The Working Holiday Australia Visa: All You need to Know

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The Working Holiday Australia Visa is a great option for working and travelling in Australia.

The WHV Australia program is the perfect strategy for an extended stay in Australia as it allows gap year students, backpackers and people on a career break to earn an income for supplementing their travel funds.

It’s an opportunity to gain new skills, to travel and really experience life down under, and to immerse yourself in the culture and to meet locals and form life long friendships.

From a career standpoint, the ability to gain new skills by performing different and unusual jobs, or by volunteering on worthwhile projects, can enhance any CV.

The Working Holiday Australia Visa Requirements

Marine Adventures Kangaroo Island is one of the best tours you can do on Kangaroo Island. You can swim with dolphins. Click to read more tips

The general requirements in obtaining a WHV for Australia include:

  • You must have turned 18, but not turned 31, at the time of your visa application
  • You must apply for the WHV Australia visa when you are outside of the country.
  • You can’t have entered the country on a WHV program before.
  • You must apply no more than 12 months before you intend to travel to Oz.
  • You must hold a valid passport for the country or region participating in the working holiday schemes.
  • You can enter the country at any time within 3 months of your visas grant date.
  • You can work and travel Australia for up to 12 months.
  • Leave and re-enter as much as you like within those 12 months.
  • Undertake temporary employment.
  • Visa fee = $365

Who Can Get a Working Holiday Australia Visa?

Sunset drinks at Uluru, Northern Territory, Australia

The are actually two categories, subclass 417 and subclass 462, and it depends on which country you come from.

Subclass 417

The Working Holiday Maker Visa (Subclass 417) is available to people from:

  • United Kingdom
  • 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.

Bonus 2nd Year – Due to the high demand for workers in Australia’s harvest industry (farm work), anyone who works three months or more in an agricultural position can qualify to Renew Their Visa for a 2nd Year.

For complete info on visa subclass 417 click here.

Subclass 462

a city skyline along the water
The iconic Sydney Opera House

The Work and Holiday Visa (Subclass 462) is for people from:

  • Argentina
  • Bangladesh
  • Chile
  • Indonesia
  • Malaysia
  • Thailand
  • Turkey
  • USA

This visa is also for people aged 18 – 30 who want to work and travel Australia for up to 12 months.

For complete info on visa subclass 462 click here.

Global Work and Travel in Australia

Jacob's Creek Cooking Class, Barossa Valley, South Australia

Want to work and travel the easy way in Australia?

Since 2013, Global Work and Travel have been helping travelers work and fund their travels through cultural exchange programs both paid and unpaid.

One of the elements of a successful working holiday is to find local, seasonal employment to use as a means to fund your travels around the country. This is not easy. But, Global Work and Travel makes it so as they have spent years with hundreds of local businesses that do hire travellers.

We are enthusiastic partners of theirs as we believe in what they do, avid lovers of working abroad, and know they can help you!

They offer the complete package and, most importantly, help score you job interviews with awesome local businesses so you can stay longer and fund all your Australian adventures!

Their in-country team will help get you set up with all the essentials you need including working holiday visa application advice, transfers & accommodation, local experiences, an Aussie local bank account and mobile number, plus so much more.

Read our full post on Global Work and Travel here.

EXCLUSIVE DEAL: Just for our readers: $100 off your trip (whatever your currency) You must use the code: YTRAVEL

Click here to learn more and use your discount code!

Moving to Australia Tips

Palm Beach, Sydney, Australia
Palm Beach

Deciding to move to Australia is the easy part. Now you’ve got to organize things.

  • Open a Bank Account Pre-Arrival – Sorting out your finances before you leave can make life easier. There a three banks with international services that can help you. Try the HSBC, the Commonwealth Bank, or the ANZ.
  • Get a Tax File Number (TFN) – Before you start working in Australia, you need to get a tax file number. You can only complete this application once you are in Australia. Learn more by visiting the Australian Government Taxation website .
  • Do You Have to Lodge an Income Tax Return? – If you are working in Australia you need to determine whether you are an Australian resident for tax purposes. Non-residents pay tax differently from residents. Learn more here.
  • Healthcare Agreement – The Australian Government has signed Reciprocal Health Care Agreements (RHCA) with: United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Malta and Italy.

To enroll in the Australian Medicare System you will need:

  • your passport with a valid visa.
  • to provide, in some cases, identification showing you are enrolled in your country’s national health scheme.

If your application is approved, you will receive an Australian reciprocal health care card in the mail. Learn more here.

  • Leaving Australia Tax Overview – If you have been living in Australia, intend leaving Australia soon, or have recently left Australia, there are things you need to do to get your tax affairs in order. Learn more here.

Finding a Place to Stay in Australia

Finding hostels, a flat-mate, a budget hotel, or other cheap accommodation is an important part of your working holiday Australia trip.

Depending on your budget, your comfort zone, your travel style, and your relationship status, there are many options for finding the right accommodation to suit your short term and long term needs.

1. Stay in a Hostel:

a beach
Byron Bay main beach

When you first arrive in Australia and you need budget accommodation, a Hostel is a great place to start. They are cheap, everywhere, and a great place to meet other travellers and locals.

Use these sites to search:

2. Find a Flat or a Flat-Mate:

Sharing a flat is another great budget option:

  • Gum Tree – a fantastic site for finding flats, units, apartments, and houses to rent.
  • Flatmate Finder – is a great resource to advertise yourself if you are looking for a room, or to find rooms that are already being advertised. Membership and advertising on Flatmate Finder is FREE!

3. Find a Cheap Hotel:

people sitting on tables outside
View from YHA The Rocks, Sydney

There are several Hotel booking sites to compare hotel prices and facilities in Australia. Check out these sites:

4. VRBO – Vacation Rentals By Owner:

Vacation Rentals By Owner – Sometimes staying in a vacation property can be cheaper than a hotel. Vacation rentals can also offer more space and privacy.

VRBO provide an online space for homeowners to advertise their vacation properties and make it easy for travelers to search 150,000+ rentals in over 100 countries worldwide.

5. Mind My House:

Mind My House – is a global house sitting matching service. They provide all the online tools for home owners and house sitters to find each other from around the globe (or around the corner).

Finding Work in Australia

Travel Jobs and backpacker jobs come in all shapes and sizes. Job agencies in Australia are plentiful and travel jobs for backpackers is a large industry.

Whether you want farm jobs, retail, hospitality, construction, nursing, engineering, childcare, or you want to go fruit picking Australia, chances are the opportunity is there for you.

Below is a list of websites, job agencies, and jobs boards:

  • GumTree – Great job site for travelers. There is a Gum Tree site for every city.
  • Alseasons – Hospitalty Recruitment
  • Helpx – Listing of host organic farms, non-organic farms, farmstays, homestays, ranches, lodges, B&Bs, backpackers hostels and even sailing boats who invite volunteer helpers to stay with them short-term in exchange for food and accommodation!
  • Fruit Picking – find fruit picking work around Australia.
  • Harvest Trail – links job seekers with harvest jobs plus has seasonal info.
  • Jobs 4 Travelers – One of Australia’s Premier Backpackers jobs board!
  • Aussie Jobs – For a REAL Australian work experience based in Perth.
  • Mumbrella – Jobs for travelers around Australia
  • Travellers at Work – Job search club for working holiday visa holders and backpackers!

Nursing Jobs:

Nurses with overseas qualifications first have to register with the Nurses Registration Board in the state you want to work in.

Visit the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia for info.

Nursing Agencies: There are loads of agencies to help you find a nursing job:

Teaching Jobs:

Teachers are required to register with the Teacher Registration Board in each state they hope to work in.

Getting to Australia

woman surfboarding
Learning to surf at Bondi Beach in Sydney

There are several websites to start searching for cheap flights to Australia.

Once you arrive, all of Australia’s international airports have regular public transport such as bus, train and taxi connections to the CBD’s. For detailed information on all the airports see the Australian Airports Guide.

Here is a list of websites to start searching for flights to Australia and within Australia:

Flights to Australia:

Flights within Australia:

Getting Around Australia

Emu Bay is one of the best beaches on Kangaroo Island. Click to read more tips

Australia is big, and how you get around depends on factors like your budget, the amount of time you have, and your traveling style.

Thankfully, there are options to satisfy all situations

Cars and Campervans for Sale & Rent:

Backpacker Bus Companies:

Train:

Rail passes offer unlimited train travel over certain periods of time. A great value in exploring Australia. With eight different passes available check out your options here.

Need Travel Tips for Australia?

For insider travel tips on things to see and do, check out our City Guide’s for:

Looking to road trip from Sydney to Brisbane? Check out our suggestions here.

We road tripped around Australia for 18 months and have in-depth articles on Australian destinations and travel tips. You can find all of them here. 

Have you experienced life on the Working Holiday Australia Visa?

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About The Author

Craig Makepeace is the co-founder of yTravel Blog. He's been traveling and living around the world since 2002 and believes that life is all about accumulating memories and moments with his family, not just possessions. He's a travel addict, sports fanatic, beach lover, and passionate craft beer drinker!
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