23 April 2003
Media Statement

Working holiday scheme and Dependants’ Employment Agreement signed with Belgium

Prime Minister Helen Clark and Belgium Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt today signed two new agreements between New Zealand and Belgium at their meeting in Brussels.

Helen Clark said the new reciprocal working holiday arrangement will allow up to one hundred 18-to-30-year olds from each country to spend up to a year living and working in the host country.

“We have a very good relationship with Belgium and share a common outlook on many issues. This scheme will allow young New Zealanders to get to know Belgium better. It will also build on the growing people-to-people links between our two countries,” Helen Clark said.

“We hope the agreement will help make New Zealand an increasingly popular destination for Belgian tourists. The working holiday scheme will allow young Belgian travellers to spend more time in New Zealand, with the chance to undertake incidental employment.”

The agreement with Belgium takes the number of working holiday arrangements with European countries to nine. Schemes are already operating with the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and Denmark.

The two Prime Ministers also signed a Dependants’ Employment Agreement which will allow the spouses of diplomats to work in the country to which they are posted.

ENDS

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