Fact Sheet 49 - Working Holiday Program
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Australia's Working Holiday program encourages cultural exchange and closer ties between arrangement countries by allowing young people to have an extended holiday supplemented by short-term employment – with special focus on regional Australia.
Working Holiday visa
The Working Holiday visa is available to passport holders from Belgium, Canada, the Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, the Republic of Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.
See: Visitors
Benefits of the program
The Working Holiday program enhances the cultural and social development of young people, promotes mutual understanding between Australia and other nations and is an important part of the tourism industry.
Working Holiday visa holders have a positive effect on the Australian economy and create jobs in Australia.
The Working Holiday program assists Australian regional employers by ensuring they have access to a large pool of workers in specified industries.
The reciprocal nature of the program provides opportunities for young Australians to undertake working holidays overseas with arrangement countries.
Program numbers
Below is a list of Working Holiday visas granted in recent years:
| Program year | Number of working holiday visas granted |
|---|---|
| 2000-01 | 76 570 |
| 2001-02 | 85 200 |
| 2002-03 | 88 758 |
| 2003-04 | 93 760 |
| 2004-05 | 104 353 |
| 2005-06 | First 111 257 Second 2 679 Total 113 936 |
| 2006-07 | First 126 822 Second 7 790 Total 134 612 |
| 2007-08 | First 142 332 Second 11 816 Total 154 148 |
Below is information about the source countries of most of the working holiday applicants who received visas in 2007-08.
| Country | Number of working holiday visas granted |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 34 145 |
| Korea | 32 635 |
| Germany | 17 438 |
| Ireland | 17 120 |
| Japan | 10 599 |
| France | 11 005 |
| Canada | 8 090 |
Basic requirements
To be eligible, applicants need to meet the following requirements:
- hold a passport issued by an eligible country or region
- be aged between 18 and 30 (inclusive) at the time of applying
- not have accompanying dependent children
- meet health, character and financial requirements
- not have previously entered Australia on a Working Holiday visa (unless applying for a second visa, see 'Second Working Holiday visa' below)
- be outside Australia when applying (and when the visa is granted)
Note: Unless applying for a second visa, see 'Second Working Holiday visa'. - apply within 12 months of intended travel to Australia.
Second Working Holiday visa
Applicants who have done specified work in an eligible regional Australian area for a minimum of three months (88 days) while on their first Working Holiday visa may be eligible for a second Working Holiday visa.
The requirements are the same as for the first visa, except that applications can be made while the applicant is either in or outside Australia. Applicants must have evidence of their specified work.
See:
Applicant: Second Working Holiday Visa Eligibility
Regional Australia Postcode List
What does this visa allow you to do?
Applicants who are granted a visa can:
- enter Australia within 12 months of the visa being granted (if applying outside Australia)
- stay in Australia for up to 12 months from when they first enter Australia (a further 12 months' stay is possible if applicants qualify for a second Working Holiday visa)
- leave and re-enter Australia any number of times while the visa is valid
- work in Australia for up to six months with each employer
- study for up to four months.
How to apply
Working Holiday visa applications can be made online or by filling out an application form. Online applications are generally processed faster than paper applications.
Further information on the application process and to access the electronic and paper application forms.
See: Visitors
More information
More information on the Working Holiday visas is available from departmental offices.
See: Contact us
Further information is available on the department's web site.
See: www.immi.gov.au
The department also operates a national telephone service inquiry line.
Telephone: 131 881
Hours of operation: Monday to Friday from 9 am to 4 pm (recorded information available outside these hours) for the cost of a local call anywhere in Australia.
Fact Sheet 49. Produced by the National Communications Branch, Department of Immigration
and Citizenship, Canberra.
Revised 17 November 2008.
© Commonwealth of Australia 2009.