Am I being naive here?

Hi,

My name is Daniel, I'm 19 years old and I live in England.

I have an idea, which in theory sounds fine, but I'd appreciate it if anybody could give me a bit of a reality check....

I plan to come to the Cook Islands in the very near future and stay for up to 5 months. To support myself, I would hope to find employment at a hostel/hotel which wouldn't necessarily have to be paid, just the provision of a bed and food would be fine.

Would such an arrangement be feasible in the Cook Islands, I know people who have worked on this basis in Europe but I'm not sure if this would work with hostels in the Cook Islands, would it?

Being a British passport holder, I believe I am able to stay for up to 31 days without any problem and I can extend my visa up to 5 months for NZ$120. Are there any particular requirements for extending my visa? One of the big issues I have came across is the issue of possessing a return flight ticket. I would not possess a return ticket because I would be unsure of my exact departure date, would the immigration officials overlook this due to the fact I am planning to stay for 5 months or is it a policy of 'no retun ticket means no entry'?

I'd be extremely grateful if anyone could give their advice on this.

Hi,
I too went to live on Aitutaki when I was 19 (in 1990 !!!!!! A long time ago!!) I had a yearly open return ticket and stayed for the whole year .I did visit Tahiti and Samoa during the year but I did stay on Aitutaki for more than 8 months at a time renewing my visa (Irish passport). Why don't you get a yearly open ticket .

Yes a ticket valid for a year (changing dates is easy and doesnt cost much) (around the world ticket) is almost the same price from Europe as a normal return ticket from Europe to the Cooks !

When I was on Aitutaki I met an English girl working there as a babysitter, a Dutch guy working there as a scuba diver instructor, they all got housing, meals and a small allowance.

I also met a Swedish guy who stayed there in a guesthouse, he was staying there for months he got free housing if he did some housekeeping and gardening.

It's pretty simple in the Cooks: if you can't show an onward or return ticket on arrival you won't be let in the country, you'll be sent out on the same plane you landed on. Easiest thing is to get an onward ticket to NZ before you start your trip.

It's really hit and miss on getting a work-in-exchange-for-a-bed type job. I doubt you'd get food, even if you could work for the bed. Also note, that if you tell Immigration that is your plan, you probably will NOT be given an extension of your original 31-day tourist visa.

You can't stay longer than a total of 6 months.

To be safe, you should assume you can't get a job, and have enough funds for you trip. If you do stay at the same hostel for a month or more, you may be able to get a good discount, if the work for bed thing doesn't happen.

I hadn't thought about a open return ticket, but it's a good idea and makes sense.

What are the exact requirements for extending my visa to 4-5 months and my chances of it being successful, as Raro did not seem particulary confident?

What is the job market like in general in the Cooks, say if I wanted to find a job there and stay for longer than 5 months? I have a good standard of college/high school qualifications and I also have a years worth of university study behind me; what sort of job prospects would this entitle me to?

Well, just to clarify: it is not a problem extending a TOURIST visa for up to an additional 5 months after your first month, so that's a total of six months.

But on a tourist visa you are NOT allowed to work. There is NO job market for anyone who wants to arrive and then STAY as an employee. You have to leave the country, have your prospective employer work out all the work permit details, and only then can you return on a WORK visa if it is approved by the government. And these are hard to come by.

And as far as your education qualifications, sorry to say that they won't really get you anything in the Cooks. The Cooks allow foreign workers in only a few specialized professional occupations, or as maids, etc. if the hotel boss decides to sponsor you (you must be overseas to get the work permit), and proves the need.

So, you basically cannot stay in the Cooks for more than 6 months at a time as a tourist. While there you should see potential employers and see if somehow they need you, and can argue to the gov't that no one in the Cooks can do the job you will be doing.

Again, the bed-for-work option is occasionally available "off the books", but it is not something one can count on. And only the bed is included, no food, etc.

To put it into perspective, the Cooks are a tiny country, and it is one of the hardest places in the world for a foreigner to get a work permit.

Yep. Ditto what Raro says. There are many, many people who come to the Cook Islands with the same dream as you daniel. Unfortunately, there are a finite number of hostels here, so as Raro says you really need to be able to support yourself in case you can't find a work-for-a-bed situation. There are always "under the table" jobs available in every country, but the immigration here is starting to police the jobs situation more closely, so don't count on being able to find one of these either. Sorry to sound so negative. Maybe email a few hostels or hotels here before you leave home, and see what they say re work.. Keep in mind, also, that things aren't cheap here - some people have an idyllic vision of living on coconuts and going fishing all day. It's not like that! Good luck, though. I hope you find a way to realise your dream.

Thanks for everybodies advice, it's a big help.

I think I'll save up some more money before I come to the Cook Islands so that I don't have to worry about finding work and instead just focus on enjoying the trip.

7---That's a great idea, I tell everyone that, as do most of the regulars here. You've gone from "naive" to "fairly knowledgeable" in only a week, very good result all around! Enjoy your visit!