Australian working holiday visa

The Working holiday programme is for young people aged 18 to 30 who want to travel and work for up to 12 months in Australia. This visa allows young people to supplement the cost of their holiday through periods of temporary or casual employment. 

You must meet the following requirements to be able to apply the Working Holiday Visa:

• Passport holder from one of the following Nationalities:
  • The United Kingdom
  • USA
  • Canada
  • The Netherlands
  • Japan
  • The Republic of Ireland
  • The Republic of Korea
  • Malta
  • Germany
  • Denmark
  • Sweden
  • Norway
  • Hong Kong (SAR - Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China)
  • Finland
  • The Republic of Cyprus
  • Italy
  • France
  • Taiwan
  • Chile
  • Thailand
  • Turkey

• Be outside Australia when you apply and, when your visa is granted.
• Not have entered Australia on a Working Holiday visa before
• Aged between 18 and 30 years (inclusive) at the time of applying.

• If you have any dependent children they will not be able to be to accompany you in Australia while you hold the visa;
• You must have sufficient funds (generally deemed to be at least- AU$5,000) to support your trip and purchase a return airfare;
• Extra requirements for the following passport nationalities:
  • USA
    • You must have graduated from high School.
  • Chile
    • You must hold tertiary qualifications or have completed/been approved to undertake a third year of undergraduate university study;
    • You must provide documentary evidence of your English level when you lodge your visa application; and
    • You must obtain a letter of approval from the Chile Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
  • Malaysia
    • You must hold tertiary qualifications, or have successfully completed at least two (2) years of undergraduate university study;
    • You must provide documentary evidence of your English level when you lodge your visa application; and
    • You must obtain a letter of good conduct from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
  • Thailand
    • You must hold a degree or post high school diploma from an accredited institution;
    • You must provide documentary evidence of your English level when you lodge your visa application; and
    • You must obtain a letter of approval from the Office of Welfare Promotion, Protection and Empowerment of Vulnerable Groups in Bangkok.
  • Turkey
    • You must hold tertiary qualifications, or have successfully completed at least two (2) years of undergraduate university study;
    • You must provide documentary evidence of your English level when you lodge your visa application; and
    • You must obtain a letter of approval/support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The selection process will be administered by your University in conjunction with the Turkish Higher Education Council (YÖK).

 Working Holiday visas entitlements

If you are granted this visa you can:

• enter Australia within 12 months of grant
• stay up to 12 months
• leave and re-enter Australia any number of times while the visa is valid
• work in Australia for up to 6 months with each employer
• study for up to 4 months.

If you hold a second Working Holiday visa, you may return to work for a further 6 months for an employer with whom you worked on your first Working Holiday visa.