Finding seasonal work

Doing a seasonal job can help you:

• learn new skills and get work experience
• earn good money, sometimes more than $700 a week
• be active and fit
• meet new people
• gain confidence.

Seasonal jobs can last from a few weeks up to 6 months. You may be offered a permanent job, or you can use your new skills and experience for a similar job.

How much it pays

Employers rely on seasonal workers and will pay good money for a good worker.

For example, if you worked 30 hours a week picking fruit or vegetables you could earn around $700 before tax a week, or more. Exactly how much depends on the employer and the job.

Some jobs are paid by the hour and others by a contract rate, e.g. if you’re picking apples you might get a set amount for each bin you fill.

Finding seasonal work

These websites specialise in advertising seasonal jobs:

Where to work and when

The work changes with the seasons, so the type of jobs needed and available change too.

You can use this table to see what type of work is available, and when, so you can plan ahead.

Type of work	When	Where
Fruit and vegetables	All year round	All of New Zealand Find out where and when fruit and vegetable work is available
Vineyards	Usually available all year	East Coast Hawkes Bay Wairarapa Nelson Marlborough, Canterbury Otago
Forestry	All year round, particularly autumn	Northland East Coast Hawkes Bay Central North Island Wairarapa Otago Southland
Dairy	Almost year round	Waikato Taranaki Hawkes Bay Central North Island Manawatu Horowhenua Wairarapa South Canterbury Otago Southland
Freezing works and meat processing	October to May, and July to August	Waikato Hawkes Bay Horowhenua Manawatu Wairarapa South Canterbury Otago Southland
Lambing and sheep shearing	August to May	Waikato Taranaki Central North Island Manawatu Wairarapa Marlborough South Canterbury Otago Southland
Fisheries and seafood	June to September	Northland Hawkes Bay Nelson/West Coast South Canterbury Southland
Ski-related work on ski fields and in local towns	June to September	Central Plateau Marlborough Mid Canterbury Central Otago
Tourism - everything from waiting tables to being a tour guide	November to February	Resort and tourist towns, e.g. Taupō, Rotorua, Queenstown, Te Anau and Paihia.

When you start work

You may be able to get help from us for costs like accommodation, gear and clothing for when you start work, and regular bills like travel and childcare.

Can’t work because of bad weather

If bad weather means you can't do your horticulture or viticulture job, and you stopped getting a benefit to do this job, we may be able to help. Seasonal Work Assistance is a payment that helps you pay for costs while you're not working.

When you start work

We can help you find a new job quickly, and make sure you have everything you need to start your new job.