One of the main sources of casual work is picking fruit or related orchard work such as packing or pruning and thinning. The main areas to consider are Kerikeri in the Bay of Islands for citrus and kiwifruit, Hastings in Hawke's Bay for apples, pears and peaches, Tauranga and Te Puke for kiwifruit, and Alexandra and Cromwell in Central Otago for stonefruit. Most work is available during the autumn picking season , which runs roughly from January to May, but this is also when there are most people looking for work so you can often find something just as easily in the off-season. In popular working areas, some hostels cater to short-term workers and these are usually the best places to find out what's going.

Picking can be hard and heavy work and is usually paid by the quantity gathered, rather than by the hour. When you're starting off, the poor returns can be frustrating but with persistence and application you can soon find yourself pulling in a decent wage. Don't expect to earn a fortune, but in an eight-hour day you should gross $70-100. Rates do vary considerably so it's worth asking around, factoring in any meals and accommodation which are sometimes included.

Finding other types of casual work is more ad hoc, with no recognized channels other than newspapers, and hostel noticeboards; just keep your ear to the ground, particularly in popular tourist areas - Rotorua, Nelson, Queenstown - where people running cafés , bars and hostels often need extra staff during peak periods. If you have no luck, try your chances in more out of the way locales, where there'll be fewer travellers clamouring for work. Bar and restaurant work usually pays around $8 an hour and tips are negligible. Ski resorts occasionally employ people during the July to October season, usually in catering roles. The traditional $8 an hour may be supplemented by a lift pass and subsidized food and drink, though finding affordable accommodation can be difficult and may offset a lot of what you gain. Hiring clinics for ski and snowboard instructors are usually held at the beginning of the season at a small cost, though if you are experienced it is better to apply directly to the resort beforehand.

Your earnings will be taxed and your employer will require you to obtain a tax number: pop along to the nearest tax office with your passport and they should issue one on the same day. The tax department rakes in twenty-four per cent of your earnings and you probably won't be able to reclaim any of this