Australian Working Visas For People Over 30


So you'd like an Australian working visa but you are over thirty years old?

While I can totally understand and relate to your wish, this is not as easy as people seem to think.

I know the demand is there because I do get that question very regularly.

Here are some examples:



The respective answers are: nowhere, you can't, and nope.

All I can do is repeat what's already been said, by me, by the immigration department and by every other webpage that talks about Australian work visas:

To apply for an Australian Working Holiday visa you have to be 30 years or younger.

I am sorry, but if you are older than thirty then it's too late. This has nothing to do with your fitness level or willingness to work or anything. The Australian Working Holiday visa is not a normal work visa.

The Australian WHV is meant for gap year students and similar. It gives young people a chance to experience something different, to open their minds and broaden their horizons.

Visa holders are restricted in what kind of work they can do and for how long. Basically the Australian WHV is for short term odd jobs, not for long term careers or to make big money.

Yes, that might suit you even if you're older, but that just doesn't matter, I'm afraid.

Think about it: I also would not be able to go to the US and expect them to give me a working visa for my travel time, just because I'd like to work there and can work hard. It's no different in Australia. People can't just come here and work just because they'd like to.

The whole WHV thing is based on exchange agreements that Australia has with many other countries in the world. Young people can come to Australia to work for a year, young Australians can work overseas for a year.

You have to be no older than 30 when you apply for the WHV. End of story. It doesn't matter how young you are at heart. There is no Australian Working Holiday visa for people over thirty.

The only thing you can do is go to the government website and dig through all the information about all the other Australian work visas available in the migration section and see if there is one that you may be able to fit under.

Sometimes it takes a year or two of doing all the right things and getting the right documentation in place to make something fit, but generally, where there's a will there's a way. Depends how badly you want to work in Australia!

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