 March 2025, the employer no longer has to pay the median wage; it pays at least the minimum wage and at the New Zealand market rate, as for a local colleague. The spouse can then apply for a partner work visa from NZD 1,630, of the same length as the holder’s.

The Green List sorts in-demand occupations into two tiers. Tier 1 leads to the Straight to Residence Visa: 55 years old at most, an accredited employer, a full-time job of at least 12 months, pay of at least NZD 35.00 an hour (2025 median) or the occupation’s own rate, with an application from NZD 6,450 and 80% of cases decided within 3.5 months. Tier 2 leads to the Work to Residence Visa: 24 months of work in a tier 2 job in New Zealand, within the 30 months before the application, from NZD 6,450.

The Skilled Migrant Category is based on 6 points, at 55 years old at most. Three pathways exist: by points (qualification, professional registration or income, plus experience), skilled work experience (5 years including 2 in New Zealand) and technical occupations (a qualification plus 4 years of experience, including 1.5 years in the country). The reference salary threshold is NZD 35.00 an hour, and Immigration New Zealand changed the points linked to qualifications from 24 August 2026.

Since 1 April 2026, the adult minimum wage is NZD 23.95 an hour, or NZD 958 for a 40-hour week. The starting-out and training rates are NZD 19.16, or NZD 766.40 for 40 hours (Employment New Zealand). All employees earn 4 weeks of paid annual leave after 12 months of continuous employment with the same employer.

Above the floor, Stats NZ gives for the second quarter of 2026 median hourly earnings of NZD 35.96 (NZD 38.00 full time, NZD 28.49 part time) and median weekly earnings of NZD 1,419. Average ordinary-time hourly earnings are NZD 44.62, up 2.8% over a year, and salaries and wages rose 2.0% over 12 months, a pace below inflation.

A tax resident is taxed on the progressive scale in force since 1 April 2025 (IRD):

• 10.5% up to NZD 15,600;
• 17.5% from NZD 15,601 to 53,500;
• 30% from NZD 53,501 to 78,100;
• 33% from NZD 78,101 to 180,000;
• 39% above NZD 180,000.

Tax residence is acquired after more than 183 days of presence in 12 months, or as soon as there is a permanent place of abode in the country (IRD). The IRD number is applied for online on arrival (see the page on living in New Zealand).

KiwiSaver, New Zealand’s retirement savings scheme: the default employee and employer contributions rise from 3% to 3.5% on 1 April 2026 and then to 4% on 1 April 2028. The IRD reserves membership for citizens and people entitled to live in the country indefinitely: holders of a work, student or visitor visa are excluded.

ACC (the Accident Compensation Corporation): the employee levy is NZD 1.75 per NZD 100 of income in 2026-27, up to NZD 156,641 of annual income, or NZD 2,741.22 at most (IRD). In return, ACC covers accidental injuries to anyone present, resident or visitor.

No social security agreement links France and New Zealand, according to the CLEISS (the French centre for international social security liaison), which ranks them with Australia and Colombia among the countries covered by a working holiday agreement but no social security agreement. A young person on a Working Holiday does not benefit from local health insurance, even when working, and the CLEISS stresses that private insurance covering illness, maternity, disability and medical repatriation is compulsory.

Seconded employee: an employer established in France can keep its employee in the French scheme despite the absence of an agreement, under domestic legislation. The period is 3 years, renewable once, with dual status: French affiliation and possible local contributions. Beyond that, the employee becomes an expatriate and falls under the host country’s scheme. Abroad, care is reimbursed up to what the French scheme would cover for the same care, hence the value of a top-up policy (CLEISS). See seconded or expatriate, seconded employee and local contract.

On healthcare, a work visa of 2 years or more opens access to publicly funded care (Health New Zealand), whereas a shorter visa requires private insurance. The pages on the healthcare system and healthcare reimbursement detail each situation.

Real GDP grew 0.2% in the second quarter of 2026, after 0.9% in the first, or 1.7% over the year to June 2026; construction was the main driver of the quarter (Stats NZ). Inflation stands at 4.1% over 12 months, fed by fuel, and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand raised its official cash rate (OCR) to 2.75% on 2 September 2026, with an inflation target of 1 to 3%. The euro to New Zealand dollar exchange rate is shown in the economic indicators block above.

The primary sector accounts for 5.2% of the economy and goods-producing industries for 20.4% (year to March 2024, Stats NZ), but it weighs heavily in exports: goods exports reach NZD 85.3 billion over the year to August 2026, up NZD 7.7 billion, and China, Australia and the United States are the top three customers. In August 2026, milk powder, butter and cheese brought in NZD 1.2 billion out of NZD 6.7 billion of monthly exports.

Tourism is the second pillar. Stats NZ counts 3.69 million overseas visitor arrivals over the year to July 2026 (+305,000). For the year to March 2025, tourism expenditure totals NZD 46.6 billion, direct tourism value added represents 4.6% of GDP, international tourism 17% of exports and 194,631 people work directly in the sector (6.8% of employment), with food and beverage services the largest contributor to the rise in tourism employment. Horticulture and viticulture, for their part, qualify for the Working Holiday extension.