Getting a Working Holiday Visa for Australia
Australia has long been a popular destination for working holidaymakers. Thinking of going? Get the lowdown on visa information here.
Stunning coastlines and wide open roads with the promise of adventure - what’s not to like about Australia? If you’re thinking of heading to the home of Crocodile Dundee for a working holiday, you should begin your journey by applying for the relevant visa.
Get it sorted before you go
Firstly, DON’T turn up at the airport without the correct visa if you plan on travelling and working in Australia. Australian immigration will question you when you land and they have the power to send you straight back home.
If you decide to go on a working holiday in Oz, you should apply for a temporary working holiday visa, which will let you stay in Australia for up to a year and work to fund your travels.
Do I qualify?
The main conditions for qualifying for your first working holiday visa are:
- You’re aged between 18 and 30 when applying
- You won’t have a dependent child with you in Australia
- You hold a passport from an eligible country
- You don’t have any serious criminal convictions
- You don’t have any serious medical issues
- Your passport is valid for at least one year after applying for your visa
- You have enough money to support your stay in Australia
- For your first working holiday visa, you must apply when you are outside Australia, and stay outside of the country until your visa is granted
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What visa should I get?
There are two main subclasses of working holiday visas:
1. WHV 417 (Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan, UK).
2. Subclass 462 (Argentina, Bangladesh, Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Turkey, USA, Uruguay).
Both these visas entitle you to:
- Stay in Australia up to 12 months
- Work in Oz for up to 6 months with each employer
- Study for up to 4 months
- Leave and re-enter Australia while your visa is valid
Staying a 2nd Year in Australia
If you’re granted a 417 visa and you do three months specified work such as harvesting, mining or construction during your first year, you can apply for a 2nd year working holiday visa.
It’s better if you decide early on if you want to stay for another year, because if you work in certain postcodes for 3 months then you could qualify for the 2nd year working holiday visa.
The most common type of work is fruitpicking, but you can also do ‘specified work’ consisting of anything from working at a winery to looking after koala bears.
Remember to keep all your payslips and evidence as proof of work as you’ll need to show how many hours you did to qualify.
How much money should I have in my bank account?
When you land in Australia, you’ll need to show proof of at least $5,000 Australian Dollars (approx. €3,400/£2,300) to cover your initial moving costs before finding work.
Our average Australian tax refund is AU$2600
How long does it take?
Once you apply and meet all the criteria, you can get your visa in as little as 48 hours, which is the standard processing time, unless it requires further processing with the Australia Immigration office in which case it could take up to four weeks to finalise.
What does it cost?
The basic cost for a working holiday visa is AUD $420.
How to apply?
You can get in touch with the Australian Immigration Office or apply for an Australian visa with Visa First. Visa First will also help you get set up with an Australian bank account, initial accommodation, Sydney Working Holiday job centre membership and more.
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