Backpackers (working holiday makers)

Overview- Working holiday visa

The Working Holiday Program provides opportunities for people between 18 and 30 to holiday in Australia and to supplement their travel funds through incidental employment.

The visa allows a stay of up to 12 months from the date of first entry to Australia, regardless of whether or not you spend the whole time in Australia.

You are allowed to do any kind of work of a temporary or casual nature, but work for more than three months with any one employer is not permitted.

From 1 November 2005, Working Holiday Makers who have worked as a seasonal worker in regional Australia for a minimum of three months while on their first working holiday visa, will be eligible to apply for a second Working Holiday visa and stay for a further 12 months.

Australia has reciprocal Working Holiday maker arrangements in effect with the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, Japan, Republic of Ireland, Republic of Korea, Malta, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China, Finland, the Republic of Cyprus, France, and Italy, Belgium, Estonia and Taiwan.

Working holiday visas can be obtained by making an application on the Internet -

If you intend to apply for a second Working Holiday visa, you will need to provide evidence that you have worked for a minimum of three months as a seasonal worker in regional Australia while on your first working holiday visa. Before commencing seasonal work in a regional area, you should obtain a copy of the employment verification form from your nearest DIMIA office, or from the forms section of the DIMIA website - www.immi.gov.au