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Australia has reciprocal arrangements on working holiday visas with Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
In late 2003 Australia finalised new arrangements with Italy and France, both of which will enter into force on 1 January 2004. A new agreement with Belgium signed in November 2002 is expected to come into force in mid 2004 once ratification procedures are complete.
If you are an Australian citizen, 30 years of age or under, and want to spend time in one of these countries on a working holiday visa, this page should help you get started.
We have some recommended books you can get your nose into, and advice about international discount cards below.
We also have information on this page on how you can get to the USA even though there is no working holiday arrangement between the US and Australia, and details on internships with the various European Union institutions in Brussels and elsewhere in Europe.
As a first step in planning your working holiday you will need to decide which country you want to go to, and then see whether you fulfil its particular criteria. Most countries allow people up to 30 years of age. The UK has just raised it age limit from 27 to 30 for those applying on 25 August 2003 and later. See our outlines of the specific rules for each country below or consult the Global Exchange website or the Working Holiday Guru website. For all the countries discussed on this page, you must be an Australian citizen. (See our separate page for New Zealanders going on working holidays).
After you've decided which country or countries you qualify for, and which one you'd like a visa for, your next step is to get in touch with the embassy or consulate of that country in Australia, before you leave. We have tried to give the relevant details under the heading for each country below.
Read a Book!
We also recommend several reasonably priced publications by Global Exchange that will provide you with invaluable advice before and during your trip and which were compiled especially for Australian and New Zealand working holiday makers. These include Going Overseas on a Budget: An A - Z by Wendy Alexander, Working Overseas for Australians and New Zealanders by Bryan Havenhand and others, and a number of other Guides. These can be bought at bookshops around Australia or ordered online from Amazon.
International Discount Cards
If you are a full time student, a teacher, or 25 or younger, it is wise to invest in an International Student Identity Card (ISIC), an International Teacher Identity Card (ITIC) or an International Youth Identity Card (IYIC) before you leave home. This card is recognised internationally and will enable you to get substantial discounts on airlines, bus and rail passes, ferry passes, museum entry, theme park tickets, historic sites, day trips, sports and entertainment worldwide. In Australia, the cards are available from STA Travel and currently cost AUD$ 16.50.
Canada
You must be aged between 18 to 30 years inclusive. Your application must be
stamped by the receiving office on or prior to your 31st birthday and on or
after your 18th birthday. Working holiday visas to Canada are valid for a
duration of 12 months after you enter the country. On entry, you will be required
to show that you have sufficient funds to support yourself, i.e. AUD$ 4,000.
Note that the Canadian Embassy in Australia has outsourced the processing of working holiday visas for Australians to a private agency, and you must apply to AWHP Canada in Sydney rather than the Canadian embassy or consulate. Details are on the AWHP Canada website, or from within Australia call 1300 760 012 or (02) 9818 6655. Visas take up to six weeks to be processed and cost AUD$ 170. There is also a quota each year for Canada, which is usually exhausted in the first three or four months of the year. The quota for 2002 was 6,000, but almost half of these were gone by the end of January 2002. For 2003, the quota is again 6,000. The program closes when the 6,000 places have been filled.
Cyprus
Since 1 July 2002 Australians aged between 18 and 30 have been able to go
on working holidays to the Republic of Cyprus. See the media release of 25
June 2002 by Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock here.
Since Australia doesn't have a working holiday arrangement with Greece yet, this sunny destination will be of interest to those who have a Greek background or speak or want to learn to speak Greek. Although the northern part of the island is occupied by Turkey and the so-called "Cyprus problem" remains to be solved politically, with UN blue berets still present on the border at Nicosia, southern, or Greek Cyprus, i.e. the Republic of Cyprus, is a very culturally and historically interesting place, and a big holiday destination for European tourists, only a three or four hour flight from major western European cities. The Visit Cyprus website provides a taste.
The duration of the working holiday visa for Cyprus is 3 months, but it is extendable to 12 months once you get to Cyprus, by applying to the special branch of the Migration Officer in Cyprus. You should allow 1 month for the processing of your visa in Australia before you go and as at 1 January 2003, the fee was 10 Cyprus pounds (about AUD$ 31.30 but variable according to the exchange rate). For further information, contact the Cyprus High Commission in Canberra, 30 Beale Crescent, Deakin ACT 2600, telephone (02) 6281 0832, 6281 0834, fax (02) 6281 0860, e-mail cyphicom@iprimus.com.au.
Denmark
This arrangement came into force on 1 July 2001, and was announced
by Immigration Minister Ruddock in May 2001. Applicants must be aged between
18 and 30. Allow 6 to 8 weeks for processing of the visa before you leave
Australia. The visa is valid for one year from date of entry into Denmark,
but you can only work for 6 months in total while in Denmark, and only a maximum
of 3 months with one employer. The visa does not allow you to work in the
Faroe Islands or Greenland. You will need to show proof of sufficient funds,
i.e. evidence that you have have AUD$ 5,000 to 6,000. You will also need to
show a return or onward ticket.
You can download an application for a Danish working holiday visa here. Hard copies of applications forms can be picked up from any STA Travel office or the Consulate-General in Sydney. Applications (with the non-refundable fee) can be lodged at the Royal Danish Consulate-General in Sydney, Level 14, Gold Fields House, 1 Alfred Street, Circular Quay, Sydney NSW 2000, telephone (02) 9247 2224, fax (02) 9251 7504. You can also lodge your visa application at STA Travel. The application fee is AUD$ 90 as at 1 January 2003.
You cannot apply for a Danish working holiday visa from within Denmark. If you are by chance already in London, but didn't organise a working holiday visa for Denmark before you left Australia, consult the website of the Royal Danish Embassy in London. The Embassy in London will accept applications for working holiday visas from Australian citizens resident in or visiting the UK.
For general information about living and working in Denmark, consult the Work in Denmark website, or the Eures website.
Finland
The working holiday scheme between Australia and Finland came into force on
1 May 2002 and you can read a media release by Immigration Minister Philip
Ruddock here.
Applicants must be aged between 18 and 30 inclusive at the time of application.
Visas are valid for 12 months from the date of issuance in Australia, and
you may only work for up to 3 employers for a maximum of 3 months each, i.e.
you can only work for 9 months out of the 12. Allow at least a week for your
visa to be processed before you leave Australia. The visa processing fee is
AUD$ 240 as at September 2002.
More details concerning eligibility are up on the website of the Embassy of Finland in Canberra, 12 Darwin Avenue, Yarralumla, ACT 2600, telephone (02) 6273 3800, fax (02) 6273 3603, e-mail finland@austarmetro.com.au. Residents of Queensland, ACT, Victoria, Tasmania and the Northern Territory should apply to the Embassy in Canberra. Residents of NSW, South Australia and Western Australia should apply to the Consulate-General of Finland in Sydney, 537 New South Head Road, Double Bay NSW 2028, telephone (02) 9327 7904, fax (02) 9327 7528, e-mail finconsul@bigpond.net.au.
France
Australians will be able to apply for working holiday visas to spend a year
in France as of 1 January 2004. Further details as to how to apply will be
posted here soon.
Germany
Is it true that Oktoberfest in Munich isn't even in October, and that they
have a tent specially for Australians? Find out for yourself and learn to
sprechen deutsch in your year overseas. This arrangement between Australia
and Germany came into force on 1 July 2000. Read Philip Ruddock's media release
here.
The arrangement with Germany differs somewhat in that holders of working
holiday visas can only work for a total of 90 days, although the visa is valid
for 12 months. You must be aged between 18 and 30 at the time of application
and you cannot apply for this visa outside Australia. The processing time
is about 2 weeks and you will have to provide evidence of a return air ticket
and sufficient funds, at least AUD$ 400 per month of stay, as well as evidence
of travel insurance. The website of the German
Embassy in Canberra, 119 Empire Circuit
Yarralumla ACT 2600, telephone (02) 6270 1911, fax (02) 6270 1951, e-mail
embgerma@bigpond.net.au
has further eligibility details and tells you how and where to apply depending
on which state in Australia you live in. There is a AUD$ 5 fee for administrative
expenses.
Hong Kong
This reciprocal arrangement with the Special Administrative Region of the
People's Republic of China has only been in place since 15 September 2001.
Read Philip Ruddock's media release announcing the arrangement here.
There was a quota of 200 for the 2001-2002 year and we understand that the
quota remains at 200 for the 2002-2003 year. We strongly advise you to carefully
read the the Hong
Kong Immigration Department website before applying. You can download
the application form by clicking on the blue button on the bottom of the
explanatory
page. You should also read the guidance
notes accompanying the form. If you can't download the forms, contact
the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Sydney on (02) 9283 1564.
Visas are valid for 12 months but you can only work for one employer for a maximum of 3 months. You'll also have to provide evidence of sufficient funds, i.e. approximately AUD$ 5,000. Applications are not accepted by fax or e-mail. Processing takes about 2 weeks. There is a processing fee of HK$ 135. You can either send your application to Hong Kong directly (probably the most efficient option) or submit it at a Chinese diplomatic or consular mission in Australia (see the Guidance Notes for their addresses). You may want to contact the visa section of the Chinese Consulate General in Sydney, the Chinese Embassy in Canberra, or the Chinese Consulate-General in Melbourne. But note that a working holiday visa for Hong Kong is NOT a visa for mainland China.
Ireland
For Ireland you must be aged 18 to 30. Note that the permit expires on your
30th birthday even if you entered Ireland with the visa less than 12 months
previously. The permit will be valid for an overall period of one year (as
long as you don't turn 30), but the holder must not engage in work with any
one employer for a period in excess of three months. Generally you can only
apply for and pick up this visa in Australia. The Irish
Department of Foreign Affairs website provides an overview. You'll need
to apply with proof of a return ticket and evidence of funds (AUD$ 3,000)
through the Embassy of Ireland in Canberra, 20 Arkana Street, Yarralumla ACT
2600, telephone (02) 6273 3022, fax (02) 6273 3741, e-mail irishemb@cyberone.com.au.
The visa processing fee at at September 2002 was AUD$ 60 and you should allow
at least 6 weeks.
You will not need a working holiday visa for Ireland if you are an Irish citizen. Many people born in Australia with an Irish background qualify for Irish citizenship by descent. For further information, consult the website of the Irish Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.
Italy
Australians will be able to apply for working holiday visas to spend a year in Italy as of 1 January 2004. Further details as to how to apply will be posted here soon.
Japan
For those interested in Japan, consult the Japanese
Government website for information in English. You must be aged from 18
to 30 inclusive and resident in Australia when you apply - if you are already
travelling outside Australia you cannot apply. There is no charge for the
visa, but you will have to show a return travel ticket plus evidence of reasonable
funds (AUD$ 2500). Visas take about 3 weeks to be processed and you will be
granted leave to enter for six months, which can be extended to 12. You will
also need to get in touch with a Japanese consular post in Australia, and
these are listed on the website of the Japanese
Embassy in Canberra along with further information on working holiday
visas to Japan. You must apply in person at a Japanese consular post and you
may be interviewed. You must enter Japan within three months of the date of
issue of the visa, which are single entry. Therefore, if you have to leave
Japan for any reason and wish to return, it is essential that you obtain a
re-entry permit from the Immigration Authorities before leaving Japan.
A must-read for all Australians headed for Japan is the Global Exchange publication, Japan: A Working Holiday Guide by Louise Southerden, 2nd edition, available at bookshops throughout Australia, or order it online from Amazon. The Japan Association for Working Holiday Makers has a useful website as well.
Korea
Korea also provides an interesting destination. The visa page of the Korean
Consulate in Sydney, United Overseas Bank Building, Level 8, 32 Martin
Place, Sydney NSW 2000, telephone (02) 9210-0200, fax (02) 9210-0202, e-mail
consyd@mofat.go.kr will
help you get started. The Working
Holiday Association in Seoul is also a useful resource, as is the Korea
Working Holiday website. You will need a return air ticket and proof of
funds of at least AUD$ 6,000, as well as a touring schedule. There is a visa
processing fee of AUD$ 125, and you should be aged from 18 to 30. Visas are
valid for 12 months, and take a few days to be issued. They allow only a single
entry into Korea.
Malta
The tiny island of Malta in the Mediterranean is also a possible working holiday
destination for young Australians. Limited information on the program is provided
on the visa information page of the Maltese
Consulate in Melbourne, Level 5, 343 Lt Collins Street, Melbourne VIC
3000, telephone (03) 9670 8427, fax (03) 9670 9451, e-mail maltacg@alphalink.com.au.
Note that you should be single and under 25 to apply, although in some cases working holiday visas for older people up to age 30, or those who are married, can be approved. Visas are valid for one year. You have to show evidence of a return ticket and sufficient funds (AUD$ 4,500). Visas cost AUD$ 60, and take at least 6 weeks to be processed. You will probably also need a police clearance certificate - call the Consulate for full details.
If you are an Australian citizen born to Maltese parents in Australia, you may also be a Maltese citizen, in which case you will not need a working holiday visa to work in Malta. For more details on Maltese citizenship see the Maltese Government website.
The Netherlands
For those interested in Van Gogh, tulips and clogs, join the some 400 Australian
young people who go to the Netherlands each year on a working holiday visa.
The Consular Affairs Section of the website of the Consulate-General
of The Netherlands in Sydney is your starting point. Everyone except those
resident in the ACT should apply through the Consulate in Sydney, telephone
(02) 9387 6644, fax (02) 9387 3962, e-mail syd-ca@minbuza.nl.
Those in the ACT and Queanbeyan should apply to the Royal Netherlands Embassy,
120 Empire Circuit, Yarralumla ACT 2600, telephone (02) 6273 3111, fax (02)
6273 3206 e-mail can-ca@minbuza.nl. The
application form can be downloaded
online.
You must be aged from 18 to 30 inclusive. Visas are valid for 12 months. You will need to show you have a return air ticket or the finances to buy one, and evidence of at least AUD$ 2,000 to support yourself. Visas take about 3 weeks to be processed. They are free but you will need to apply for a temporary residence permit on arrival, costing Euro 28. There are a number of further administrative formalities you will still have to go through with local authorities once you arrive in the Netherlands.
You may also want to read a 2002 article which appeared on Expatica.com, by Australian journalist Aaron Gray-Block in Amsterdam, which talks more about the scheme and in which some Australians in Holland share their experiences.
Norway
Although not a member of the EU, Norway has its attractions if you prefer
a cooler climate. A working holiday arrangement between Australia and Norway
entered into force on 1 August 2001. See the media release of Australia's
Immigration Minister of that date here.
You must be aged 18 to 30 inclusive. Visas are valid for 12 months with a
maximum of 3 months with any one employer. You have to show you have a return
ticket and evidence of sufficient funds (approximately AUD$ 2,000). Allow
about 4 weeks for your application to be processed, but there is no processing
fee. All the information you need is on the website of the Royal
Norwegian Embassy in Canberra, 17 Hunter Street, Yarralumla ACT 2600,
telephone (02) 6273 3444/3430/4244, fax (02) 6273 3669, e-mail emb.canberra@mfa.no,
or speak to other
Norwegian consulates in Australia, or consult the Embassy's
FAQs on working holiday visas. You can download the application
form online here, but make sure you also consult the separate
instruction sheet while filling in the form.
Sweden
Sweden is now also on the list of working holiday destinations for Australia,
with an arrangement coming into force on 1 July 2001. See the Australian government
media release here.
You must be aged 18 to 30 inclusive, and visas are valid for one year. You'll
have to show you have a return ticket or enough money to buy one, plus enough
money to support yourself for 3 months (AUD$ 5,500). Sine applications are
all sent to Sweden for processing, allow at least 8 weeks for your visa to
be processed. There is a fee of AUD$ 190. For further information consult
the website of the Embassy
of Sweden in Canberra, 5 Turrana Street, Yarralumla ACT 2600, telephone
(02) 6270 2700, fax (02) 6270 2755, e-mail sweden@austarmetro.com.au.
The Swedish Immigration Department also has working
holiday information in English on its website, where you can download
a factsheet, and an application
form.
United Kingdom
The UK is the oldest and best known working holiday destination for Australians.
We've been going there in droves since 1975. The British
Information Services Australia website has all the information you need,
or telephone the 24 hour information line on 1902 941 555. Note that the age
limit for the United Kingdom has just changed following an announcement
by the Home Office on 20 June 2003. If you apply before 25 August 2003,
you must apply before you turn 28. If applying on 25 August or later, you
must apply before you turn 31. Read the British High Commission's media
release of 20 June 2003 here. Visas cost approximately AUD$ 100 (subject
to change) and you should allow up to 8 weeks for processing. You'll need
to show evidence of sufficient funds (at least AUD$4,500) and a return ticket.
The British High Commission issued some 20,000 working holiday visas from Canberra to young Australians in 2001. The UK allows young people from all Commonwealth countries to enter Britain for two years following the date of issue of the visa (rather than one) and this will not change as a result of the recent review. Employment restrictions formerly in place have been lifted, which is very good news. Note that you can only have one UK working holidaymaker visa in your lifetime, but it is now possible following the changes announced on 20 June 2003 to formally switch into work permit employment from a working holiday visa after 12 months in the UK whereas this was rarely possible in the past.
The Southern Cross Group welcomes the changes to the UK Scheme announced on 20 June 2003, which came about following discussion on the Home Office's May 2002 Consultation Paper. Read the Submission which the SCG made in response on 23 August 2002 here. For further information on the UK Scheme and how the changes will affect you, click here.
For those who are UK-bound, we highly recommend the book Working in London and the UK, 2nd edition, by Bryan Havenhand and other contributors, published in late 2002 by Global Exchange. The Southern Cross Group gets a mention on page 185!
If you are considering the UK as a destination you may also qualify for Britain's highly skilled migrant visa. This allows people to work in Britain in their chosen field, regardless of their age or ancestral ties or whether they have a job offer. Applicants are considered for this new scheme based on their educational qualifications, work experience, past earnings and achievement in chosen field. A special category has been established for overseas doctors to work as GPs in Britain. For more information see the website of the British Home Office Immigration & Nationality Directorate.
If you were born in Australia to a British citizen parent or grandparent you may qualify for British citizenship or the right of abode or the right to work in Britain, in which case you will not need a visa or work permit to live and work in Britain. Consult the Home Office's citizenship pages for more information, or the excellent eligibility guide on the website of the High Commission in Canberra. We also have detailed information about British citizenship and the right of abode in the Acquiring Another Citizenship section of our website.
United States
- No Working Holiday Arrangement But Other Options
We are often asked whether there is a working holiday visa arrangement between
the United States and Australia. As at June 2003, there is not, although both
countries have expressed a willingness to negotiate one in the future. In
the meantime, however Australia and the US have agreed to a special visa program
for young people called the Youth USA Exchange Program. This allows US citizens
between the ages of 18 and 30 to visit
Australia for up to four months and is similar to the United States' J-1
Visa Program (Exchange Visitor Visa) for Australians going to the US.
If you are a young Australian who wants to go to the US on a J-1 visa, consult the website of the US Consular Authorities in Australia. Be aware that all US visas are taking longer to be processed following the events of 11 September 2001. Before applying for your J-1 visa, note that you must have been accepted into an approved program in the US. You need to find a program offered by an organisation that has the designation of "J-1 visa sponsor" by the US Department of State. Here are some we've found - but there are many more. Alliances Abroad, for example, offers seasonal work placements, nurse placements, internships and other programs in the United States. If you are a social worker, the American Youth Work Center offers practical training programs. Work Experience USA offers placements for Australians as summer camp counselors in the US as well as practical training and work experience opportunities. Work and Travel USA allows Australian students to work for four months in the US during their holidays. Internship USA will help you find an internship with a US company related to your field of study. The Association for International Practical Training has a very helpful website. CDS International also has different programs.
If you are an Australian lawyer or other non-US lawyer with a training offer from a US employer, the American Bar Association Section of International Law and Practice's International Legal Exchange Program (ILEX) can help. ILEX is designated by the US goverment as an authorized sponsor for certification of foreign lawyers eligible for the J-1 visa and provides this service at a fee that is significantly lower than those of competing providers.
There are a number of other organisations that offer programs to the US, so surf the net!
Coming Soon - Belgium
On 20 November 2002, Australia signed a working holiday treaty
with Belgium. See the media
release of that date by then Australian Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock.
However, the treaty must be ratified by Parliaments in both Belgium and Australia
before it will come into force. This is the first working holiday arrangement
between Australia and another country which takes the form of a formal treaty
- due to constitutional requirements on the Belgian side. So working holidays
to Belgium for young Australians will probably not be possible until mid 2004.
As at November 2003, Australia's ratification was almost complete, but matters
were moving more slowly in Belgium. Our site archives contain documentation
about the forthcoming Belgian agreement, including the text of the treaty
itself as well as an exchange of letters setting out the administrative
arrangements which will apply under the treaty once it is in force.
We're particularly glad about this new agreement because the Southern Cross Group was originally founded by Australian expats in Belgium (there aren't many of us, only around 500 at any one time). We might be slightly biased, but we think Belgium is an extremely interesting destination for a working holiday, even if the weather isn't much chop most of the time! The main EU institutions are all in Brussels, and so there are work prospects with consultancies, law firms and businesses that are active in EU affairs. And while in Belgium you can improve your language skills by living in either a French, Dutch, or German speaking area, not to mention sample the joys of Belgian chocolates, waffles and beer!
Opportunities for Internships in European Union Institutions
Note that (quite apart from the forthcoming working holiday agreement with Belgium) young Australians can do internships ("stages") with the European Commission in Brussels and scholarships and traineeships are available for the European Parliament in both Brussels and Strasbourg (France) as well as with the European Court of Auditors in Luxembourg. Further, the European Economic and Social Committee, and the Committee of the Regions in Brussels both offer traineeships to EU and non-EU nationals. Traineeships are also available with the European Ombudsman in both Brussels and Luxembourg, although they are normally, but not exclusively, awarded to nationals of an EU Member State.
For budding international lawyers with an EC law interest, the European Court of Justice and the Court of First Instance (in Luxembourg) offer a limited number of traineeships, although you should be fluent in French, and it is extremely rare for non-EU nationals to be accepted. For an application form click here. The European Trade Marks and Designs Office (OHIM) in Alicante, Spain also has some internships for non-EU nationals.
For those with an economics/finance/accounting bent, the European Central Bank in Frankfurt is an interesting option (but you would need to hold the citizenship of an EU country or EU applicant country to apply).
If you are lucky enough to land an internship with an EU institution, you would not need a working holiday visa or a work permit from the authorities of the country where the institution is located, because the EU institutions are all international institutions. But you would probably need to register your presence with the local authorities once in the country.
If you have an undergraduate degree and you are interested in pursuing research in European Community law, economics, history or politics, the European University Institute in Florence offers a number of postgraduate grants and postdoctoral fellowships.
