Overseas experience

Last updated

Overseas Experience (OE) is a New Zealand term for an extended overseas working period or holiday. Sometimes referred to as "The big OE" in reference to the extended duration of the travel - typically at least one year, and often extended far longer. It is however generally expected that the person returns after a few years with work and life experience and wider outlook. This is considered important to career development, especially among professionals.

Contents

From the 1950s, OEs were often centred on London, and were described as going home, a working holiday, or an overseas trip until the term OE was popularised by New Zealand cartoonist and columnist Tom Scott in the mid 1970s. [1] [2] [3]

Description

The term OE is part of the New Zealand vernacular [4] to the extent that official government literature, including Inland Revenue Department website, name it as a sub-category .

The abbreviation OE is sometimes spoken as if it is a formal qualification - as in "do you have your OE?" - because before 2004 the top secondary school qualification was UE - "University Entrance".[ citation needed ] The phrase also indicates that the trip is considered to be an important milestone in one's career development especially for professional and employees of large multinationals and is often asked during job interviews.[ citation needed ]

A typical OE is mostly or entirely self-funded and involves working overseas. The typical OE traveller is in their 20s. [5] Variations are common. Many people spend a year or so teaching English overseas, especially in Japan or South Korea. Enough Māori take OEs for there to be a permanent Māori culture group (Ngāti Rānana) in London. [6] The European OE usually includes travel within Europe and, often, a pilgrimage to the Gallipoli battle site. [3] In recent years, Asian destinations including South Korea, Singapore, Japan and China have become increasingly popular.

London's historical popularity for an OE destination was described by historian James Belich as 'recolonisation'. He said New Zealand developed very strong cultural ties to the United Kingdom, and tended to see London as the centre of the universe. [7] During the 19th and early 20th centuries many white colonials in the British Empire viewed Britain as "Home" even if they had never been there. London, as the capital of Britain and the Empire, was especially attractive. From the late 1880s to the early 1900s 10,000 Australians and New Zealanders traveled to Britain each year, with the number doubling between the World Wars. [8] British immigration law until the 1970s allowed Australians and New Zealanders to live and work in Britain as British citizens. The continuation of the trend may be residual recolonialism but in addition most New Zealanders have friends and often relatives in London, and its favourable working holiday scheme, proximity to the rest of Europe, and the fact that it is English-speaking also make Britain a desirable destination. In 2003 former Prime Minister Helen Clark described the OE to Britain as "an important tradition for many New Zealanders". [9]

Working holiday schemes

New Zealand has reciprocal working holiday schemes with a large number of countries. These allow young people from those countries to apply for a working holiday visa for New Zealand, but also for New Zealand citizens to apply for a working holiday visa to be able to work and live in those countries for (usually) up to a year. In order to be eligible, travellers need to be between 18 and 30 (sometimes 35) years of age. Some countries (like the USA) require applications to be made through organisations like IEP, CCUSA, Camp Leaders, or Camp Canada. The full current list of countries covered is: [10]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demographics of New Zealand</span>

The demographics of New Zealand encompass the gender, ethnic, religious, geographic, and economic backgrounds of the 5.2 million people living in New Zealand. New Zealanders predominantly live in urban areas on the North Island. The five largest cities are Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, and Tauranga. Few New Zealanders live on New Zealand's smaller islands. Waiheke Island is easily the most populated smaller island with 9,420 residents, while Great Barrier Island, the Chatham and Pitt Islands, and Stewart Island each have populations below 1,000. New Zealand is part of a realm and most people born in the realm's external territories of Tokelau, the Ross Dependency, the Cook Islands and Niue are entitled to New Zealand passports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of New Zealand</span>

The human history of New Zealand can be dated back to between 1320 and 1350 CE, when the main settlement period started, after it was discovered and settled by Polynesians, who developed a distinct Māori culture. Like other Pacific cultures, Māori society was centred on kinship links and connection with the land but, unlike them, it was adapted to a cool, temperate environment rather than a warm, tropical one. The first European explorer known to have visited New Zealand was the Dutch navigator Abel Tasman, on 13 December 1642. In 1643 he charted the west coast of the North Island, his expedition then sailed back to Batavia without setting foot on New Zealand soil. British explorer James Cook, who reached New Zealand in October 1769 on the first of his three voyages, was the first European to circumnavigate and map New Zealand. From the late 18th century, the country was regularly visited by explorers and other sailors, missionaries, traders and adventurers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture of New Zealand</span>

The culture of New Zealand is a synthesis of indigenous Māori, colonial British, and other cultural influences. The country's earliest inhabitants brought with them customs and language from Polynesia, and during the centuries of isolation, developed their own Māori and Moriori cultures. British colonists in the 19th century brought Western culture and had a dramatic effect on the indigenous inhabitants, spreading Western religious traditions and the English language. Over time, a distinct Pākehā or New Zealand European culture emerged.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Zealand Wars</span> 1845–1872 armed conflicts

The New Zealand Wars took place from 1845 to 1872 between the New Zealand colonial government and allied Māori on one side, and Māori and Māori-allied settlers on the other. Though the wars were initially localised conflicts triggered by tensions over disputed land purchases, they escalated dramatically from 1860 as the government became convinced it was facing united Māori resistance to further land sales and a refusal to acknowledge Crown sovereignty. The colonial government summoned thousands of British troops to mount major campaigns to overpower the Kīngitanga movement and also conquest of farming and residential land for British settlers. Later campaigns were aimed at quashing the so-called Hauhau movement, an extremist part of the Pai Mārire religion, which was strongly opposed to the conquest of Māori land and eager to strengthen Māori identity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Border control</span> Measures taken to regulate the movement of goods and people across borders

Border control comprises measures taken by governments to monitor and regulate the movement of people, animals, and goods across land, air, and maritime borders. While border control is typically associated with international borders, it also encompasses controls imposed on internal borders within a single state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tourism in Australia</span>

Tourism in Australia is an important part of the Australian economy, and comprises domestic and international visitors. Australia is the fortieth most visited country in the world according to the World Tourism Organization. In the financial year 2018/19, tourism was Australia's fourth-largest export and over the previous decade was growing faster than national GDP growth. At the time it represented 3.1% of Australia's GDP contributing A$60.8 billion to the national economy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duncan Cameron (British Army officer)</span> British Army general (1808–1888)

General Sir Duncan Alexander Cameron, was a British Army officer who fought in the Crimean War and part of the New Zealand Wars. He was later a governor of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Travel visa</span> Authority to enter, stay in, or exit a territory

A visa is a conditional authorization granted by a polity to a foreigner that allows them to enter, remain within, or leave its territory. Visas typically include limits on the duration of the foreigner's stay, areas within the country they may enter, the dates they may enter, the number of permitted visits, or if the individual can work in the country in question. Visas are associated with the request for permission to enter a territory and thus are, in most countries, distinct from actual formal permission for an alien to enter and remain in the country. In each instance, a visa is subject to entry permission by an immigration official at the time of actual entry and can be revoked at any time. Visa evidence most commonly takes the form of a sticker endorsed in the applicant's passport or other travel document but may also exist electronically. Some countries no longer issue physical visa evidence, instead recording details only in immigration databases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tourism in New Zealand</span>

Tourism in New Zealand comprised an important sector of the national economy – tourism directly contributed NZ$16.2 billion of the country's GDP in the year ended March 2019. As of 2016 tourism supported 188,000 full-time-equivalent jobs. The flow-on effects of tourism indirectly contributed a further 4.3% of GDP. Despite the country's geographical isolation, spending by international tourists accounted for 17.1% of New Zealand's export earnings. International and domestic tourism contributed, in total, NZ$34 billion to New Zealand's economy every year as of 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport</span> Passport issued to permanent residents of Hong Kong who are Chinese citizens

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport is a passport issued only to permanent residents of Hong Kong who also hold Chinese citizenship. In accordance with the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, since the handover in 1997, the passport has been issued by the Immigration Department of the Government of Hong Kong under the authorisation of the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China. As the official languages of Hong Kong are Chinese and English, the passport is printed bilingually in both Chinese and English. In addition, unlike Chinese passport which can be issued by Chinese diplomatic missions abroad, the Immigration Department of Hong Kong is the only issuing authority for HKSAR passports.

A working holiday visa is a residence permit that allows travellers to undertake employment in the country issuing the visa to supplement their travel funds. For many young people, holding a working holiday visa enables them to experience living in a foreign country without having to find work sponsorship in advance or go on an expensive university exchange program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visa policy of Australia</span> Policy on permits required to enter Australia and its external territories

The visa policy of Australia deals with the requirements that a foreign national wishing to enter Australia must meet to obtain a visa, which is a permit to travel, to enter and remain in the country. A visa may also entitle the visa holder to other privileges, such as a right to work, study, etc. and may be subject to conditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liberal Government of New Zealand</span> First responsible government, 1891–1912

The Liberal Government of New Zealand was the first responsible government in New Zealand politics organised along party lines. The government formed following the founding of the Liberal Party and took office on 24 January 1891, and governed New Zealand for over 21 years until 10 July 1912. To date, it is the longest-serving government in New Zealand's history. The government was also historically notable for enacting significant social and economic changes, such as the Old Age Pensions Act and women's suffrage. One historian described the policies of the government as "a revolution in the relationship between the government and the people".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Immigration to New Zealand</span>

Migration to New Zealand began only very recently in human history, with Polynesian settlement in New Zealand, previously uninhabited, about 1250 CE to 1280 CE. European migration provided a major influx, especially following the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. Subsequent immigrants have come chiefly from the British Isles, but also from continental Europe, the Pacific, the Americas and Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Labour Government of New Zealand</span> Government of New Zealand, 1935–1949

The First Labour Government of New Zealand was the government of New Zealand from 1935 to 1949. Responsible for the realisation of a wide range of progressive social reforms during its time in office, it set the tone of New Zealand's economic and welfare policies until the 1980s, establishing a welfare state, a system of Keynesian economic management, and high levels of state intervention. The government came to power towards the end of, and as a result of, the Great Depression of the 1930s, and also governed the country throughout World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Travel requirements for Polish citizens</span> Administrative entry restrictions

Travel requirements for Polish citizens are public health and administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Poland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Zealand–United Kingdom relations</span> Bilateral relations

New Zealand–United Kingdom relations are the bilateral relations between New Zealand and the United Kingdom. New Zealand has maintained a close relationship with Britain, since gaining independence from the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visa policy of the United Kingdom</span> Policy on permits required to enter the United Kingdom and the Crown dependencies

The visa policy of the United Kingdom is the policy by which His Majesty's Government determines visa requirements for visitors to the United Kingdom, and the Crown dependencies of Guernsey, Jersey, and the Isle of Man and those seeking to work, study or reside there.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand</span>

The COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand has had far-reaching consequences on the country that went beyond the spread of the disease itself and efforts to eliminate it, including education, faith communities, Māori, mass gatherings, sports, recreation, and travel. In addition, there were several recorded cases of lockdown violations, leaks, and misinformation about the COVID-19 virus and vaccines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electronic visa</span> Digital travel document for entry into a country

An electronic visa (E-Visa) and an electronic travel authorization are digital travel permits commonly required in conjunction with a valid passport for entry into specific jurisdictions. These electronic travel documents have gained prominence in the modern era of digital connectivity and streamlined travel processes.

References

  1. ↑ ...was coined by the father of Massey University lecturer John Muirhead, who used it in the 1960s. Writer Tom Scott heard it when he was a student as Massey, and later used the term freely in his "Listener" column, and it rapidly became part of the language., Max Cryer, "The Godzone Dictionary: Of Favourite New Zealand Words and Phrases"
  2. ↑ "There and back again: The big OE", Shane Gilchrist, 9 Mar 2014, ODT
  3. 1 2 "Unpacking essence of the Kiwi 'Overseas Experience'" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 11, 2008. Retrieved 2009-07-24.
  4. ↑ "The Big OE", An exhibition by Sir George Grey Special Collection, Auckland Libraries.
  5. ↑ "The "big OE" -- is it draining our talent: Kerr Inkson, Professor of Management at explains new research" . Retrieved 2009-07-24.
  6. ↑ "www.ngatiranana.org.uk/". Archived from the original on June 19, 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-24.
  7. ↑ Belich, James (March 2002). Paradise Reforged: A History of the New Zealanders from the 1880s to the Year 2000. University of Hawaii Press. p. 606. ISBN   978-0-8248-2542-3.
  8. ↑ Woollaeott, Angela (2001). To Try Her Fortune in London: Australian Women, Colonialism, and Modernity. Oxford University Press. pp. 4–6. ISBN   0-19-514268-3.
  9. ↑ "PM welcomes extended UK working holiday scheme" . Retrieved 2009-07-24.
  10. ↑ "Working holiday visas - Immigration New Zealand".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.