[bestofyou]

I'm thinking of deferring my place at uni and taking another year out.

I wanted to go to Canada but I've apparently missed the deadline for this year.

Australia hasn't got my appeal to me and I've used my one off WHV to NZ

So I decided to go to Argentina.

Anyone been there to work or just been to travel?

Would it be hard to get a job there and would it be hard to last 6-9months?

[gemini89]

Can't really help with Argentina, but you can get another WHV for New Zealand, though you have to pay through the nose for it! BUNAC has an visa exclusive to them called the 'IEP Work Exchange Visa,' which is very similar to the WHV but with an age extension. To get this visa however, they force you to first pay for their 'essentials' package (£324!) and then you can apply for the £155 visa. You also have to have NZ$3000 of funds available, no matter how long you plan to stay in NZ.

Shame you missed out on the Canada one - the system for the WHVs is so ridiculous (it took me four months to get my 2nd visa) compared to the NZ/Aus ones...hope the Argentinian one is simpler!

[bestofyou]

(Original post by gemini89)
Can't really help with Argentina, but you can get another WHV for New Zealand, though you have to pay through the nose for it! BUNAC has an visa exclusive to them called the 'IEP Work Exchange Visa,' which is very similar to the WHV but with an age extension. To get this visa however, they force you to first pay for their 'essentials' package (£324!) and then you can apply for the £155 visa. You also have to have NZ$3000 of funds available, no matter how long you plan to stay in NZ.

Shame you missed out on the Canada one - the system for the WHVs is so ridiculous (it took me four months to get my 2nd visa) compared to the NZ/Aus ones...hope the Argentinian one is simpler!

yeah. I remember back in 2010 when I took my first gap year I think it was before they changed it to the IEC it was much easier to get a visa, I would have went that year however there was complications because of my Irish passport and I only had a few weeks left to sort it out before the deadline.

Glad to hear I can get another NZ visa at least, really want to do a ski season out there.

At this point I'm getting tempted just to go to university, this craic with visas always puts me off. I checked out my course and there are both study abroad and sandwich year options so I was thinking to take a year abroad in second year then a year in industry (abroad) after that, maybe head out to the mines in Australia or something.

Have you been to NZ before? Can I ask if they actually checked for your funds?

[gemini89]

(Original post by bestofyou)
yeah. I remember back in 2010 when I took my first gap year I think it was before they changed it to the IEC it was much easier to get a visa, I would have went that year however there was complications because of my Irish passport and I only had a few weeks left to sort it out before the deadline.

Glad to hear I can get another NZ visa at least, really want to do a ski season out there.

At this point I'm getting tempted just to go to university, this craic with visas always puts me off. I checked out my course and there are both study abroad and sandwich year options so I was thinking to take a year abroad in second year then a year in industry (abroad) after that, maybe head out to the mines in Australia or something.

Have you been to NZ before? Can I ask if they actually checked for your funds?

I spent most of my post-college/pre-uni gap year in New Zealand, and no, they didn't check my funds. You could always borrow some from a friend/parent if possible, just to have in your account when you cross immigration. I really wouldn't advise not having it - you may be the small minority that gets asked, and imagine how bad it would be to have to fly all the way back home!

I'm hoping to head back to NZ in a few years for a ski season too - worked at a resort in Canada last winter (and will be this winter too).

[curdela]

I lived in Argentina for most of last year - all I can say is I am majorly jealous that you might be heading out there! Its an amazing place.

I don't know much about finding work, but I lived with two American guys who were there to work (one was an unpaid law intern) and they found it very easy to secure professional English-language based work. I think there is a large community from the US who come to Argentina just for work, and the cost of living - but I wouldn't say its that much cheaper anymore, with the exception of rent...and booze.

As for other more low-key work there are a few bars that will employ staff with not much spanish, the pubcrawl is a great part-time job and way to meet people and they operate most evenings in Buenos Aires..

I also lived with a guy who offered English language classes from our kitchen which seemed to work out well for him. I also remember seeing a lot of call-centre jobs advertised, but they particularly wanted American accents - but I guess you'd have as much a chance as the Argentines with this?! All this is assuming you don't have intermediate+ Spanish - if you do, then you're winning!

Buenos Aires is a great city, but I also had an amazing time travelling around Argentina - it is also relatively easy to travel country-country.. BA-Uruguay is particularly cheap. Good luck with your travels!

[bestofyou]

(Original post by gemini89)
I spent most of my post-college/pre-uni gap year in New Zealand, and no, they didn't check my funds. You could always borrow some from a friend/parent if possible, just to have in your account when you cross immigration. I really wouldn't advise not having it - you may be the small minority that gets asked, and imagine how bad it would be to have to fly all the way back home!

I'm hoping to head back to NZ in a few years for a ski season too - worked at a resort in Canada last winter (and will be this winter too).

what is the pay in NZ like compared to the cost of living? For example would you save much money or are you really just making money to cover your cost of living?

From what I hear it is quite easy to go to auz and come back with £xxxx in your bank, is NZ the same?