Australia Working Holiday Visa

The Australia Working Holiday Visa gives young people between the ages of 18 and 30 (and in some cases between the ages of 18 and 35) the opportunity to enjoy working holidays, in fact, an extended stay supplemented by working in Australia, for up to 36 months.
The scheme gives Australia Working Holiday Visa holders casual work rights to supplement their travels. Work undertaken must be incidental to the main purpose of holidaying and employment for more than 6 months with any one employer is not allowed. The application for a first Working Holiday Visa must be made offshore like it should not in Australia.
The Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) is a temporary visa for young people who want to holiday and work in Australia for up to a year. It is a temporary visa that encourages cultural exchange and closer ties between Australia and eligible countries.

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The Australian Work and Holiday Visa (subclass 462) is very similar to the Australian Working Holiday Visa in many ways but it does contain a few subtle differences.
Eligibility:

  • Be aged between 18 and 30 years (inclusive) of age and unaccompanied by dependent children;
  • Hold a United States passport;
  • Meet educational requirements (You must have graduated from High School or completed an equivalent qualification; for example, a bridging course to university);
  • Not be accompanied by any dependent children;
  • Have not previously entered Australia on a Work and Holiday Visa (subclass 462) or a Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417);
  • Have adequate health insurance for the duration of their stay in Australia Be able to show sufficient funds for a return or onward fare and an adequate amount of funds for the first part of their stay; and Be of good character and meet the health criteria.

Working in Australia – six months with one employer: One can generally only work six months with one employer.
Subclass 417 allows:

  • stay in Australia for up to 12 months
  • work in Australia, generally for up to six months with each employer
  • study for up to four months
  • leave and re-enter Australia any number of times while the visa is valid
The difference between these two visas are:
  • Working Holiday (subclass 417) visas are open to people with passports from 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.
  • Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visas are open to people with passports 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
Who can apply for subclass 417 and subclass 462:
  • 462 visas have education requirements, while 417 visas do not.
  • 462 visas require a letter of support from your government of origin (unless you’re from the U.S.), while 417 visas do not.
  • 462 visas also require evidence of functional English, while 417 visas do not.

The most significant differences between 417 and 462 visas are that those holding a 417 visa are eligible to apply for a second year-long working holiday visa if they complete three months of specified work in regional Australia. 462 visa holders can not apply for a second-year work and holiday visa.
Financial Requirement:
One must have access to sufficient funds to support yourself for the initial stage of your holiday in Australia and you may be asked to show evidence of this on arrival.
A sufficient amount is generally regarded as being a minimum of AUD$5,000, although the amount may vary depending on the length of stay and how much traveling candidate intends to do. One should also have a return or onward ticket or the funds for a fare to depart Australia if traveling on a one-way ticket.
Evidence may include a certified copy of a bank statement and an air ticket out of Australia.
Work and Holiday Visa Conditions
It is very important to abide by these visa conditions. Failure to do so may result in the visa being canceled and a requirement to leave Australia.

Study Conditions

Australian Work and Holiday visa holders are permitted to study for up to 4 months while in Australia on the Work and Holiday Visa. Work and Holiday Visa Processing Times Even for a straightforward application, an Australian Work and Holiday Visa can take up to 8 weeks to process. This time may be extended by the presence of a criminal
offense on the application or the need for a medical.

Work Conditions

Australian Work and Holiday visa holders are permitted to do any kind of work of a temporary or casual nature. The main purpose of the visa is holiday and travel, so work for longer than 6 months with any one employer is not allowed.