How to Immigrate to Australia with a Working Holiday Visa  

Foreigners can immigrate to Australia with a “Working Holiday Visa”. A Working Holiday Visa allows foreigners between the age of 18 to 35 years old to temporarily visit Australia and find employment in Australia.

Traditionally, working holiday programs in Australia are focused on employment on farms or in hospitality, such as restaurants, cafes, bars, and hotels. However, it is possible to work in any industry in Australia if you meet the applicable requirements.

Fortunately, getting a Working Holiday Visa for Australia is not competitive and the government issues many such visas each year. However, there is no guarantee that all applicants will get a Working Holiday Visa, depending on the background and history of each individual applicant.

Benefits of Working Holiday Visa:

Duration:	Working Holiday Visa holders can stay in Australia for 12 months from the date of arrival.
Mobility:	Working Holiday Visa holders can enter and leave Australia as much as they want during the 12-month period.
Payment:	Working Holiday Visa holders are entitled to equal pay as employed Australian Citizens
Work Conditions:	Working Holiday Visa holders are entitled to equal quality working conditions as employed Australian Citizens
Type of Work:	Working Holiday Visa holders are entitled to any type of work, as long as it is temporary and not a government job.

When applying for a Working Holiday Visa to Australia, it is important to note that there are different classes of Working Holiday Visas in Australia:

Subclass 462 known as the “Work and Holiday Visa”

Subclass 417 known as the “Working Holiday Visa”

These classes are similar in their requirements, except each class is for passport holders from a specific list of countries.

Requirements to get Working Holiday Visa:

Country of Origin	Passport holders from the following countries are permitted to obtain Working Holiday Visa Subclass 417: Subclass 417: Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom Subclass 462: Argentina, Austria, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Peru, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, United States, Uruguay, Vietnam
Age Requirement	Must be between 18 to 35 years old.
Finance Requirement	Must have a minimum of funds in your bank account to support yourself financially for the first month or two. This is typically satisfied by having $5000 saved. A flight ticket departing Australia must also be purchased before your arrival. Cost of the application itself is AUD $495.00.
Health Requirement	A medical examination might be required, depending on your application, which may include an examination for HIV, Hepatitis B/C.
Employment Requirement	A visa holder cannot work for the same employer for more than 6 months.

Extension of Working Holiday Visa:

It is possible to extend a Working Holiday Visa for an additional 12 months. This extension involves applying for a second Working Holiday Visa. However, the right to apply for a second visa is only given to foreigners who worked in the agriculture industry during their first Working Holiday Visa. Specifically, such work includes farm work, fruit picking, construction and other remote jobs. Foreigners who have been issued a second Working Holiday Visa may also be entitled to a third Working Holiday Visa if they worked for 6 months in similar agriculture work during their second Working Holiday Visa.

Process for Applying to Australia for a Working Holiday Visa

Step 1 Registration: The first step to applying for an Australian Working Holiday Visa is to create an account with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) on their official website. At this stage, applicants will need to submit their passport information, birth certificates, bank account information showing you have adequate funds to support yourself (typically AUD $5000). If any additional documentation is needed, a contact representative will reach out.

Step 2. Confirmation and Issuance. Applications are usually processed in around 90 days from the date of completion (i.e. 3 months). If your application is approved, you will be issued an electronic Working Holiday Visa which will allow the visa holder 12 months to live and work in Australia.

Step 3. Find a job (Optional). Once a visa holder has arrived in Australia, the visa holder has the option to find a job anywhere in the country. However, it is important to be aware that only some jobs will allow you to extend your visa for a second and third year. Usually, such jobs are agricultural and rural. Finding a job is optional and visa holders can spend the year simply travelling and living as a tourist if they have the resources to do so.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. The information and facts referred to herein may be amended, removed or otherwise changed by the applicable government authority. As such, the information contained herein is provided with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness.