Australia Work Visa


I wish the Australia Work Visa had been available for Germans when I went on my first trip to the Australian Outback...

Back then Germans couldn't apply for the popular work visa for Australia. Today they can.

Travel Australia for up to one year (or more!) and pay for your trip by working here!

Read on to see if you can or want to travel to Australia to work here.

What exactly are Australian Work Visas?

An Australia Work Visa is a great opportunity for young people between 18 and 30 years.

If you belong to this age group and are from one of the countries eligible for this visa, then you can visit Australia for a full year, and you are allowed to supplement your travel funds by working here. Work AND travel Australia.

Eligible for the Australian Working Holiday Visa subclass 417, are working holiday makers from: Belgium, Canada, Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.

Eligible for the slightly different Australian Work And Holiday Visa subclass 462, are tertiary educated people from Chile, Thailand and Turkey.

Good news for travelers from the US! US backpackers are finally allowed to work in Australia. The Work and Holiday visa arrangement between Australia and the US came into effect on 31 October 2007.

Actually, with a work visa for Australia you can do more than just supplement your travel funds. You can work as hard and as much as you like.

The only restriction placed on you is that the work has to be of a temporary or casual nature. You are allowed to stay with each employer for a maximum of three months. (Update: this has now been extended to 6 months.)

Obviously that limits the range of jobs available to you. But presumably you travel to Australia to see as much as possible of it, so you wouldn't stay in any one place for too long anyway...

On 1 November 2005 the Australian Government introduced a new twist to the Australia Work Visa, which makes the whole idea even more tempting:

If you can prove that you did seasonal work in regional Australia (e.g. fruit picking) for at least three months during your first visit, then you are allowed to apply for a second 12 months Australia Work Visa. (You also have to prove that you still meet the requirements.)

Two full years in Australia, and you can pay for your trip by working here! It doesn't get much better than that...

Read more about how to find work and travel Australia.

How Do I apply For The Australia Work Visa?

If you checked the requirements and believe you are eligible you can apply for your Working Holiday Visa online. (Please note that you must not apply more than 12 months before your intended date of travel.)

If you are granted an electronic visa you don't require a label in your passport. You will receive a written notification in the mail. Keep it for future reference as it also contains the conditions of your visa.

When you arrive in Australia visit the nearest immigration department office to have the label placed in your passport. (You need it to prove to employers that you are indeed allowed to work in Australia.)

To apply on paper download and print Form 1150: Application for a Working Holiday Visa. Please note that applicable charges need to be paid before or as the application is lodged.

If you want to apply for your second Australia Work Visa you have to prove that you did seasonal work in regional Australia for at least three months. An easy way to do that is to have your employers fill out Form 1263 - Working Holiday Visa: Employment Verification and to include the form with your next application.

Certified copies of pay slips, group certificates, tax returns or references by your employers can also be used as proof.

Not sure what exactly qualifies as regional or as seasonal? The government website has all the info you need.

Tempted? Want to know how to find work, especially in the Australian Outback?

Find out more about working and travelling in Australia.

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