“The rescuers Down Under” was the first approach I had with Australia, as a Disney lover but mainly as a big dreamer since I was little, this cartoon let me fantasize about my adventure in this faraway country. But wild landscapes, huge waterfalls, the red outback desert and all the different animals were just a slice of the big cake of what living in Australia means.
Growing up I could face better the reality of this massive country and my big interest in knowing more and adventuring around, made me decide to live in Australia through a Working Holiday Visa for at least a year. In fact, right now, I am holding a 2nd Working holiday visa and living the dream Down Under.
Working Holiday Visa Down Under
In the last few months people I know and others I don’t, have started to send me so many messages: How I could come to live in Australia? Which Australian city was the best to start the journey? and finally What is the best visa if I want to work and travel Down Under? How can I apply for the fantastic Working Holiday visa?
Since all the information I needed wasn’t easy to find and the overwhelming feeling when I was planning and sorting out all the paper, got the best, I decided to help anyone who’s dreaming of experiencing Australia in the easiest and smartest way, by giving you all the information’s about this visa: how to apply for the Working Holiday visa, which requirements you will be asked, what are the conditions once you are in Australia and a lot more.
So sit tight and feel the dream coming closer and closer to the awakening point, because yes, Australia is becoming reality and you will love the journey.
My first Working Holiday Visa is unforgettable, I grew up so much and I lived and visited beautiful places. Here’s Dunk Island in Tropical Queensland
I’ve been travelling and working for 8 years, but I do it moving through my passion, my belief and my profession. Willing to make them my lifestyle and to help people with their needs too.
If you want to know my mission and who I am why don’t you check here to know more about me?!
Australia Working Holiday Visa 417 details
The Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417) gives you the ability to live in Australia for up to 12 months, travel as you please and work for the same employer for up to 6 months. Also, during this year, you are allowed to study for 4 months, without the need for a Student Visa, and to leave and re-enter the country as many times as you want. You can benefit from up to three of these 417 WHV for a total of 36 months in the Kangaroo Land.
Keep in mind that when your Working Holiday Visa gets granted you have a full year to enter the country and from the day of your entry, your Visa will start. But let me tell you, don’t overthink, book that flight and come join the huge backpacker community on this side of the world.
Australia Working Holiday Visa 417 requirements
Conditions that apply for this specific Visa are quite easy to understand and here’s a list for you to know, in the quickest way, whether you’re eligible or not:
- Being outside Australia when applying for the first Working Holiday Visa 417
- Being aged between 18 and 30 years old (35 for some countries). That means your visa application has to be done before your 31st birthday but you will be able to enter the country on your 31st; as long as the year between the granting of your visa didn’t pass.
- You can’t have dependent children that accompany you in Australia during your stay
- You are holding one of these passports: Belgium, Canada, 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.
- To be able to support yourself economically while you are here; so you might need to show you hold at least AU$ 5.000
- Have 510 AU$ / 287 £ / 330 € for the fee of your Working Holiday Visa application.
Make sure you have all the required documents and others, here is the official Home Affairs website to help you with all the papers you need to provide for your first Working Holiday Visa 417 application.
Working Holiday Visa 462
Depending on your Passport mainly, the Working Holiday Visa subclass 462 is probably your fit; these are some of the requirements:
- Hold a Passport from Argentina, Austria, Chile, China, People’s Republic of, Czech Republic, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Peru, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, USA, Uruguay, Vietnam
- Education requirements
- Letter of support from your government of origin (unless you’re from the U.S.)
- Evidence of functional English
- You can not apply for a second-year work and holiday visa
How to apply for the Working Holiday Visa 417
The Australia Home Affair website will be your safe space to do the application in an easier and faster way. Create your online account and look at the bottom right for the APPLY call to action button, from there you will need to fill in the spaces, answer the easy questions and send the application through (if you believe you don’t have all the necessary documents, save your progress and get through another time without problems).
Avoid agencies if you can, as they overcharge for something so easy to do. Instead, if you don’t like paperwork or you don’t understand the process, try to see if in your community someone has already done the Australia WHV experience and they are keen to help you out. I’m realising with time that people can be very helpful and keen to offer their assistance to some good matter as beautiful experiences are.
Why you should use a Working Holiday Visa
When I finally make the decision to leave Europe to go on an adventure to Australia I did a very deep research about which Visa I should use. Considering not only the fact I could travel in the Kangaroo country but also thinking to have a working experience on this side of the world. So, in October 2018 I applied for my first Working Holiday Visa 417 for Australia.
My Visa got granted in less than 2 weeks and at the end of January 2019, I was on a one-way-only flight to Sydney.
Why do so many backpackers come to Australia with a Working Holiday Visa?
Follow me on Instagram to see my journey in Australia
The answer is many, if you read about the conditions for the Visa 417 application they seem quite reasonable for a 12 months experience. With this Working Holiday, you will have enough freedom to be able to travel the whole country if you want – and if you have a lot of money too – as you are not forced to work, in fact, you can travel throughout the duration of the Visa.
Some of the reasons why you should apply for the Working Holiday Visa if you are eligible:
- Travel freedom
- Working where you want and if you want
- Meet a lot of new people that are sharing the same adventure as you
- Search for a potential Sponsorship Visa if your dream is the stay in Australia
- Save money, spend money, repeat
- Have “a quick” trip to Asia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands and the closer locations
- Live the wildlife and the many different animal species
- Visit some of the best places in the world
- Deep dive into the amazing Australian culture
- Experience the amazing feeling of Solo travel
- Extend your Working Holiday visa for a total of 3 years
Extending your Working Holiday Visa 417
I bet you will love the experience and I believe you are thinking about how you can extend your time in this awesome country, well don’t worry, cause there is a solution to this question too. Fortunately, Australia allows Working Holiday Maker to extend their Visa, not for two but for three years; meaning you can stay up to 3 years holding this unbound visa which enables you to be quite free, to travel and to make money as you desire. Nonetheless to live Australia’s adventure.
To do this you will be required to do 88 days (or 167 days on the 2nd WHV) of specified work in one of the following industries:
- tourism and hospitality in northern or remote and very remote Australia (from 22 June 2021)
- plant and animal cultivation in regional Australia
- fishing and pearling in regional Australia
- tree farming and felling in regional Australia
- mining in regional Australia
- construction in regional Australia
- bushfire recovery work in declared bushfire-affected areas only (after 31 July 2019)
Even though it might sound more difficult than actually is, I assure you that starting your journey to Australia on the Woking Holiday Visa will be one of the best desition to take.
If you are overthinking about doing this big step to live your life fully because you are in a comfort zone or you are too scared to act despite your understanding of the fact that “you only live once” and you should make the most out of your life, you have here my witness. You will read about my first Working Holiday Visa and how and why I decided to come back after 2 years; after reading both I can figure you applying for the visa straight away.
So enjoy the reading and the adventure. Any extra help you will need or questions you have, I will be happy to support you in the comment below.
