Call of wild lures young NZ travellers to Canada

In a nationwide survey of Flight Centre consultants, Canada stood out as the hot new favourite for working holidays, with many travellers doing back-to-back winters to ski or snowboard.

While Britain remained popular for the traditional OE, changes to its immigration rules meant New Zealanders could now work for only one year - as opposed to two - during their two-year stay.

Wellington Flight Centre consultant Ella Law said she had dealt with many young people heading to Canada to work and ski for a year. Many applied for British visas in Canada before heading to London to start the European leg of their travels.

While more than half the consultants who responded to the survey cited Canada as the most popular alternative OE destination in recent months, both South America and Ireland were also named as two new favourites.

Ireland was popular with people who had used up their allocated working holiday time in England, but wanted to make it back in through the "back door".

Amsterdam was among the less common destinations named.

Palmerston North Flight Centre consultant Brydie Wightman said he had several young people looking to live in Amsterdam for the "legalised recreational substances", and even one person who wanted to "earn some good money" in the city's sex industry.

Flight Centre area leader Carlee McCaw said young New Zealanders also favoured organised work programmes such as Camp America or teaching English in Asia for their chance to see the world.

Some clients were also volunteering for programmes with aid organisations instead of embarking on what one young person described as the "totally cliche" London working holiday.

- NZPA