Working Holiday Visa

What is Working Holiday Visa?

The working holiday schemes are a great option for young people who want to embark on an extended holiday in Australia with the ability to find employment to help fund their trip or gain important work experience in Australia.

These visas are granted for 12 months and allow you work for any employer for up to 6 months (unless an exemption applies). You can travel in and out of Australia as many times as you like and they will even allow you to study for up to 4 months.

Working Holiday – SC417 Visa

These visas are granted for 12 months and allow you work for any employer for up to 6 months (unless an exemption applies).

Eligibility Criteria:

Be aged between 18 to 30 inclusive (unless you are a Canadian, Irish or French citizen in which case you can be up to 35 inclusive)
Show evidence that you have sufficient finances to support yourself while you are in Australia and can afford to leave at the end of your stay on an onward or return flight
Meet health and character requirements
Be a citizen of and hold a passport from one of the following countries:
1. Belgium
2. Canada
3. Republic of Cyprus
4. Denmark
5. Estonia
6. Finland
7. France
8. Germany
9. Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (including British National Overseas passport holders)
10. Republic of Ireland
11. Italy
12. Japan
13. Republic of Korea
14. Malta
15. Netherlands
16. Norway
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan (other than an official or diplomatic passport)
19. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Second Year Working Holiday Visa

You can apply for a second Subclass 417 visa if you have completed three months (88 days) of specified work in regional Australia in one of the following industries:

plant and animal cultivation
fishing and pearling
tree farming and felling
mining and construction

Work and Holiday – SC462

The application process for a Subclass 462 can be a little more involved and have higher eligibility criteria. The specific criteria also varies significantly depending on your country of passport.

These visas are also granted for 12 months and allow you work for any employer for up to 6 months (unless an exemption applies).

Eligibility Criteria:

Be aged between 18 to 30 inclusive
Minimum education requirements: You will need be required show evidence that you have obtained certain qualifications, have undertaken a minimum number of years of university study or even show evidence that you have met any military service requirements from your country. The requirements will depend on your country of passport.
Have at least functional English:
1. you have completed an English language test (such as IELTS or PTE)
2. you have undertaken relevant education in English
3. you hold a passport from the UK, the US, Canada, NZ or Republic of Ireland.
Letter of support: You may need to provide a letter of support from your government, a Good Conduct Certificate or a letter from your education provider, depending on your country of passport.
Show evidence that you have sufficient finances to support yourself while you are in Australia and can afford to leave at the end of your stay on an onward or return flight
Meet health and character requirements
Be a citizen of and hold a passport from one of the following countries:
- Argentina
- Austria
- Chile
- People’s Republic of China
- Czech Republic
- Ecuador
- Greece
- Hungary
- Indonesia
- Israel
- Luxembourg
- Malaysia
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Slovak Republic
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Thailand
- Turkey
- Uruguay
- United States of America
- Vietnam

Second Year Work & Holiday Visa

You can apply for a second Subclass 462 visa if you have completed three months (88 days) of specified work in regional Australia in one of the following industries:

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
tourism and hospitality in northern Australia only