Work while on holiday in Australia! 

The Working Holiday Maker Program in Australia has been set up to enable young people to experience Australian culture and forge a bond of mutual understanding with young Australians during their stay.

These visas offer youngsters the chance to have a holiday in Australia and support themselves by working to earn money. They are made available to people aged between 18 and 30, for a duration of up to one year. Candidates should not be of Australian origin, and must not have entered the country earlier. During their stay, students can also undertake a four month period of study leading to an Australian qualification.

There are two such visa subclasses available, and the eligibility conditions are as follows:

Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417)

This is a temporary visa, offered with the intent to nurture closer ties and promote cultural exchange between young people from Australia and other countries. Work should not be the main intent of the visit.

• You can stay up to one year
• You should be aged over 18 and below 31 years of age
• No dependent child accompanies you
• You have a passport from an eligible country
• You can holiday, and work for up to a maximum of 6 months with each employer
• You can also study for up to 4 months
• You are permitted to leave and re-enter the country multiple times while the visa is valid
• You must not have any substantial criminal convictions or substantial medical issues
• You should also show evidence of sufficient funds to support your stay in Australia

These are the countries and regions involved in the Working Holiday Program with Australia. If you hold a passport for one of these countries, you may be eligible to apply for this visa.

• Belgium
• Canada
• Cyprus, Republic of
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• HKSAR*
• Ireland, Republic of
• Italy
• Japan
• Korea, Republic of
• Malta
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Sweden
• Taiwan
• United Kingdom

 *Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (includes British National Overseas passport holders).

Work and Holiday Visa (Subclass 462)

This is a temporary visa, similar to the Subclass 417, but offered to young people from the following countries only:

• Argentina
• Bangladesh
• Chile
• China, People's Republic of
• Indonesia
• Malaysia
• Poland
• Portugal
• Spain
• Thailand
• Turkey
• USA
• Uruguay

The remaining eligibility conditions are similar to the Subclass 417.