Working in Australia

Working Holiday Visa
About this Visa

All following information is from the Australian Immigration Website found at www.immi.gov.au

You can lodge an electronic visa application on this website. Process times can be from 12 - 48hrs from lodgement.

On this page

Who is this visa for?

You should read this information if you are applying for your first or second Working Holiday visa.

This visa is for people aged 18 to 30 years of age, who are interested in a working holiday of up to 12 months in Australia.

Important: Applicants must have turned 18, but not turned 31, at the time of visa application.

This visa allows you to supplement the cost of your holiday through incidental employment. If your primary reason for travelling to Australia is to participate in the work force, you should consider a visa designed for that purpose.
See: Workers

You may apply for this visa if you hold a passport for one of the countries or regions participating with Australia in the Working Holiday Maker Programme.
See: Countries/Regions Participating in Working Holiday Maker Programme

People who have worked as a seasonal worker in regional Australia for a minimum of three months while on their first Working Holiday visa, may be eligible to apply for a second Working Holiday visa.

How much will this visa cost?

You must pay a non-refundable visa application charge when you lodge your visa application.
See: Working Holiday Visa Charges

What does this visa let me do?

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 or train for up to 4 months.

Note: If you applied for your Working Holiday visa before 1 July 2006, you may:

  • undertake study or training for up to 3 months
  • work for up to 6 months with each employer

News!! - As of 1st July 2008

Regional construction industry concessions apply to Working Holiday Visa Program

Effective from 1 July 2008, working holiday visa holders who have worked in the construction industry in regional Australia for at least three months will be eligible to apply for a second working holiday visa.

Under the previous migration legislative provisions, second working holiday visas have only been available to those who have worked for a primary producer in regional Australia for at least three months.

The latest changes to the Working Holiday visa program will be an incentive for the construction sector with the extended Working Holiday visa provision (ie. eligibility for a second Working Holiday visa) already available to working holiday makers who work in primary industry in regional Australia, which includes the agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining industries.

Close to 12,000 second working holiday visas were expected to be granted in 2007-08, with the farm sector in Australia, in particular, reaping benefits from the program.

The tourism and hospitality sector is however still not included for consideration as primary industry and continues to miss out on this regional working holiday maker incentive.

Figures from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship indicate that the number of working holiday makers has more than doubled in the past decade, with some 155,000 visas to be granted in 2007-08 compared to 134,612 in 2006-07, and a further 180,000 visa grants expected this financial year.

Important: Your visa will have a condition limiting work with each employer to 3 months however, all visa holders have been granted permission to work for up to 6 months with each employer.