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Immigration New Zealand publishes that the Working Holiday for Chile opens “at 10:00 on 15 October 2026 (NZDT)”. That New Zealand time falls on Wednesday 14 October at 18:00 in Chile, one day earlier on the calendar. There are 940 places, the visa costs from NZD 770 and applications stay open until the places are filled.
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Update of 19 October 2026: the 2026 Chilean quota has now been filled. The official Immigration New Zealand page now says “This visa is closed for 2026. You can apply next year”, and the 2027 date has not been published yet (the 2026 calendar was announced on 15 January 2026).
The official Immigration New Zealand text is literal: «This visa will open at 10:00 15 October 2026 (NZDT)». New Zealand is at that moment 16 hours ahead of Chile, so that 10 in the morning on the 15th there is 18:00 on Wednesday the 14th here. If you put the 15th in your calendar, you arrive a day late, and with 940 places on a first-come basis that is enough to miss out.
The time is the same for Argentina and Uruguay, which are on UTC-3 all year: 18:00 on Wednesday the 14th. In Brazil it depends on the state, because it has several time zones: 18:00 in Brasília, São Paulo and Rio, 17:00 in Manaus and Cuiabá, and 16:00 in Rio Branco.
Chile's annual quota is 940 visas. Immigration New Zealand publishes that applications stay open until the places are filled and that, once filled, the scheme closes until 2027. The visa costs from NZD 770, an expense separate from the NZD 4,200 in funds you have to show.
New Zealand: 10:00 on Thursday 15 October 2026, New Zealand daylight time (NZDT).
Mainland Chile: 18:00 on Wednesday 14 October 2026.
Argentina and Uruguay: 18:00 on Wednesday 14 October 2026. Both are on UTC-3 all year.
Brazil does not have a single time zone: in Brasília, São Paulo and Rio it is 18:00 on Wednesday the 14th; in Manaus and Cuiabá, 17:00; and in Rio Branco, 16:00.
Set your alarm an hour early and log in with your session already started: the quota is decided in minutes.
On how the places are distributed: Immigration New Zealand publishes that “once each scheme opens, applications stay open until the places are filled” and that “once filled, the scheme closes until 2027”. It does not publish a ballot or a waiting list.
Be a citizen of Chile, with a valid passport.
Be between 18 and 35 years old.
Not have previously held a New Zealand Working Holiday visa, even if you did not use it.
Be in good health.
Be of good character.
Have a genuine reason to come to New Zealand.
Have at least NZD 4,200 for maintenance.
Have comprehensive health insurance for your whole stay.
Have plans to leave New Zealand when the visa ends.
For “good health” you may be asked for a chest X-ray, a medical examination or both, and these must be less than 3 months old when you submit them. For “good character” you may be asked for criminal record checks, which must be less than 6 months old.
On insurance, the page says you may be asked to show proof of cover, including hospital cover.
And watch the one about not having held the visa before: the text adds “even if you did not use it”. If it was granted years ago and you never travelled, you have already used it. You can apply if you held a Working Holiday in other countries: what counts is the New Zealand one.
Stay for up to 12 months.
The work has to be temporary jobs: the page itself says you can't take a permanent job with this visa.
Work in temporary jobs during those 12 months, but for a maximum of 6 months with the same employer.
Study or train for up to 6 months in total.
You must enter New Zealand within 12 months of the visa being issued: if you don't arrive in that time, the visa expires and you can't apply for another Working Holiday.
There is a way to extend it: if you complete 3 months of seasonal work in viticulture or horticulture, you can apply for the Working Holiday Extension Work Visa and stay 3 more months.
The application is done online and IN ENGLISH.
Create your account on the Immigration New Zealand website before the day, not on the same day.
Check your passport's validity: it must be valid for at least 3 months BEYOND the date the visa expires. With a 12-month visa, that means about 15 months of validity.
Have your payment method ready: the visa costs from NZD 770, on top of the NZD 4,200 in funds you are asked to show.
Have your proof of funds ready.
Health insurance is required for your entire stay, so it's a good idea to get a quote for the policy before you apply.
The money for your departure ticket is SEPARATE from the NZD 4,200: the official text says "the money for your ticket has to be in addition to what you have to live on". You either show the ticket already bought, or you show the money to buy it, and it can't be the same money.
Verified on 19 October 2026. If any of this changes, we will update the article and let you know by email.
The news closest in time, each with its official source.
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