? Derek,
Welcome to MovetoNZ.
Firstly, and most importantly, how old are you? ?Anyone wanting to apply for a
WHV must be 30 years of age or under. ?(Note: the link I?ve provided applies to those people coming from the UK.)
If you qualify, then it is certainly possible to enter NZ on a WHV which can be valid for either 12 months or 23 months and entitles you to work for up to 12 months. ?With the 12-month visa you don?t need a medical and police certificates, but with the 23-month one you do.
A condition of the WHV is that you aren?t accompanied by children, but there?s nothing to stop your wife and children entering NZ on Visitor?s Visas which, if you are from the UK, are valid for 6 months, but can be extended to 9 months and, if necessary to 12 months. If you are able to get a WP, your wife and children can also apply under your umbrella.?
You can work temporarily on a WHV, but if you find a job that is more permanent, you would need to apply for a Work Permit as it?s illegal to work long term in NZ without one. ?Once you have a WP your wife can apply for her own permit and your children can get Student Permits. ?If your work type is of a suitable nature i.e. you are working with skills and experience that NZ really needs, you can then push forward and apply for Permanent Residency which means you and your family can stay in NZ indefinitely providing you comply with the conditions.