Working holidays in Australia

Working Holidays in Australia provides opportunities for eligible young people aged between 18 and 30 years (inclusive) to holiday in Australia and to supplement their travel funds through incidental employment. The working holiday program was established in January 1975 with the main purpose to "promote international understanding by enabling young people to experience the culture of another country."

The first year saw fewer than 2,000 Working Holiday Visas issued, a figure that has grown significantly to the last reported figures for 2005–06 of 113,936. Working holiday makers have a positive effect on the Australian economy. Based on 80,000 annual arrivals, it is estimated that working holiday makers spend around $1.3 billion annually.

Young people from the United Kingdom made up 28,821 of the 2005-06 total, the single largest group, with South Korea just behind the UK in sending working holiday makers to Australia with 24,077 taking advantage of the program, followed by approximately 16,000 German nationals.

There are almost no limits to what employment a working holiday maker visa holder can undertake, and although traditionally most of the jobs have been in hospitality or harvest work, many are finding opportunities in finance, education, health care and other industries.

Until 2005 the Australian working holiday visa was a one-year, once in a lifetime opportunity, but recent legislative changes now allow almost any visa holder who has spent a minimum of three months as a seasonal worker in regional Australia to apply for a second working holiday visa.

Entitlements

The visa allows a stay of up to 12 months from the date of first entry to Australia, regardless of whether the holder spends the whole time in Australia. The visa holder must validate the visa (enter Australia) within a year of issue. The holder may enter and leave Australia as often as they wish within the validity of the visa. Time spent outside of Australia is lost and cannot be re-claimed towards the one year validity period of the visa.

The visa allows the holder to seek employment in Australia. Employment should be 'incidental' to travel and of a temporary or casual nature. People working in Australia on a Working Holiday visa are entitled to the same pay and work conditions as Australian residents and citizens.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Australian Working Holiday Visa, applicants must be:

• Aged between 18 and 30 (inclusive) and without dependent children.
• Eligible passports holders from the following 27 countries with at least one year until renewal on their passport:

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• Able to show sufficient funds for a return or onward fare as well as sufficient funds for the first part of their stay. A sufficient amount is regarded as being a minimum of A$5,000 (£2,600), although the amount may vary depending the length of stay and how much traveling is intended during that stay. A return or onward ticket or the funds for a fare to depart Australia if travelling on a one-way ticket is also necessary.
• Be of good character and of good health.
• The application for a first working holiday visa must be made outside of Australia – in most cases this can be from anywhere outside Australia. However, the following passport holders must lodge their application in the country or region that issued their passport:
  Republic of Cyprus, HKSAR (including British National Overseas), Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malta, and Taiwan. These countries have a few extra requirements.

Conditions

• Work should be incidental to travel (the main purpose for your visit must be tourism).
• You must not work for the same employer for more than 6 months.
• You must not study for more than 4 months.
• All applicants are required to meet health criteria. Depending on your circumstances, you may need to undertake a medical examination which may include a chest x-ray, HIV, Hepatitis B and/or Hepatitis C test.
• You must have access to sufficient funds to support yourself for the initial stage of your holiday. Generally, A$5,000 may be regarded as sufficient, but the amount may vary depending on your length of stay and the extent of your travel.
• You should also have a return or onward ticket or the funds for a fare to depart Australia.

Second Working Holiday Visa

Working holiday visa holders may be eligible for a second working holiday visa entitling them to another year in Australia if they have worked as a seasonal worker in regional Australia for a minimum of 3 months. Applications for a second Australia Working Holiday Visa can be made both offshore and onshore in Australia. Typical work to obtain the second working holiday visa include fruit picking, farm work, pearling and other specified work in regional area.

External links

• Working Holiday Visa for citizens of Belgium, Canada, Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan and United Kingdom.
• Work and Holiday Visa for citizens of Chile, Malaysia, Thailand, Turkey and the USA.