BYATA Immigration Updates

Keeping our sector informed. Immigration New Zealand provides BYATA with visa statistics and commentary on key immigration issues affecting tourism.

Working Holiday Visa Update

Working Holiday Visa (WHV) numbers continue to decline, although the rate of decline has slowed. 

Working Holiday Visa arrivals 

Reviewing the below table we can see that yet again the WHV arrivals have fallen. We are now down to less than 36,500 in the past year, a drop of 18.4% since the post Covid peak of nearly 44,000 in the 12 months to January 2024. While there is little traction to be gained in the face of the upcoming election and Christmas shutdown the issue will remain at the top of our priorities in the new year.

BYATA will continue advocating for stronger efforts to attract working holidaymakers to New Zealand. However, challenges such as rising unemployment can make this difficult from a political perspective, despite studies indicating that working holidaymakers collectively create more jobs than they take.

Working Holiday Visa statistics and arrival trends

Immigration Roundup for Employers

Updates and information for employers on immigration matters relevant to their businesses.

Immigration Tourism Updates

Regular immigration updates covering key messages and issues relevant to New Zealand's tourism industry.

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