A complete guide to your working holiday visa in Australia

The Working Holiday Visa may make moving to Australia simpler than you think. Do you adore the thought of working and living in Australia? A working visa in Australia can be the ideal opportunity to experience the renowned Australian way of life for more than just a two-week vacation. 

Young people and recent grads can enjoy Australia's many attractions, which include breathtaking natural scenery, pleasant weather, and top-notch beaches. It is simple to understand why so many Brits are drawn to Australia's multicultural, hospitable towns, where you can discover excellent employment prospects.

We'll go over all the information you require concerning the Australia working holiday visa in this indispensable guide. This information includes who it is for, how to apply, and the fee. 

Also included is a useful suggestion for handling your finances when working and residing abroad: the robust Wise multi-currency account. But first, let's go over the details of the Australian working holiday visa program. Learn about work visas for Australia here.

What is the Australia working holiday visa?

For young adults ages 18 to 30 who wish to go to Australia for an extended period of time, the Australian working holiday visa program has been created1. With this visa, you can work overseas and gain vital experience while making money to pay for your vacation. You will have the following legal rights while you are in Australia:

- Perform urgent work

- up to four months of study

- You can go whenever you wish to Australia and back.

- The working holiday visa is only valid for so long, although you can submit up to three applications.

This suggests that you could be able to extend your stay or return to Australia in the future for another working holiday (provided you meet the age requirements).

Anyone can apply for a working vacation visa in Australia, unlike some other nations' programs, which have a finite number of permits available and choose applicants from a pool. Of course, you will need to satisfy the conditions and eligibility requirements, which we'll look at next. With this visa, you are not permitted to go to Australia with family or dependent children. Work visa in Australia is right here and all the information is thus needed.

Qualifying for a working holiday visa in Australia

You must fulfill a number of requirements before you can apply for an Australian working holiday visa. Age, nationality, and other criteria like fitness and moral character are among them.

- Australian working vacation visa age restriction

When you apply for an Australian working holiday visa, you must be between the ages of 18 and 301. The majority of nations have this as their upper age restriction, although residents of Ireland, Canada, and France can be 18 to 35 years old.

- Nationality

The working vacation visa scheme in Australia is only open to nationals of a few countries. The UK is on this exclusive list, which also includes Ireland, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, France, Germany, and a few other European nations1. This is fantastic news for British applicants. This means that in order to apply for an Australian visa, you must hold a passport from one of the nations on the list.

Other prerequisites

The following is a brief list of the additional requirements you must meet before applying:

- Proof that you have the necessary funds (about $5,000 AUD) to cover your initial stay and the cost of your return flight

- Health examinations (if required) - Learn if you must have a health examination here.

- Character criterion: If you have a significant criminal history, you might not be able to pass. To demonstrate your good character, you'll need to provide a variety of documents, such as a police report or a letter from your employer attesting to your conduct.

- Previous visas: If you entered Australia with a Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) or a Work visa in the past, you cannot apply for the First Working Holiday Visa or Work visa for Australia.

- If you've ever had a visa canceled or had a visa application denied, you can also be ineligible.

Additionally, if you or any of your family members are in debt to the Australian government, you will not be eligible. Before you can apply, this must be fully repaid. The Australian values statement, which states that you'll respect the Australian way of life and abide by its laws while visiting, must also be signed.

Can I obtain a second Australian working holiday visa?

You can apply for a second working holiday visa if you enjoyed your time in Australia and want to return. You could even be eligible to apply for a third. There are some requirements, nevertheless, that you must fulfill.

You must have entered the country on a first working holiday visa in addition to having finished 3 months of "specified subclass 417 work." Simply put, this entails spending at least three months working in a recognized industry in a certain region of the nation. The entire list3 consists of:

- Australian northern or rural regions' tourism and hospitality.

- cleaning up after a bushfire in the impacted areas.

- Anywhere in the nation, critical Covid-19 labor is required in the healthcare and medical sectors.

- Regional Australia's industries include mining, building, tree farming, felling, and fishing.

- Regional Australia's agriculture of plants and animals.

- You can apply for a second working holiday visa once you have this approved work experience under your belt.

- If you're considering applying for a third working holiday visa in the future, you must have completed six months of specified subclass 417 work to qualify4.

How long am I permitted to remain in Australia on a working vacation visa?

Your working holiday visa for Australia will be valid for 12 months if granted. You must arrange your trip such that you finish the necessary months of stated labor if you want to stay longer. You will then be qualified to apply for a second and third 12-month working holiday visas as a result. This indicates that a maximum stay of three years is permitted in Australia.

Employment for working holiday visas in Australia

The Australian working holiday visa1 allows you to engage in any type of employment, making the whole domestic labor market available to you. However, because the program is intended for temporary employment, you can typically only stay with one company for a period of six months.

The only thing to keep in mind is that you must work for at least 3 months (second visa) or 6 months (third visa) in an allowed industry if you intend to apply for another working holiday visa (third visa). You'll be covered by Australian labor laws while working there, and you'll have to pay taxes on your earnings.

How much does an Australian working holiday visa cost?

For the Australian working holiday visa, there is an application cost. The total cost for the first, second, and third working holiday visas is $495 AUD. This cost is due when you submit your application. Additionally, you can be required to pay extra fees for items like biometrics, medical exams, and police certifications (if required)1.

Visa fees can be paid in AUD for less using Wise

This necessitates paying your application cost while still in the UK because you can only apply for a working holiday visa from locations outside of Australia. When converting GBP to AUD through your bank, you run the risk of being hit with large international transfer costs and receiving a subpar exchange rate.

A step-by-step explanation of how to apply for an Australian work holiday visa

Are you prepared to apply for your working holiday visa to Australia? Just adhere to these actions 

1. Before beginning your application, find out if you require any health exams, and if so, schedule them.

2. Collect all of your supporting documentation, such as your ID and character references. The complete list of everything you'll need will be discussed shortly.

3. Register for an Immi Account online or log in.

4. Fill out your application completely, including all necessary personal information.

5. Include any supporting documentation.

6. Pay the application cost with PayPal, UnionPay, BPAY6, or a credit/debit card (including the Wise debit card).

7. Make a note of your transaction reference number and submit your application.

8. Following application confirmation, everything else

You will receive a visa grant number and a start date for your visa if your application is approved. If your application is denied, you will be informed of the reason why as well as your right to request a review of the decision.

All that's left to do is begin making travel arrangements once you've received notification that your application was accepted. Along with arranging your flights, you should start researching factors like lodging, employment opportunities, taxes, and the cost of living in Australia.

What paperwork will I require?

You could be required to provide some or all of the following to support your visa application:

- Identity documents, such as a passport and birth certificate in good standing

- Providing evidence, such as a recent bank statement, that you have enough money to cover your stay in Australia

- Character references like a police report

- Medical records, if any are available.

- Before being uploaded, all non-English papers must be translated into English.

What is the time frame?

Your working holiday visa's processing time may change. However, the Australian government asserts that it handles 25% to 50% of applications in a day, despite the fact that it may take as long as 4 months. With the Wise multi-currency account, you can manage your money globally. When you arrive in Australia, one of the first things you might do is open an Australian bank account. 

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