Seasonal Work and Wwoofing
Seasonal work is limited as the harvest is over but we do have winter pruning and general maintenance jobs.
We also offer work here at the hostel in exchange for accommodation and free internet so ASK US ABOUT VACANCIES!
Clean and comfortable backpacker accommodation with the best showers in town! Great atmosphere, feels like Home from Home. Easy walking distance to town.
Contact us NOW to get your accommodation booked.
Any calls to our office from employers looking for employees are distributed on a strictly 'first come, first served' basis.
Any calls to our office from employers looking for employees are distributed on a strictly 'first come, first served' basis.
YOU MUST HAVE A WORK PERMIT! IMMIGRATION OFFICERS VISIT HOSTELS, CAMPSITES, PACKHOUSES AND ORCHARDS.
You will find the employment process simpler (and be paid faster) if you have an IRD number and bank account set up before you arrive, although, you can organise an IRD no. upon your arrival in Kerikeri at the PICK NZ Office where your application will be fast-tracked for a fee of $10 so much faster than the normal wait of up to 3 weeks!
We also have special weekly accommodation rates for workers.
A WORK PERMIT is required and we will need to see this if we are to coordinate between you and the employer.
However:-
"People who are in New Zealand on a visitor permit may apply to have the conditions of their permit varied to allow them to do seasonal work (planting, maintaining, harvesting, and packing crops) in the horticulture or viticulture industry."
This is called a Variation of Conditions (VOC), costs $120 + $30 fee, and allows an individual to work for 6 weeks. You may arrange this yourself, or again the PICK NZ office will assist you with this. Please note, there are conditions attached and not all applications are successful!
An IRD Number is also required.
If you do not have an IRD number when you arrive you will need 2 forms of I/D to make an application, or 1 I/D & an "offer of employment" letter from your employer.
Remember, you may be eligible for a tax rebate when you leave the country! (form IR3).
Kerikeri is known as "the fruit bowl of the North" and therefore a great deal of seasonal orchard work is available.
The busiest time in the local citrus and kiwifruit orchards is from January to July with a brief pause at the end of February and full on work again at the end of March.
From the end of March to the end of June there are lots of jobs available picking mandarins and kiwifruit. (Fluent spoken English is not a requirement for fruit-picking work).
The process of packing kiwifruit involves numerous stages. Work includes grading, tray prep', stacking, 'palletisers' and box making.
Throughout the remainder of the year other work is available, including pruning and general orchard work.
Rates of pay:-
The contractor MUST pay you the minimum hourly wage.
"From 1st April 2010 the minimum wage for employees aged 16 years and over will rise to $12.75 an hour before tax." - http://www.ers.dol.govt.nz/pay/minimum.html
If the work is 'contract work' (i.e. you are not paid by the hour), and the contractor considers you to be too slow, the contractor must terminate your employment within 3 days.
If the contractor does NOT tell you that you are too slow and lets you work on after 3 days then legally, he has to pay you the minimum hourly wage for the hours you worked after the first 3 days.
We have application custom/forms at the lodge for you to work the fruit season, either in the packhouse or the orchards. Be in quick to gain a place!
You will find the employment process simpler (and be paid faster) if you have an IRD number and bank account set up before you arrive, although, you can organise an IRD no. upon your arrival in Kerikeri at the PICK NZ Office where your application will be fast-tracked for a fee of $10 so much faster than the normal wait of up to 3 weeks!
We also have special weekly accommodation rates for workers.
A WORK PERMIT is required and we will need to see this if we are to coordinate between you and the employer.
However:-
"People who are in New Zealand on a visitor permit may apply to have the conditions of their permit varied to allow them to do seasonal work (planting, maintaining, harvesting, and packing crops) in the horticulture or viticulture industry."
This is called a Variation of Conditions (VOC), costs $120 + $30 fee, and allows an individual to work for 6 weeks. You may arrange this yourself, or again the PICK NZ office will assist you with this. Please note, there are conditions attached and not all applications are successful!
An IRD Number is also required.
If you do not have an IRD number when you arrive you will need 2 forms of I/D to make an application, or 1 I/D & an "offer of employment" letter from your employer.
Remember, you may be eligible for a tax rebate when you leave the country! (form IR3).
Kerikeri is known as "the fruit bowl of the North" and therefore a great deal of seasonal orchard work is available.
The busiest time in the local citrus and kiwifruit orchards is from January to July with a brief pause at the end of February and full on work again at the end of March.
From the end of March to the end of June there are lots of jobs available picking mandarins and kiwifruit. (Fluent spoken English is not a requirement for fruit-picking work).
The process of packing kiwifruit involves numerous stages. Work includes grading, tray prep', stacking, 'palletisers' and box making.
Throughout the remainder of the year other work is available, including pruning and general orchard work.
Rates of pay:-
The contractor MUST pay you the minimum hourly wage.
"From 1st April 2010 the minimum wage for employees aged 16 years and over will rise to $12.75 an hour before tax." - http://www.ers.dol.govt.nz/pay/minimum.html
If the work is 'contract work' (i.e. you are not paid by the hour), and the contractor considers you to be too slow, the contractor must terminate your employment within 3 days.
If the contractor does NOT tell you that you are too slow and lets you work on after 3 days then legally, he has to pay you the minimum hourly wage for the hours you worked after the first 3 days.
We have application custom/forms at the lodge for you to work the fruit season, either in the packhouse or the orchards. Be in quick to gain a place!
| Thinning | Approx $12.75 per hour |
| Citrus picking | Between $90 and $150 a day according to how much you pick. |
| Kiwifruit picking | $12.75 + per hour, working as a team and based on a 5-8 hour day. The fitter and more motivated the team, the more money earned. However, kiwifruit picking is weather dependent. |
| Kiwifruit packing | Approx $12.75 per hour for an 11-hour day (sometimes longer). |
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