Travel Resources
Australia Working Holiday Visa
When you think about an Australia Working Holiday Visa, what do you think of?
You probably get the image of lounging on a beach with a long-haired, barefoot, tanned (and, of course, attractive) surfer who wrestles crocodiles in their spare time. While this might be an exaggerated cliche, those are still the kind of vibes you’ll find from people across the country: fun, relaxed and without a care in the world.
If that seems like your kind of vibe, an Australia Working Holiday Visa might be exactly what you need.
With the accessibility of work and travel permits, travellers from across the globe have been flooding to Australia in search of an adventure like no other. With the amount of gorgeous beaches, the high minimum wage, and one-of-a-kind vibes, Australia is the perfect place to make some money while exploring some of the most beautiful natural landscapes on Earth.
Not convinced? Or, convinced but don’t know where to start? After helping thousands of travellers from around the world get started on Australia working holiday visas, we’ve put together a guide to help you make the most of your time overseas.
Check Out Our Working Holiday Checklist
What We Will Talk About
What is a Working Holiday Visa?
A working holiday visa will be the best thing that’s ever happened to you. Okay, so we might be a little biased, but, seriously, once you’ve returned home—if you return home—you’ll annoy your friends and family with the sheer volume of stories you’ll begin with “One time while on a working holiday….”
It’s a life-changing experience that will allow you to visit some extraordinary places and meet some extraordinary people from all over the world—all while banking a little cash and adding valuable work experience to your resume.
Countries that offer Working Holiday Visas Include:
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Canada
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- France
- Germany
- Hong Kong
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- South Korea
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Spain
- Sweden
- The United Kingdom
While all of these countries are beautiful and have a different adventure to offer, one of the most popular travel destinations for working holiday makers is Australia. And, to be honest, we are not surprised in the slightest.
There are two types of these visas that the Australian Government grants: The Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417) and the Work and Holiday Visa (subclass 462).
Both subclasses work in very similar ways, though the one you receive will depend on your nationality. These visas allow holders to spend 12 months in the country, working under one employer for up to six months at a time. If that’s not long enough, there’s a chance to extend beyond the 12 months so long as holders meet certain requirements. Keep reading for more information!
Why Australia
Well, what does your perfect holiday look like? Do you like to spend your afternoons with sand on your skin, wind in your hair and feet on a surfboard? Or would you rather shred down a mountain over a fresh layer of pow? Or maybe you prefer to spend your mornings brunching in the city and your nights hunting for hidden karaoke bars?
Welcome to the land down under! Australia has all of this and so much more. There’s truly something for everyone, no matter what kind of adventure you’re looking for.
Even better, because of the accessibility of working holiday visas, plenty of young people are choosing Australia as their destination for adventure. This means you’ll be meeting lots of like-minded people from all over the world who are searching for the same escape and excitement you’re looking for.
How much can you make on a working holiday in Australia?
If that’s not enough motivation, what if we tell you the minimum wage here in Australia is a whopping $20.33AUD per hour! It’s one of the highest in the world. That’s because Australians know you should work to live, not live to work. People seem to think the cost of living in Australia is rather expensive, but we’ve used the Big Mac method and determined you only need to work 20 minutes on minimum wage to afford this burger—which is a lot less than a lot of other countries!
So not only does getting a working holiday visa in Australia mean you get to see some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, but it also means getting a little extra moolah to spend at Melbourne’s best pub crawls—or that delicious Big Mac!
*Note this was filmed in 2018 and the minimum wage has increased since then.
Who can do a working holiday?
Your nationality will determine whether you’re eligible for the subclass 462 or the subclass 417 visa so make sure you’re applying for the right one.
Passports from the following countries are eligible for the subclass 462 visa:
- Argentina
- Austria
- Chile
- China, People’s Republic of
- Czech Republic
- Ecuador
- Greece
- Hungary
- Indonesia
- Israel
- Luxembourg
- Malaysia
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Slovak Republic
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Switzerland (from 1 Jan 2022)
- Thailand
- Turkey
- Uruguay
- United States of America
- Vietnam
Passports from the following countries are eligible for the subclass 417 visa:
- Belgium
- Canada
- Republic of Cyprus
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (including British National Overseas passport holders)
- Republic of Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Republic of Korea
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Sweden
- Taiwan (other than an official or diplomatic passport)
- The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The only other requirement is that applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 30 (35 if you’re Irish, Canadian, French, Italian, Danish and British) That’s it! That’s all it takes!
If you’re country is on the list, get over to the Government webpage and start applying!
Check Out Our Working Holiday Checklist
How to get prepared...we have the answers
How do I get a working holiday?
We know doing anything through the government can be quite a pain, but it’s actually surprisingly easy to get approved for the working holiday visa. All you’ll need is a passport that’s valid for at least six months after the date you plan to arrive in Australia, and $5,000AUD in your bank account. This amount ensures you can afford to leave the country once your visa has expired. (Try not to mention you plan to spend all your savings on skydiving and espresso martinis)
Once you have all your documents lined up, you can apply online directly through the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs. You’ll have to do the application before you enter Australia. Ensure you’re applying well before you plan on going overseas, since, even though 75% of applicants hear back in 90 days, it could take up to a few months to be approved.
How do I get organised for a Working Holiday?
So, you’ve got your visa in hand. Now what?
First, throw some confetti in the air, have a dance party and tell everyone you know that you’re about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime. Then, it’s time to get your documents sorted and get down to business.
First, you’ll want to get inspired and get informed. This is the fun part where you get to watch YouTube videos, read travel blogs and make lists of all the things you want to do and see while you’re in Australia. This will help you determine whether you’d rather work first or travel first when you arrive.
Then, comes all the boring grown up parts. You’ll want to make a savings plan to ensure you have enough to enjoy your travels. Then you can look into flights and travel insurance. Don’t forget to cancel that Netflix subscription (you won’t have time for bingeing ‘You’ anymore!), tell your bank you’re leaving and get your phone unlocked.
If all of this seems very overwhelming, take a look at our working holiday visa travel checklist. This will help you keep track of the seemingly endless list of things to do before you can jet off on your holiday. If it still seems like a lot to handle, we’d love to help! You can arrange a brief one-on-one call with one of our community team leaders who will provide you with all the information you’ll need to get organised and relax before your trip overseas.
How much money do you need for your working holiday?
To apply for the working holiday visa, you’ll need $5,000AUD in your bank account. But, if you plan on travelling before working, you might consider saving up a bit more than that so you can really enjoy all the benefits of living in Australia. There are so many stunning places to go and once-in-a-lifetime experiences to have in Australia and you won’t want to be limited by your finances.
It’s also a good idea to have emergency funds saved up because even the best of us run into unexpected situations while travelling—like missing a flight, getting stranded outside the city, or being unable to find a job. You’re obviously a pro so these things won’t happen to you, but having a bit more saved up just means one more box of goon at the pre-party and one more tequila shot at the bar. Remember, the more you have saved up before you arrive, the more you’ll be able to relax—and holiday more than work—on your working holiday visa.
How do you save money for a working holiday?
Booking flights across the world and spending money on hostels, food and travel can get pretty costly. But, if you plan your finances and save up in advance of your departure date, it’s not as intimidating as it seems.
We made a savings calculator to help you track how much you need to save to have the holiday you’re dreaming of. Just enter in the variables and the spreadsheet will do the calculation for you to determine how much you’ll have to save each week. And, remember, minimum wage here is $20.33AUD so you’ll be saving up in no time at all!
Free Travel Savings Planner
How do I meet people before my working holiday?
It’s unlikely you’ll meet someone who’s doing the working holiday with their best friend, three sisters, grandma and golden retriever, so chances are you’ll find plenty of solo travellers who are also in need of a friend or two. Since you know everyone on a working holiday visa will be close to you in age and from a faraway country just like you are, it’ll be easy to find like-minded people with similar interests.
Joining our Future travellers Facebook page is a great way to meet people before arriving here in Australia. And, if you’re joining us on a Welcome tour in either Melbourne or Sydney, we’ll add you to a WhatsApp group with some of your fellow travellers so you can start getting acquainted before the tour. Remember, you’re doing this to take a risk, so why not be bold and introduce yourself in the chat? You never know who you might meet.
How do I plan the start of my working holiday?
Now onto the fun part! This is when you get to decide how you want your working holiday visa to look. First, you’ll decide whether you want to work or travel first. There are, of course, benefits to both. Working first means you can save up even more to spend on your travels and will allow you to settle in one place long enough to make friends and really get to know them.
But, travelling first will allow you to see many of the amazing cities and towns in Australia and might inspire you to work somewhere you hadn’t considered.
Maybe you think you’ll want to settle down for a hospitality job in Sydney but once you hit the sand of Airlie Beach you realise you’d rather be serving cocktails on a party boat that sails through the Whitsundays.
Next, you’ll decide where you’d like to land and spend the first few days of your working holiday visa. Most travellers end up landing in either Sydney or Melbourne, the two largest cities in the country—both of which are likely on your list of places to visit anyway.
Sydney
Sydney is iconic with the stunning Opera House sitting centre stage. The Blue Mountains are just a short drive away for some scenic natural space away from the city. If you plan on travelling first, Sydney is a great place to start as you can head north all the way up the East Coast to Cairns. Check out our blog post on the top experiences of Sydney to see if this is the place for you!
Melbourne
Melbourne is Australia’s cultural capital and the home of the best coffee in the country. With a population of nearly 6 million, this is where you’ll find plenty of hidden bars, hipster brunch spots, festivals, and people from all over the world. It’s truly a vibe like no other and you’re sure to love it. Not convinced? Check out our blog post on the top 5 reasons to start your travels in Melbourne!
Here at Welcome to Travel, we offer Welcome to Melbourne and Welcome to Sydney tours to make your transition into Australia much easier.
These tours will provide you with a week’s worth of fun and practical help for when you first arrive. It will include a week of accommodation, transportation from the airport, help in opening a bank account, getting a tax file number, getting a SIM card, landing a job and more.
On top of all the practical (and boring) stuff, this introduction week will bring you to the coolest bars and restaurants, help you meet some fellow travellers like yourself, and take you on some remarkable Aussie adventures. You’ll be introduced to Australian wildlife and get a chance to surf on some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. After just a week, we’ll have you feeling like a born-and-raised local.
What should I pack for my working holiday?
One of the biggest mistakes we see travellers make is that they’ve packed too much. Remember, you can buy things here! Australia has no shortage of shops and stores with everything you’ll need so there’s no need to try to pack a year’s worth of toilet paper into your backpack. It hurts us to see travellers arriving in Melbourne, visiting the Queen Victoria Market and being unable to buy that new hat they want because it won’t fit in their backpack.
So, our number one tip is to pack light. Get a backpack—a good, comfy one that you’ll be happy to hop from bus to plane to train with—and fill it with your favourite t-shirts and pairs of jeans. Bring a few knickknacks to remind you from home but make sure you have plenty of space to bring souvenirs home to your family—and a few for you too!
Do I need travel insurance for a working holiday?
While you don’t need travel insurance for a working holiday visa, it’s always recommended to be prepared for the worst. We’ve done the research so you don’t have to and found that World Nomads is usually the best suited for our travellers. Get a quote so you can go back to the exciting parts of planning your travels.
You could also be eligible to access Medicare, which is Australia’s health care scheme. It allows Australians and certain visitors to access health care services at little to no cost. These services are only available to travellers coming from Belgium, Finland, Italy, Malta, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, the UK, Sweden, the Republic of Ireland, and Slovenia. Visit the Australian Government’s services site for more information on how to access these services.
What to do when you’re here
What do I do when I get to Australia?
Here at Welcome to Travel, we offer Welcome Week tours that will provide you with a comfortable first week in either Melbourne or Sydney. Travellers who partake in these tours will have transportation from the airport and a week’s work of accommodation accounted for in a hostel in the city’s central location. Then you’ll begin a week of adventures with one of our travel-loving tour guides who know the hottest spots in town and know how to have a good time.
In Sydney
You’ll begin with a city walking tour, including a trip to the Queen Victoria Market and some iconic graffiti alleys. Next, you’ll get out of the city to do a wine tasting, walk alongside the infamous coloured surf houses on Martha Beach, and get up close and personal with kangaroos and koalas. Then, you’ll hit the road for two days as you head to Phillip Island to spend a day learning to master a wave and spend the evening watching hundreds of adorable penguins running up the beach at sunset.
In Melbourne
You’ll begin with a city walking tour, where our community leader will nerd out and tell you some cool facts about the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. You’ll visit the whitest sands on Jervis Bay’s beaches and take in breath-taking views from the Sea Cliff Bridge. Then, you’ll head to Royal National Park, the country’s oldest national park, and marvel at adorable dolphins on a boat cruise. And what better way is there to be introduced to the Land Down Under than to attend an overnight surf camp?
Both Welcome tours will additionally include practical help to get you adjusted to being overseas. This includes getting a SIM card for your phone, a Tax File Number (TFN), a bank account set-up and help with resumes, job-searching, travel planning and more.
And, of course, each tour will include being part of a group surrounded by fellow travellers who come from all over the world and have just arrived in Australia. This is the perfect opportunity to meet people who could end up being your next travel buddy or lifelong friend!
What if this is out of my budget and I just want admin set up and ongoing help?
Then we also have our cool Melbourne Mini Pack and Sydney Mini Pack. This includes all the admin help from the Welcome tours along with airport shuttle, 3 nights accommodation and ongoing job and travel support. It’s a great way to be part of Australia’s fastest growing travel community.
How do I pay taxes on my working holiday?
We hate taxes as much as you do, but unfortunately you won’t be able to get a job in Australia without paying them. In order to legally work in Australia, you’ll have to be set up with a Tax File Number (TFN). In your home country this might be called a Social Insurance Number, Social Security Number, or National Insurance Number, but a TFN is essentially the same thing.
A TFN is a personal identification number you’ll have to provide to each employer you work for while in Australia. Then you’ll be properly taxed according to your wage.
At Welcome to Travel, we’ll set this up for you on our tours so you can go back to banking your savings and enjoying your time overseas. If you’d rather spend time struggling to understand boring government jargon, feel free to head to the Government’s application page and apply yourself.
How do I set up a bank account on my working holiday?
Employers won’t pay into an overseas bank account, so you’ll need to open an Australian account if you intend to work. And we know you want to be paid. Opening a bank account is easy to do—all it requires is a printed copy of your visa and passport. Check out one of the five major banks in Australia:
Next, you’ll need to get money from your home bank account to your Australian bank account. There are plenty of apps that will help you do this, including our favourite, Wise.
It’ll let you transfer money straight from one account to another, with accurate currency exchange rates right in the app. Wise additionally offers travel cards which are great for when you first arrive so you aren’t paying extraordinary international fees from your account back home or carrying an abundance of cash around with you.
How do I organise a phone SIM on my working holiday?
Most importantly, don’t forget to unlock your phone before you arrive in Australia. You don’t want your phone to be locked into a plan that you won’t be able to use for months! Unlocking it will allow you to use an Australian SIM card, complete with an Australian number, so you don’t have to pay international fees on calls you make back home.
Some of the best mobile phone providers in Australia include:
With a SIM card from one of these providers, you can sign up for a monthly plan which you can renew online and continue to extend for as long as you’re overseas. These plans are great because you don’t have to sign up longterm if you’re unsure of how long you plan to be in the country.
If you sign up for one of our Welcome Tours, we’ll get you set up with the best possible phone plan right away so you can get back to Snapchatting and making all of your friends jealous of all the beautiful Melbourne sunsets you’ll be enjoying.
Check Out Our Working Holiday Checklist
What is superannuation and how do I set it up?
Superannuation is free money! And who doesn’t love free money? You might be more familiar with a pension plan, and superannuation is essentially the same thing: it saves a piece of your income into a retirement savings. And, if that’s not enough good news: you don’t have to wait until retirement to access it—you’ll be free to access it as soon as you leave Australia.
Currently, your employer is required to contribute 10% of your wages, pre-tax, to your super. This is an additional percentage on top of your wage and does not come out of your pay. Then, when you leave the country, you are entitled to 30% of these savings.
For example, if you are employed on your working holiday visa and making $20/hour, an additional $2 is being added to your super for each hour you work. Say you work for 6 months and make $2000 in your superannuation, once you leave the country, you’ll get to keep $600 on top of your regular wages and savings—for doing absolutely nothing! Australia is rewarding you for making money by giving you even more money!
How do you meet people on your working holiday?
Having watched thousands of travellers meet their best friends, travel buddies and soul mates on these trips, we have some tricks and trips for meeting the coolest people while travelling abroad.
Our top tip is to spend your first few nights in a hostel, rather than a hotel or AirBnB. While it might sound luxurious to invest in the most expensive, private penthouse suite so you can soak up in a jacuzzi after your long flight, you may not meet very many people if you’re locked up in a room on your own.
You may have heard some horror stories about hostels and the adventures of sharing a room with 18 other travellers who are also living out of their backpacks (and smell like it too), but, we know plenty of travellers who’ve met some of their closest friends by being crammed in these rooms together. What better way is there to bond than to complain about the dryer stealing your coins again and still not drying your clothes?
Okay, hostels aren’t that bad (have you seen our viral video about how much we love them?), and plenty of them will organize pub crawls and game nights that encourage their guests to meet and get to know each other. They’re also significantly cheaper than a night spent in a hotel. And some of them are more luxurious than most hotels you’ve seen, with hot tubs, bars, and free breakfasts included. I mean, have you seen Gilligans in Cairns? It’s a hostel heaven with free drinks every night, plenty of parties and game nights, and a bar and casino right in the building.
Oh, and did we mention we offer Welcome Tours that are designed to help you get adjusted to your new home away from home? These are the best ways to meet people because we’ll put you in groups with other travellers your age who are just as new to the country and searching for friends just like you are!
What to do on Working Holiday
How and where do I travel on your working holiday visa?
There is no limitation on where you can travel while on your visa. And with the incredible beaches, rainforests and desserts that encompass this large country, you’re sure to find an adventure that suits your interests.
A lot of travellers begin along the East Coast from either Melbourne or Sydney to Cairns, where a hop-on-hop-off bus makes it easy to navigate. If you’re heading north, you’ll make your way through some must-see locations like Brisbane, another central urban hub; the iconic Bondi Beach, known for surfing Santas at Christmas; and Byron Bay, the hippie hometown of Australia. Then, take the ferry to Fraser Island, hop on a cruise (or booze cruise?) through the Whitsundays Islands, and get your adrenaline pumping in the adventure capital of Cairns by bungy jumping, sky diving and scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef.
While the East Coast is the most popular travel destination, Australia has so much more to offer. The Northern Territory is home to Uluru, or Ayers Rock, near Alice Springs. This iconic sandstone monolith is a must-see for sure and a road trip from Darwin to Adelaide is the best way to see it. Don’t forget to add the beautiful island of Tasmania and Perth on the western coast to your Australia bucket list.
If it all sounds too amazing and you can’t figure out where to head first, our travel community leaders have been all over the country and will find the perfect destinations to help you live out all of your Australian travel dreams.
How do I find a job on a working holiday?
Finding a job isn’t always easy. It’s rare to walk into the first pub you see, hand over a resume and get hired as a server on the spot. It can be even tougher as a working holiday maker, since some employers won’t hire you knowing you’re temporary.
That’s where we come in! As part of our Welcome Tours and Mini Packs, we offer resume services and have connections with employers across the country. Not only will we help you get started on the job hunt, but even afterwards, you can continue to subscribe to our weekly newsletters outlining work opportunities ranging from hospitality to farm work across the country. We’ll even give you insider tips and recommendations about the companies you apply for.
If you’d really like us to shut up about our Welcome Tours and aren’t interested in meeting like minded travellers, having amazing experiences, and getting lifelong support from our team, here are some additional resources for you to start the job search all on your own:
How do I extend my stay on a working holiday?
Already confident you’ll love every second of your time spent overseas and want to extend your visa?
You must apply for a second-year visa while still within your first year or within the first 28 days after, and you must still have a valid passport. On top of this, you’ll need to have completed three months of specified work. This specified work includes tourism and hospitality, but only in northern, remote or very remote Australia.
According to the Government of Australia, specified work for the subclass 417 visa includes:
- tourism and hospitality in northern, remote or very remote Australia only
- plant and animal cultivation in regional Australia
- fishing and pearling in regional Australia
- tree farming and felling in regional Australia
- mining in regional Australia
- construction in regional Australia
- bushfire recovery work in declared bushfire affected areas only, after 31 July 2019
- critical COVID-19 work in the healthcare and medical sectors anywhere in Australia, after 31 January 2020
According to the Government of Australia, specified work for the subclass 462 visa includes:
- tourism and hospitality in northern, remote or very remote Australia only
- plant and animal cultivation in northern Australia and other specified areas of regional Australia
- fishing and pearling in northern Australia only
- tree farming and felling in northern Australia only
- construction in northern Australia and other specified areas of regional Australia
- bushfire recovery work in declared bushfire affected areas only, after 31 July 2019
- critical COVID-19 work in the healthcare and medical sectors anywhere in Australia, after 31 January 2020
You’ll hear stories about working holiday makers spending three months picking berries or fruit on a farm in order to be eligible to extend their visas. And while the work can be gruelling and tiresome, this often makes for the best stories. It’s a party every night on the farm! And once you’ve got a knack for picking berries, you can make pretty decent money off it.
Additional requirements might be different depending on your nationality. See the Australian Government’s visa list for a full list of requirements.
How do I find somewhere to live on my working holiday?
Once you’re sick of living out of your backpack and sleeping in hostel bed that feels like cardboard, you might start looking into renting an apartment or house with some friends. The best resources to use is Facebook’s Fairy Floss Real Estate page (for Melbourne rentals), Gumtree.com and flatmates.com.
These pages allow visitors to post when they have rooms for rent or are ending their lease. Joining these groups right away will give you a good idea for decent rental property prices so you’ll be able to know a deal when you see it!
What are you waiting for?
By now we must have convinced you that a working holiday visa in Australia is what you need if you’re looking to bank a little cash while visiting one of the most stunning places on Earth. In case you’ve forgotten, working holiday visas mean being able to explore extraordinary natural landscapes, creating lifelong friendships with people from all across the world, and landing a job in a country with one of the highest minimum wages on the globe.
Now that you’re convinced and you’ve got all the steps to make the most of your time overseas, all that’s left to do is start applying. Soon you’ll be living it up on the beaches of the Gold Coast and driving a camper van through the deserts of Northern Australia.
And if you need more assistance, we’re here to help you every step of the way.
Our Welcome Tours will help you get settled and acquainted with your new home and help you find and create the adventure you’re looking for. Remember, the working holiday visa will provide you with so much more than a job or a holiday; it’s truly an adventure and an experience like no other. It’s a chance to see who you are outside of your home and test who you want to be and where you want your life to take you next. It’s a dream come true for so many people, and by following our guide, it can become your reality. So what are you waiting for? Get applying!
What to do now?
If you have made it this far down… congrats! But you may be a bit lost on what to do now. So we have made it easy for you:
- Download the Australia Working Holiday Checklist
- Get our savings calculator
- Arrange a travel call with our travel community team
- Join Australia Travels Facebook Group
Travel Is All About Meeting People
Want To Know More About The Australia Working Holiday Visa?
We love to hear from you and help you with your travel plans. If you have any questions at all then feel free to get in touch. Not only can you message us, we also offer free travel advice calls meaning you can have a real conversation with a real person that’s been in your shoes.
