Working Holiday Visa Australia Information and Tips | Welcome to Travel

What To Pack For a Working Holiday in Australia (Ladies)

Annisa Maher — Sun, 27 Feb 2022 09:48:41 +0000

If you’re like me and deciding what to pack makes you shiver

Then hopefully reading this will make the whole process a little less stressful. Although it seems like a relatively straightforward task, I often leave it to the last minute because I’ll dive in with little to no thought and later find myself getting overwhelmed with choices and questions. So, we’ve put together a basic what-to-pack guide to help you feel prepared and organised.

Australia is a MASSIVE country with diverse and sometimes extreme climates. If you plan on being here for a year or more, you need to be prepared for hot and humid days, chilly mornings and nights, stormy weather and everything in between. There is a world of difference, for example, between the harsh and dry heat of the Outback, the tropical, humid air in Tropical North Queensland and the cooler summer temperatures in Tasmania. Melbourne alone is notorious for being the city of four seasons in one day, so don’t say we didn’t warn you!

Essentials

The following are what we consider to be must-pack items, meaning anything not mentioned is at your discretion to include (for example, while watching Netflix in your hostel bed on a rainy day is a MOOD, we don’t consider a laptop to be an essential). It also goes without saying that your list of what to pack may be longer depending on what kind of traveller you are and what tours or activities you plan on doing (e.g. if you’re a hiker or a surfer, you’ll need more specific equipment/clothing).

Some things on this list can absolutely be bought once you arrive (e.g. shampoo) but we factor them in here because some people prefer to leave with them, use them up along the way and ditch them to leave space in their bag before their flight back home.

Bags

Backpack. The type and size of backpack is quite a personal choice and one that will require some research. If you’re a minimalist, you will most likely make do with a 50L backpack. If you need a little more room, aim for a 65L one and if you’re a hoarder and/or love buying things when you travel, you can go as big as 85L. Ultimately, you want one that you can carry with ease and comfort, is good quality and spacious in terms of capacity. Check out brands like Kathmandu, Osprey, Ultralight Adventure Equipment, Gregory, Granite Gear and Deuter for some options. One particular backpack that we think ticks a lot of boxes is this 70L one from Kathmandu.

A smaller backpack/a tote bag to bring to the beach, on a day out exploring or to the grocery store.

A bumbag/small purse to put cards/money/smaller items in for a night out or a trip to the market.

A small laundry bag that folds down nicely.

Toiletries

A toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant and a travel razor. These can certainly be bought here at any discount drugstore (e.g. Chemist Warehouse), with toothpaste as cheap as $1AUD.

A bar of soap and a soap container. Avoids the need to buy single-use plastic!

Hairbrush. For the Rapunzels out there.

Medication. Make sure you get extra prescriptions filled in advance if you need to or do your research about whether your medication is available in Australia.

Makeup. I’m not here to tell you how to live your life, but keep it minimal if you can. If you think you need to pack that blush that you used once six months ago, you don’t. In Australian heat, everything just melts off your face anyway.

Shampoo, conditioner, sunscreen, moisturiser. Buy a few 100mL travel tubes and fill ‘em right up before you go. Saves space, and you can easily buy bigger bottles, share costs with others and refill your tubes as you go. Having these handy tubes means you can also go away on weekend/camping trips and use them.

A Moon Cup/Diva Cup/menstrual cup is a good alternative to tampons and pads. A Moon Cup is light, saves space in your bag and is better for the environment. Plus it’s got a cool name.

Towels. Leave your big, bulky one at home and throw in a smaller, lightweight microfibre towel in. And don’t even think about packing a beach towel, swap it instead with a sarong that can be used for the beach and even as a skirt on hot days.

Clothing

Underwear/socks. Pack at least 7 pairs of underwear, then throw in 7 more. Just kidding, but don’t skimp out on underwear just in case you can’t always do washing as often as you’d like. When it comes to bras, go for comfort (none of this underwire business) and you shouldn’t need more than 2 or 3. Throw in 7 pairs of socks too and make sure you’ve got a warm pair for chilly nights or early morning hikes.

Swimwear. You’re coming to one of the surf havens of the world where so many UNREAL surf brands were born, so hold out and invest in a high-quality and long-lasting new suit. Don’t bring any more than two pairs of bikinis/swimsuits in your suitcase, just don’t do it.

A lightweight waterproof jacket. These can often fold into almost nothing and will no doubt come in handy. Don’t bother bringing a proper jacket over, unless you’ve got a good quality one and you know you’ll be in a part of Australia with a colder climate in the height of winter. You can always buy a second-hand one over here for cheap!

A couple of jumpers (or sweaters). You will definitely need these at some point.

Playsuits/jumpsuits are great to throw in, because they’re two-in-one and are usually thin and breathable. Plus they’re really cute and can be both casual and chic for nights out.

Pants. Denim’s not a fantastic choice for heat or humidity, so a single pair of jeans will do if you can’t do without. Otherwise, aim for 2/3 pairs of lightweight and breathable pants.
Shorts. Throw in a few pairs of shorts, but try to find a pair that doubles as pyjama shorts, beach shorts or sport shorts for days when leggings won’t do.

Shirts. Pack 7-10 tshirts/crop tops/tank tops and make sure you’ve got a couple of long-sleeved shirts. If you’re the outdoorsy type, pack a thermal for any camping trips or winter hikes. Yes, Australia does get that cold.

Sleepwear/casual wear. Always have a pair of tracksuit pants or leggings, a big t-shirt and a comfy hoodie to lounge around in.

Sportswear. Depending on how much physical activity you plan on doing while you’re away (be honest with yourself here), a single outfit (leggings/shorts and workout top) should be fine to start with.

Clothes for a night out. Don’t go overboard trying to fit in a handful of fancy outfits – just pack basics that go well together. A couple of skirts/dresses that are fit for both casual outings and social ones are always good and a small jacket like a denim jacket or thin bomber can help dress up an outfit.

A hat. The sun is extremely strong in Australia and we take sun care pretty seriously so wear a hat and lather on the sunscreen on a sunny day.

Shoes

A pair of comfortable and good quality running shoes for hikes, working out and just walking around all day in.

A second pair of casual sneakers for everyday activities and even going out in.

Ditch the heels and instead opt for a pair of shoes that serve a second purpose (e.g. some nice sandals or boots). In a lot of places in Australia, you don’t need heels to be allowed into places and to be honest, unless you’re working an office job in the city or going to fancy clubs, you won’t need them.

A pair of flip flops. In summer in Australia people LIVE in these, but you can easily buy a pair when you get here.

Free Working Holiday Checklist

Already know a Australia Working Holiday is for you? Get A FREE WORKING HOLIDAY checklist, to help you with your plans.

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Tech/Accessories

An adaptor/converter. Having one on you means you won’t need to go looking for one last minute if something comes up.

Unless you need it for work or any other reason, leave your laptop at home. An iPad takes up less space and does the trick, but is also unnecessary. If you’re planning on being away from home for at least a year, invest in a good smartphone but without a contract so that you can get an Australian SIM card. A smartphone will double up as a computer and a camera in one – win.
A good portable charger so that you never have to find yourself in a tricky situation.
Headphones
A kindle or e-reader

Documentation

Passport. Would be weird if you got in the country without one.
A printed version of your visa (otherwise an electronic version will do)

Ensure you upload all of the documents you may need to access (your CV, your visa, other forms of ID etc) to your Google Drive. You will be able to print out whatever you need at any library. Alternatively, put them on a USB but make sure not to lose it.

Money

Avoid converting your money at the airport when you arrive, you will just lose money in doing so. Wait and go to one of the many places in the city with better rates.

We suggest converting the equivalent of $250AUD before arriving so that you have cash ready for when you land. This gives you a bit of a safety net if you can’t exchange your money right away.

You can also create an account with TransferWise before you go. You’ll save money when you transfer money from your home bank account to your Australian one and you can start using money right away, even before receiving your Australian bank card. See here for a full breakdown on how to create an account.

Last Tips!

This may sound like an obvious one, but leave anything you don’t NEED at home. If you feel triggered reading that, go take your hair dryer out of your backpack right now.

Packing cubes are really great for organising your belongings so they’re easy to find and put away again. They also fit neatly into your backpack and help to maximise space.

Don’t leave with a full backpack. Save some room for a new hoodie, trinkets for your mates back home and a jar of Vegemite.

Don’t bring your favourite, most expensive jewellery because you will just spend time stressing about losing it.

Pack your essentials at the top of your bag so you can easily retrieve them when you land without having to unpack your entire bag.

Make sure you distribute the weight across your core and back to avoid any injuries or pain. This means packing the most heaviest items in the middle, closest to your back.

Buy a waterproof bag cover so that you’re prepared for unpredictable weather!

And last but not least, make sure you have comprehensive travel insurance!

The post What To Pack For a Working Holiday in Australia (Ladies) appeared first on Welcome to Travel.

Australia Opens Borders To Working Holiday Visas

Adam Ogle — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 02:49:20 +0000

Today is the day we, and you, have been waiting for. Today’s the day the Australian Federal Government announced Australia will open its borders to working holiday visas from 1 December 2021!

So What Was Said?

At 11.30am on 22 November 2022, Prime Minister Scott Morrison fronted the media to give an update on Australia’s next steps on it’s border policy.

With Australia now at an average of 85% double vaccinated, with NSW and Victoria heading for 95% it has now been deemed safe for Australia to welcome the next group of people into the country WITHOUT a travel exemption from December 1st 2021.

This group includes people on a:

Working Holiday Visa (417)
Work and Holiday Visa (462)
Student Visa (500)

You can see the full list on the Australian Immigration website.

What are the other requirement?

Vaccinations

You will need to be fully vaccinated and your vaccine be approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

Applying For A Visa

You can apply now for either a Working Holiday visa (417) or Work and Holiday visa (462).

The countries that are eligible are:

417 Visa Working Holiday

Passport holders from these countries

Belgium
Canada
Republic of Cyprus
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (including British National Overseas passport holders)
Republic of Ireland
Italy
Japan
Republic of Korea
Malta
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden
Taiwan (other than an official or diplomatic passport)
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

462 Work and Holiday Visa

Passport holders from these countries

Argentina
Austria
Chile
China, People’s Republic of
Czech Republic
Ecuador
Greece
Hungary
Indonesia
Israel
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Peru
Poland
Portugal
San Marino
Singapore
Slovak Republic
Slovenia
Spain
Thailand
Turkey
Uruguay
United States of America
Vietnam

How Long Will It Take?

Due to the backlog of visas throughout COVID, the visa processing time is longer than normal. Immigration’s indicator of times are as follows

Working Holiday visa (417)

75% of applications in 85 days
90% of applications in 4 months

Work and Holiday visa (462)

75% of applications in 90 days
90% of applications in 4 months

Other Requirements

Undertake a pre-departure COVID-19 test.
Obtain your foreign vaccination certificate.
Travellers to Australia should complete an Australia Travel Declaration (ATD) at least 72 hours before departure.

When Are Welcome Tours Running?

Our first Welcome to Melbourne tour is running February 27th and our first Welcome to Sydney tour March 20th.

This gives you enough time for your visa to be processed and for you to be able to organise everything before coming over here.

For all of you lovely people that have been wanting to come to Australia for so long, that have waited for this announcement for so long, it couldn’t have come at a better time for you.

Save Money

On Friday 26 November 2021 our Black Friday sale starts, giving you the perfect opportunity to save some money whilst being safe in the knowledge that Australia is welcoming travellers back into the country. The doubt has gone, it’s just excitement now!

Instead of a normal Black Friday sale, we’re giving you a choice on, how do you want to save?

You can either get:

A free Road Trip Add On (Melbourne=Great Ocean Road and Sydney=Blue Mountains) valued at $265, when you book a Welcome Tour

10% off any Welcome Tour or Mini Pack

The promo codes will go live at 12.01am Friday 26th November and there will be a limited amount. If you want to get ahead of the queue, sign up here and receive the codes in your email 12 hours before everyone else.

You can still choose to book open dated if you don’t want to pick a date but want the discount.

What To Do Now?

If you want to come within the next year, apply for your visa immediately. You have a year to start the visa so you should get your application in now.
Sign up for a Black Friday promo code now.
On Friday 26th November, place a deposit for your Welcome to Travel tour. You can still choose to book open dated if you don’t want to pick a date, but you still want the discount. Win win!
Once your visa has been granted, you can book your flights.

Around the same time as organising those flights, organise your travel insurance. We recommend World Nomads.

Tourist Visa Makers

Although this is great for people coming on a working holiday, we know that some of you might be wanting to come on a tourist visa.

Australia announced it is extending the country it is allowing tourists by adding in Korea and Japan from the 1 December 2021.

If you want to know when your country will be listed then sign up to our Australia Travel Update Newsletter.

If you have any questions at all, then please get in touch with us here, we can’t wait to hear from you.

We’re so excited for 2022 and beyond, you travelling to Australia is so close you can nearly touch it.

The post Australia Opens Borders To Working Holiday Visas appeared first on Welcome to Travel.

Work On A Farm In Australia – Now $25.41 An Hour

Adam Ogle — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 06:33:45 +0000

There have long been discussions on how to improve the criteria of specified work that needs to be completed in order to get a second (and third) working holiday visa in Australia, and now there’s finally some good news for all future working holidaymakers that need/want to work on a farm in Australia.

You might know this specified work aspect under another name, maybe your 88 days, farm work, rural work, fruit picking or your 3 months.

In 2020, the government launched an inquiry into the working holiday visa and how it can be improved. With borders closed, I had some time on my hands and this felt like a perfect opportunity to be able to have my say on something I’m knowledgeable and passionate about, working holiday makers having the best possible time in Australia.

As part of my role as Vice President at Adventure Tourism Victoria, I, along with others, put together a submission highlighting things that can be improved within the visa. This process also involved representing the submission by speaking in parliament.

The ultimate goal? To have a positive effect on future working holiday makers.

One of the main things we focused on was improving the way wages are paid on farms.

Nearly one year on, we’re pleased to say that we’ve seen an incredible result, something so positive that it resulted in Australia’s Worker’s Union National Secretary Daniel Walton described the ruling as ‘one of the most significant industrial decisions of modern times’.

While hourly pay is still found across the industries involved in specified work a lot of this work, especially when picking fruit, has been paid on something called a piece rate. A piece rate, basically explained, is where you’re paid for how much work you do. IE, you’re paid per the amount of pieces you produce/pick/pack.

This could be the amount of cherries you pick, trees you plant or vines you prune. This can increase productivity and also prove to be financially rewarding. It absolutely can be a positive when employers enforce it correctly.

I worked on a farm in Australia back in 2011

To give you an example, when Darryl (the other co-founder of Welcome to Travel) and I personally completed our specified work, our employer was excellent. When we were in younger, less populated trees, we were paid an hourly rate because there simply wasn’t many fruit to pick so a piece rate would have left us underpaid.

When we moved into the older trees, packed full of avocados, we were moved on to a piece rate and that’s when we earned more. We were extremely motivated and earned more money, our piece rate experience here was positive.

However some employers have spoiled that system for others by using it as a way to underpay, and take advantage of workers. They paid low piece rates and/or had too high expectations. EG Instead of paying Darryl and I hourly in the younger trees, they would have continued to pay us a piece rate. This would have left us demotivated, underpaid and frustrated with the system that created this.

This is why this week’s announcement is extremely positive and a huge win for travellers coming to Australia, who want / need to work on a farm.

On Friday November 5th 2021 “the Australian Fair Work Commission ruled that farm workers picking fruit on a piece rate must be guaranteed a minimum hourly rate of $25.41.

While the Commission’s draft determination does not outlaw piecework, it guarantees a minimum hourly rate regardless of productivity.”

This new wage of $25.41ph is the minimum wage for a casual worker in Australia. To put that in perspective in your home currency, that is:

£13.88
$23.43 (CAD)
$18.83(US)
€16.23
161.31 SEK
120.75 DKK

Remember, this is the minimum wage you will earn, whilst you work on a farm in Australia!

This means 38 hours at this wage would pocket you a nice $965.58. Nearly a whole 8 day Welcome to Melbourne or Welcome to Sydney trip paid off in 1 week’s work, how amazing is that?!

In recent months, there have been several other changes to the visa. We’ve listed them below:

From 22 June 2021, work undertaken in the tourism and hospitality sectors in northern, remote or very remote Australia can also be counted as specified work towards eligibility for a second or third WHM visa. This option will be available for WHM applications lodged from March 2022.
From 1 July 2021 to 31 December 2022, holders and former holders of a COVID-19 affected WHM visa will be able to make a nil VAC WHM application online.
WHMs who are offshore and who were unable to come to Australia or had to leave early because of COVID-19 will be able to apply for a replacement visa with nil VAC.For more information about nil VAC WHM applications, see Offshore nil Visa Application Charge (VAC) WHM applications.

There is also the recently announced UK and Australia Free Trade agreement. While several terms were agreed earlier in the year, The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the deal will probably come into force from 1 July 2022.

If that’s the case, that’s when the working holiday visa age limit will rise from 30 to 35, giving Britons a total of three years to live and work in Australia. The exact details of how that will work are yet to be confirmed and once we know, you will too.

That's all fine and well but when can you travel?

In regards to Australia and it’s border openings…well there’s a question we don’t have an answer to, however there’s some positive news, with Scott Morrison this week commenting

“By the end of the year I fully anticipate that we’ll be able to achieve seeing international visitors, including backpackers, who are double-vaccinated being able to come back to Australia.”

This is big news and we are so excited to welcome travellers here again.

To stay up to date of when the borders are opening, pop in your email below.

With all of the positive news, it is time you started thinking about travelling to Australia.

The post Work On A Farm In Australia – Now $25.41 An Hour appeared first on Welcome to Travel.

Working Holiday Visa Update: No More Farm Work, Free Visas and More

Darryl Newby — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 02:39:44 +0000

Finally the news is here regarding the UK and Australia Free Trade Agreement for Working holiday makers.

Now before I get into all the points, I just want to let you know that we’re a travel company and not visa experts. But because we work with working holiday makers all the time on our tours, we want to be as helpful as possible and give you the main points of information with a few examples.

via GIPHY

Update 18 July 2023

Point 1

From 1 July 2023 you can apply for a working holiday visa even if you’re over the age of 30.

Point 2

And this is a BIG one…but not the biggest.

“From 1 July 2024, UK passport holders can be granted up to three separate Working Holiday visas without having to meet any specified work requirements.”

Point 3 (The Big One)

If you have ever had a working holiday or you’re on one right now this is the point you have been waiting for.

“If a UK passport holder has already spent one or two years in Australia on a Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa before the new arrangements commence, they can apply for the remaining visa(s) under the new arrangements from 1 July 2024. This will enable access to the maximum of three years in Australia.”

What does this mean?

Point 1 - From 1 July 2023 you can apply for a working holiday visa even if you’re over the age of 30.

Previously you could only get the working holiday visa between the age of 18-30 but now it has been extended to the age of 35.

When we say the age 35 – that means you can apply up until the day before you turn 36.

Example

Sally from Scunthorpe has never been to Australia on a working holiday.
She is currently 35 years old.
On 1 July 2023 she can apply for a working holiday visa.
From approval she has 1 year to enter the country.
She enters the country on 1 January 2024 and can stay one year maximum as when she applies for her 2nd working holiday she will be 36 years old.

Which leads onto my next point.

Point 2 - Removal of Farm Work

“From 1 July 2024, UK passport holders can be granted up to three separate Working Holiday visas without having to meet any specified work requirements.”

This means Brits will no longer have to do farm work.

MIND BLOWN

Previously it was a requirement to do 88 days of specified work to be able to apply for a second year visa , then 6 months of specified work for a third year visa. From July 2024 you will be able to get three separate visas with no specified work.

Example

Callum from Carlisle is 22 years old.
He applies for his working holiday visa 1 July 2024.
He lands in Australia in September 2024 and does one of our award-winning tours.
He travels around Australia, lives and works in different places and wants to stay for a second year without going home.
He will then just need to apply for a second year working holiday before September 2025.

Callum bloody loves it here in Australia and wants to stay longer, but he also wants to go home for a while, he misses the cold weather and gravy.

At the end of his second year working holiday Callum doesn’t apply for his third year visa, he goes home for an indefinite amount of time.

Then, when he’s 35, in 2037, he decides he’d like to do his third and final year in Australia. He can then apply for his third working holiday visa, with no special requirements.

This means:

You don’t need to take your working holiday visas consecutively
You won’t need to do the farm work.

Which leads onto what I think is the biggest point.

Point 3 - (The Big One)

If you have ever had a working holiday or you’re on one right now this is the point you have been waiting for.

THIS IS MASSIVE.

However, there are three parts to this:

From July 2024, you’re allowed back to Australia if you have previously had a working holiday visa and you:
- Are still under the age of 36 years old by 1 July 2024
- Didn’t do your regional work
- Haven’t already done 3 years of a working holiday visa
If you’re currently on a working holiday and want to stay in Australia consecutively you may want to consider doing regional work… or leaving and then come back 1 July 2024. Depending on your situation.
If you’re arriving after 1 July 2023 and before 1 July 2024 it pretty much means you have a clean run without doing regional work as you will be able to apply for your 2nd year when your first one runs out.

If you arrive in June 2023 – you may want a month long holiday outside of Australia for June 2024 – waiting for the second year visa to come in without doing regional work.

This is all we know so far, and the source for this info is here. Finally, you can now start planning your future Down Under!

And hopefully we will see you soon.

Is this good or bad news for you personally? Let us know in the comments!

As with all things, you wait around ages for some good news and then it all comes at once. Two weeks ago we had news on working holiday changes for just Brits, now there is news for all Working Holiday Makers.

Update 5 May 2023

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the Free Trade Deal will come into effect on 31 May 2023.

The agreement, projected to boost trade by $11.8 billion over the long run, opens up sectors such as agriculture and allows for freer movement for service-sector professionals.

However, there has been no clear indication on when the 417 visa (working holiday) element of the agreement will come into play.

It has been stated that within two years of entry into force, Brits will be able to apply for working holidays in the UK to the age of 35, up from 30, and stay for a maximum of three years instead of two.

We believe more info on this will come out on 31 May 2023.

No More Farm Work

Up until now, people on a 417 visa (Working Holiday Visa) have needed to complete 3 months of specified work in a rural area (often known as farm work) to extend their visa for a 2nd year. Doing this work will still get you a visa extension, but as you can see from below, other types of work will be able to be carried out too.

From 8 May 2021, WHMs working in the tourism and hospitality sectors anywhere in Australia may now work for up to 12 months with the same employer or organisation without requesting permission.
From 22 June 2021, work undertaken in the tourism and hospitality sectors in northern, remote or very remote Australia can also be counted as specified work towards eligibility for a second or third WHM visa.
This option will be available for WHM applications lodged from March 2022.

Taken from official government statement here.

That means if you’re in Australia you will be able to swap your farm work for tourism or hospitality, to get your third year visa.

We’re still unsure if they’ll keep this for future travellers, but it is a really positive sign.

FREE VISAS FOR COVID AFFECTED TRAVELLERS

You may remember that last year the Australian government announced that people who didn’t use their visa, or people that had to fly home because of COVID would be eligible to a free visa in the future. I’m excited to let you know that the exact process for that has FINALLY been confirmed and announced this week.

Who Can Apply?
You must be outside Australia to apply for a nil VAC WHM visa.

You may apply if you hold or held a ‘COVID-19 affected WHM visa’. To hold a COVID-19 affected visa, you must meet all of the below requirements:

you were granted a WHM (subclass 417 or 462) visa before 20 March 2020
your WHM visa expired on or after 20 March 2020 while you were outside Australia or will expire before 31 December 2021 while you are outside Australia
you did not travel to Australia on your WHM visa or departed Australia before your visa expired.

Eligibility

To be eligible for a nil VAC WHM visa, you must:

be outside Australia and apply by 31 December 2022
hold a WHM eligible passport (subclass 417 or subclass 462)
be 18 to 30 years old (inclusive) at time of application, except for Canadian, French and Irish citizens who can be 18 to 35 years old (inclusive)
meet health and character requirements
not be accompanied by dependent children.

Visa Period

A nil VAC WHM visa, like all WHM visas granted to applicants who are outside Australia, is in effect for 12 months from the date you enter Australia.

You will have 12 months to enter Australia from the date your visa is granted.

How to Apply

All applicants must apply for this visa online and must be outside Australia at time of application.

Processing Times

Visa applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis, and processing times can vary due to individual circumstances.

Processing times have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and visa applications may take longer to finalise.

The Department is currently prioritising processing of visa applications for travellers who are exempt from travel restrictions and have an urgent need to travel.

For more information on travel restrictions, see COVID-19 and the border.

Applying for Subsequent WHM Visas

If you hold or have held a COVID-19 affected WHM visa, that visa will not count towards the total number of three WHM visas you may hold.

If You Are Not Eligible for a VAC WHM Visa

If you are not eligible to apply for a nil VAC WHM visa, you may be eligible to request a VAC refund or apply for a standard (full VAC) WHM visa.

For further information, see Refunds and waivers of Visa Application Charges.

WHM Holders in Australia
From March 2022, eligible current and former WHMs in Australia will be able to apply for a WHM visa with a nil VAC. This will provide them with another opportunity to meet the specified work requirements for a subsequent WHM visa.

Former WHM visa holders who have transitioned to another visa, such as the 408 COVID-19 Pandemic Event visa, may also be eligible to apply for an onshore nil VAC WHM visa.

More information on the onshore nil VAC WHM visa will be available on the Department’s website once arrangements are finalised.

Information taken from the government website.

Need help for your working holiday visa?

We have been in your position trying to work out how all the details of a working holiday visa, so we have made it easy for you.

Check out our Australia Working Holiday Visa page as this will answer a lot of the unanswered questions you may have.

UPDATE: 4 April 2022 | UK – Australia Free Trade Agreement

Maximum stay of three years on a working holiday

British Working Holiday Makers visa holders can soon stay three years in Australia without doing regional work and this excludes any ‘COVID -19 affected visa’.

Three Separate Visas

The years will be on separate visas – meaning you apply for the first year, then second and then third. There is no need for you to stay in Australia three years consecutively.

E.g. Harry from Hull comes applies for his visa in 2023 when he is 20 years old.
He comes to Australia in 2024 when he is 21 for a year – then returns to England in 2025.
2027 Harry realises he misses Australia when he is 24 and applies for the second year visa – which he uses in 2028 when he is 25.
He travels and then falls in love with someone from New Zealand and goes to live there after his second year visa has finished.
2034 – things didn’t go well for Harry and his partner in New Zealand so he wants to give Australia one more go. He applies for his third year visa in 2034 when he is 31 and goes on his last work ing holiday in 2035 when he is 32.

You Can Come Back

If you were in Australia on a working holiday and didn’t do your regional work but are still under the age of 35 you ARE able to come back to Australia, when the free trade agreement kicks in.
Even if you have used your second year visa – you will be able to apply for a third year visa once the free trade agreement is finalised.

Stay Up To Date On Visa Information

The post Working Holiday Visa Update: No More Farm Work, Free Visas and More appeared first on Welcome to Travel.

Visa Changes for Brits: Age Limit Changed From 30 to 35, No More Farm Work and 3 Year Visa

Darryl Newby — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 10:29:30 +0000

News about working holidaymakers travelling to Australia has been hard to come by recently. However, that changed today, with huge developments for people from Britain looking in to the possibility of a working holiday in Australia.

No More Farm Work

In the trade agreement between the UK and Australia, Boris Johnson pushed for the removal of the mandatory regional work if a Brit on a working holiday visa wanted to extend for another 12 months, which has been in place since 2005.

The work includes:

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

This work previously allowed a traveller to extend their stay for a 2nd, and then 3rd year (if more work was completed). The new deal will see Brits get a total of three years on a working holiday, a program that encourages young travellers to experience the best of Australia.

Age Limit Increased To 35

Another major change is the announcement that the working holiday visa age limit will change to 35 years old, following in the footsteps of other countries such as Canada, France and Ireland.

Previously you could only arrive in Australia on a working holiday visa before you turned 31. This will now permit that you can arrive in Australia on a working holiday visa before you turn 36. This is a huge change and an incredible opportunity for people that thought they had missed out, to give Australia a go.

What To Do Now?

This has just been announced and is an agreement and has not been made policy. So don’t go quitting your farm job if you’re in Australia and don’t go applying for a visa if you’re in the UK.

The finer details of how and when this, and a special agricultural visa will work are yet to be released.

If you’re wanting to be kept updated on any visa announcements then sign up for our newsletter below. Here at Welcome to Travel we make it easier for you to start your working holiday with tours in both Melbourne and Sydney.

We also help our travellers with employment with our expansive database of employers and recruiters. We have a dedicated community team that are your constant network of support whilst you’re travelling here.

If you have any questions at all about travelling Australia, contact us here and we’ll help you with anything and everything.

Keep Up To Date

The post Visa Changes for Brits: Age Limit Changed From 30 to 35, No More Farm Work and 3 Year Visa appeared first on Welcome to Travel.

Backpacken in AustraliÃ«

Sander Blom — Mon, 21 Sep 2020 06:02:57 +0000

Hoe mijn reis van 7 weken nu al 5 jaar duurt

Je hebt de verhalen vast wel eens gehoord. Een vriend of vriendin gaat een tijdje backpacken, wordt verliefd (op een land of op een persoon) en komt mooi nog even niet naar huis.

Ik dacht altijd dat dit uitzonderingen waren, iets dat mij niet zou overkomen en waar je alleen over leest.

Ik ben toch gewoon een Hollandse gast, met familie, vrienden en een leven in Nederland? Waarom zou ik dat opgeven voor een nieuw leven aan de andere kant van de wereld? Nou, ik kan je vertellen dat ook ik er mooi ben ingetrapt… Het originele idee, een trip van 7 weken backpacken langs de Australische Oostkust, was achteraf gezien nog maar de start van mijn leven Down Under.

Waarom ik wilde gaan backpacken?

Reizen had altijd wel mijn interesse, maar het kwam er nooit echt van. Dat was mijn eigen schuld, ik koos vaak voor de makkelijke oplossing.

Deze zomervakantie nog maar weer een keertje naar dezelfde camping in Italië, het was toch lekker daar? Ik speelde competitief
voetbal en dat wilde ik niet opgeven, dus door de bijbehorende verplichtingen, zat dat extra weekje of 2 in de lente of herfst er ook niet in.

Via wat omwegen was ik op werkgebied in de reiswereld beland. Dan begint het automatisch toch extra te kriebelen. Ik was omringd door collega’s uit diverse landen, hoorde elke dag verschillende talen en luisterde naar de verhalen over de geweldige tussenjaren die “iedereen” wel eens had genomen.

Ondertussen organiseerde ik als onderdeel van mijn baan 2 jaar lang voor 40 uur per week de vakanties voor iedereen behalve mijzelf. Met twee van mijn beste vrienden ging ik in 2013 dan voor het eerst echt “reizen”. Met de backpack om en in de trein door Europa.

In 3-4 weken tijd ontdekten we verschillende landen, culturen, talen en keukens. In die ene trip zag en ontdekte ik zoveel meer dan in alle vakanties van de jaren ervoor bij elkaar. Dat moest een keertje over, maar dan ECHT!

Waarom dan Australie?

In eerste instantie koos ik voor Australië omdat het een beetje de norm leek. Iedereen die wel eens voor langere tijd was gaan backpacken, was in Australië geweest en was altijd lovend over de natuur, het weer en hoe makkelijk het eigenlijk was om je weg te vinden.

Daarnaast had ik ook verre (letterlijk maar ook op de stamboom) familie op Tasmanië, dus het voelde veilig om die kant op te gaan en bijzonder om hen eens te ontmoeten.

Daarnaast was ik wel benieuwd naar de geschiedenis die Nederland heeft met Australië; “wij” hadden dit land toch eventjes voor het eerst ontdekt en De Batavia replica lag bij mijn ouders om de hoek in Lelystad.

Ik woonde inmiddels al een tijdje in het drukke Amsterdam, maakte best veel overuren op werk, reisde veel heen en weer naar Lelystad (waar ik was opgegroeid) en had dan ook nog 3-4 keer per week mijn voetbal. Een tijdje reizen in Australië klonk wat dat betreft totaal het tegenovergestelde en als muziek in de oren.

In ieder geval lekker voor een tijdje. Heerlijk niksen, lange dagen op het strand, surfen tot zonsondergang, hiken in de natuur en met een biertje chillen in backpackerhostels, dat leek me wel wat. Sterker nog: ik had het even nodig.

De beste tijd

Mijn baan had ik opgezegd, de huur was overgedragen, mijn laatste wedstrijd was gespeeld en een massale Goodbye Party was achter de rug. Op kerstavond, 2015, kwam ik aan in Sydney. Van tevoren leek me dat een goed idee, want dan was er vast een hoop te doen. Maar in het vliegtuig had ik toch even een paniekmomentje: hoe ging ik vrienden maken binnen 1 dag, zodat ik kerst niet zielsalleen hoefde door te brengen? Shiiiiit!

Ik opende de deur van mijn slaapzaal en het eerste wat ik hoorde was “hi mate, welcome, where are you from?” Het was Jack, uit Engeland en net op weg naar de hostelbar voor een biertje. “Wanna grab a beer?” Een uurtje later danste ik met 30 anderen de Macarena… Mensen die ik nu nog steeds spreek!

En dat was een beetje de moraal van mijn trip. Je ontmoet mensen in een hostel in Sydney en die kom je later weer tegen op een zeilreis rond de Whitsundays, tijdens een tour op Fraser Island en in een bar in Cairns. Het was misschien vaak maar tijdelijk, maar voor die paar dagen waren totale vreemdelingen je vrienden voor het leven.

Australië en backpacken is een goede relatie, het land is er ook op gebouwd. Met name aan de oostkust vind je veel hostels, een super goed busnetwerk en je “moet” zo af en toe een toertje boeken om iets te zien, omdat veel dingen in het water liggen (snorkelen, surfen, zeilen, eilanden etc.).

Je ontmoet daardoor makkelijk veel anderen. Je streept hier makkelijk de items van je bucketlist af. Oud & Nieuw in Sydney, een selfie met een kangoeroe, een surfles in Byron Bay, uit een vliegtuig springen en snorkelen in het Great Barrier Reef. Tik tik tik tik tik.

Ik voelde me vrij als een vogel, kon elke dag zelf bepalen wat ik deed en had totaal geen verplichtingen. Nou ja, eentje dan… een vlucht naar huis. En daar had ik dus echt even geen zin in.

Van een lange vakantie naar een gap-year

De dag dat ik mijn ouders vertelde dat ik nog wat langer bleef. Deze dag herinner ik me nog goed. Op een regenachtige dag in een hostel in Nieuw-Zeeland (dit was al onderdeel van mijn “terugreis”) scrolde ik verveeld door mijn telefoon.

Maar even goed kijken hoe dat Working Holiday Visum nou precies werkt in Australië. 20 minuten later vulde ik mijn creditcardgegevens in en 1 minuut daarna had ik de bevestiging in de mail. Oeps…

Het is super makkelijk om zelf te regelen trouwens, klik HIER voor de juiste website!

Met het tijdsverschil als excuus stuurde ik lekker makkelijk een Whatsappje naar mijn ouders, dan hoefde ik niet per telefoon een hoop vragen te beantwoorden. Ik ga een tijdje naar Melbourne om wat te werken, zie jullie in een paar maanden!

Binnen 2 weken had ik een baan bij een reisbureau en kocht ik via Gumtree (de Australische Marktplaats) een 2e hands fiets. Lekker Hollands. Ik wist waar de stroopwafels te koop waren en de poffertjeskraam op de markt wist ik ook wel te vinden inmiddels.

Ik kwam in een soort van ritme en het ging allemaal vrij soepel. Er was zoveel te doen in Melbourne, evenementen, sport, strand en Nationale Parken in de omgeving. Daarnaast zit het hier vol met Nederlanders, dus ondanks dat je misschien liever de lokale Australiërs leert kennen, was het toch makkelijk om “gewoon” met wat Nederlanders af te spreken.

100 dagen boerderijwerk voor de liefde

De tijd vloog, ik had het naar mijn zin op werk, had wat nieuwe vrienden gemaakt en ik had leuke huisgenoten. Door de 6 maanden werkrestrictie voor 1 werkgever die je hebt op een Working Holiday Visum was mijn idee om zoveel mogelijk van Melbourne te genieten, te sparen (het minimumloon hier is bijna $20AUD / E12.20 per uur!) en dan reizend via Azië terug naar huis. Maar ja, dan ontmoet je een leuk meisje die alles in de war gooit.

Gelukkig heb je hier de optie om je visum met een jaar te verlengen. Dat kan niet zomaar, je moet er wel voor werken. Op een boerderij of op een locatie ver buiten de stad. Specified Work noemen ze dat hier. Nadat je 88 dagen (vraag me niet waar dat getal vandaan komt) je “rural work” hebt gedaan, krijg je de extensie van je visum als beloning. Voor wat hoort wat zegmaar.

Het was een enorme opgave om wat te vinden, maar 4.5 uur buiten Melbourne vond ik werk op een lemon farm. Dag in dag uit plukte ik citroenen, het werk was zwaar en saai, de accommodatie op de boerderij was vervallen en het geld was ook niet best.

Het voordeel is dat je weinig uitgeeft, dus in ieder geval alsnog goed kan sparen.
Na dag 1 wilde ik weg. Dit was niet voor mij en ik miste het lekkere leven in Melbourne. Toch besloot ik te blijven en na een weekje vond ik mijn draai, leerde ik de andere backpackers wat beter kennen en plukte ik sneller en sneller waardoor ik ook wat meer verdiende.

En dat allemaal voor de liefde (voor mijn vriendin, maar ook het land).
Exact 100 dagen later verliet ik de boerderij. Die extra 12 dagen nog even hard gewerkt voor wat extra cash. Dat gevoel was lekker zeg! Voldaan, best wel trots dat ik het had volgehouden en met toch wel wat mooie herinnering in de trein terug naar Melbourne. Op
naar nog een een extra jaartje!

Ben ik nu een “local”?

Inmiddels is het bijna 5 jaar geleden dat ik aankwam in Sydney. Ik heb wederom een geweldige baan in het toerisme, woon samen met mijn vriendin en onze kat en ik heb een partnervisum zonder woon- of werk restricties. Het mooie is dat ik als onderdeel van mijn baan nu mijn ervaring kan overbrengen op andere backpackers die net aankomen in Australië.

Bij Welcome To Travel organiseren we een geweldige welkomstweek in Melbourne voor backpackers, iets dat ik zelf had willen doen als dit er was in mijn tijd. De backpacker-ervaringen van mijzelf en mijn collega’s zijn samengeperst in een tour van een week, inclusief al het papierwerk, activiteiten en toegang tot een database met honderden contacten voor (farm)werk.

Als Community Manager ben ik verantwoordelijk voor het uitbreiden van deze database alsmede voor de “aftercare” van onze reizigers.

Ik voel me in die rol een expert, ik heb namelijk dezelfde ervaringen gehad als onze reizigers en kan hen adviseren wat wel en niet te doen, waar de beste barretjes zijn en welke “off the beaten track” routes je gezien moet hebben. Tegelijkertijd ben ik nog gewoon dezelfde Hollandse gozer van 5 jaar geleden. Ik ga op de fiets naar werk, ga los tijdens de jaarlijkse Dutch Week bij de Aldi en kijk om 4 uur in de nacht naar de Eredivisie.

Ik zie mijn leven in Australië daarom als een upgrade vergeleken met Nederland: je hebt hier vriendelijke mensen, een goed zorg- en schoolsysteem, veel sportfaciliteiten en weinig criminaliteit. Alleen dan veel warmer en meer relaxed

The post Backpacken in AustraliÃ« appeared first on Welcome to Travel.

How Do I Plan My Travels During COVID?

Annisa Maher — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 05:43:02 +0000

We know that planning your travels during the current COVID-19 outbreak isn’t as obvious as it sounds.

Normally, in uncertain times, our instinct is to hold off on making any decisions because anything can change from one day to the next. But travelling for so many of us is such a huge part of our lives, and something we look forward to and work towards.

If travel is important to you, planning for the next adventure can be really great for our motivation. It can give us more purpose in our day-to-day and generally just bring us a lot of joy. So let’s not treat future travel plans like it’s the elephant in the room. Instead, let’s try to to reignite that travel spark as best we can from the comfort of our own homes (for now…)

I’m not here to sugarcoat the current situation and how it will affect the way you travel. I think we all know that on a global scale, the travel and tourism industry will take some time to recover and rebuild better than ever before. But in the meantime, it won’t hurt to get inspired, get informed and get planning your next epic adventure. Trust me, you’ll want to be prepared because the minute that good news hits, you’ll be running to go catch that plane.

Get Inspired

This one’s easy. There is so much inspiring and relatable travel content out there. Focus your energy on this kind of stimulation, because it’s guaranteed to get you feeling energised and good again! It’s important for us to have something to work towards during this period when it can sometimes feel like we’re living Groundhog Day all over again.

You can’t travel just yet, but you can certainly start hyping yourself up. Feed your hungry travel soul and get your mind racing about the endless possibilities that are waiting for you on the other side of this. Think skydiving above the ocean. Watching the sunset with a beer in your hand and salty water on your skin. Tasting a new delicacy at the local markets. Hearing someone speak to you in a beautiful, unknown language. I don’t know about you, but I feel better already.

Watch some inspiring videos, read some informative and interesting travel blogs and get brainstorming on your dream trip. It can be doing something as simple as getting a pen and paper out and writing down a brief outline of what you want to do. Or watching a string of vlogs about the place you want to go and getting some insider tips of incredible spots that can’t be missed. Or reading up on what solo travelling is like and how to make the most of your gap year.

Call it a mood-boarding, call it self care, call it getting organised. What it ultimately is, is letting yourself feel good about something you’ve been deprived of recently, and getting excited about the idea of exploring, eating, drinking, swimming, laughing and living again.

Get Informed So You Feel Prepared

This includes reading up regularly on travel restrictions (national, state and local) that affect all countries of departure, transit and arrival. Some destinations may also still have quarantining requirements in place, so it’s worth checking this out as well.

When it comes to information of this nature, try to get it from formal, reliable sources like government and industry websites. What safety measures does this destination currently have in place to limit transmission? Is mask-wearing mandatory in certain areas or under certain circumstances? Will you need to be tested upon arrival? These are questions you need the answers to in order to feel more prepared and manage your expectations.

Another way to stay informed is to subscribe to newsletters and follow the social media channels of any local travel businesses you’re thinking of booking on with. They could be posting updates through their Instagram or Facebook accounts, or even with informative videos.

It’s in their best interest to keep their following informed with any updates that may concern them/you, whether they’re about visas, travel restrictions or their own business updates. It’s also nice to feel connected to the business and experience beforehand, particularly at a time like this when your trip can still seem quite far away and out of your hands.

More often than not, they will be grateful to have that connection too, so go on and slide into their DMs. Or just follow them, whatever.

Take Extra Measures To Deal With Uncertainty

When you’re ready to start booking things, make sure the airlines, accommodation providers and tour operators offer flexible options.

You want to feel comfortable knowing that you won’t be stuck should any unforeseen circumstances change your ability to travel or the business’ ability to provide a service.

Flexible options can mean anything from free date changes, to special COVID-19 cancellation terms, to ‘book now pay later’ options to affordable deposits to secure your booking. Having these options will leave you feeling reassured and confident, even in the face of uncertainty. To feel extra secure, get comprehensive travel insurance, and make sure to read the policy carefully.

Try to be as realistic as possible about the current situation before you make any decisions.

For example, let’s say you know that you want to come over to Australia on a Working Holiday Visa as soon as internationals are granted entry into the country. If you know that borders are still closed for the time being, with no specific date to reopen, I would personally hold off on applying for your visa.

While booking tours and accommodation is more realistic due to the offering of flexible options, there’s no rush to apply for your visa until you know more about when restrictions will ease and you’re more confident about being granted entry.

Reach Out To Travel Experts

When you’re ready, get in touch with people who actually know what they’re talking about.

Believe it or not, they probably more excited to talk to you than you would think! Travel is also a huge part of their lives, and not only have they had to stop doing it, they’ve had to slow down on living vicariously through you guys as well (for the time being).

Reach out to some experts, let them know what you want to do and see and let them help you make it a reality. Putting a solid travel plan together will be so exciting and rewarding, and done with an expert can leave you feeling confident and accomplished.

The post How Do I Plan My Travels During COVID? appeared first on Welcome to Travel.

Working Holiday Visa: Australia vs. New Zealand

Lauren Bartlett — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 01:47:56 +0000

So you've decided to head off on a Working Holiday Visa

You want somewhere far away, somewhere to really get out and explore a land different to your own, right?! Now for most of the world, nowhere is further away than Australia and New Zealand. Lucky for you, they are both amazing choices for a Working Holiday Visa with so many perks and reasons to visit.

First up, the landscapes in each are simply outstanding, not to mention incredibly varied. Although both are English speaking countries and therefore may not seem as exotic as say travelling South East Asia, the vibe is incredibly different from other English speaking countries.

So the question is: is coming here for a whole year the right choice for you? (You’ll find that the answer is yes 99% of the time). And what does getting a Working Holiday Visa actually mean and how does it work?

What is a Working Holiday Visa?

The official meaning of a Working Holiday is to visit a country with the sole purpose of travelling, while also having the ability to work to fund your travel.

I feel this is super important to remember. Although it is an unreal experience to work in another part of the world, it is also so important to make sure you travel and experience as much of the country you are in as possible.

There will be landscapes you won’t experience anywhere else in the world. Food unique to the different areas. Tours and activities that can’t be done at home! All of this is what will make your year truly memorable.

The rules of the Working Holiday Visa vary depending on which country you end up choosing. So does the amount of time you can stay or the different ways in which you are able to extend your visa. So what are these differences and which one is right for you to head to first (yes, first)…

Overview: Australia Vs. New Zealand

There are a few factors to take into account when deciding whether Australia or NZ is right for you, but let’s start with a major logistic:

Length of stay:

Australia = 1 year + additional year if you complete 88 days of rural work within your first year + another additional year if you complete 6 more months of rural work within your 2nd year.

New Zealand = 1 year for most countries or 23 months for citizens of the UK or Canada.

Now you know how long you can stay, let’s get to the good stuff. These are some of my very general highlights for each country and might help you decide.

Australia

Outstanding beaches, including one that is voted top 5 in the world (Whitehaven Beach).

Vast outback spaces with scenery that you can’t find anywhere else in the world.

Unique, quirky cities with epic music scenes (that’s Melbourne by the way).

It’s MASSIVE, therefore your whole two years could be spent travelling and you might not actually see it all!

Brilliant hospitality no matter where you go, including fantastic food, hugely varied nightlife and the BEST coffee.

New Zealand

Literally gobsmacking views.

Tropics, volcanos, surf towns, vineyards, jaw dropping mountains, barely inhabited mountainous islands. I could go on and on.

A laid back vibe that even Australia can’t muster, as in practically horizontal.

The nicest people you’ll ever meet (slightly biased).

Small towns so full of life that some cities around the world would struggle to keep up (just google Queenstown for one second and you’ll see what I mean).

Yep, I’m not making that decision easy aye? Well, another important thing is how you will fare when you get there and how far your hard earned savings will get you…

Costs Of Living

The New Zealand Dollar and the Australian Dollar are slightly different, and when I write costs below, each will be in the respective currencies. Here are some conversions for context.

Australian Dollar (AUD)
1 USD = $1.40
1 EUR = $1.64
1 GBP = $1.80
1 CAD = $1.05

New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
1 USD = $1.50
1 EUR = $1.76
1 GBP = $1.93
1 CAD = $1.12

The difference between AUD and NZD may not be much but if you are transferring over large amounts, that’s when you’ll really notice that difference.

Generally speaking, for day to day things during travels, costs are quite similar between Australia and New Zealand. For example, it would be around $80 for an overnight bus journey, $1-$3 for a loaf of bread and around $10 for a beer.

Once you decide it’s time to work and you settle down in a certain town that’s where the costs start to vary. It will also depend on which town you are looking to work in/around.

For instance in NZ, if you decide to live in Auckland or Queenstown you’d be looking at an average of $200-$250 per week for your own room, usually excluding bills.

In most other areas of NZ, even cities like Wellington or Christchurch the average weekly rent cost would be slightly cheaper at $175- $200.

For Australia, if you were to live in Melbourne or Sydney (with Sydney always on the higher side of the average) you’d be looking at around $200- $250 for your own room in an inner suburb. In the CBD, it would be more around $300-$350 a room).

In areas like Bondi in Sydney you could also be looking around $300 a week for a room excluding bills.

However, most other areas along the coast, whether city or small town would be around $150-$200 a week, sometimes including bills and internet.

If you are completing your rural work and are staying in a regional area, weekly costs can be as low as $100 a week, so you can see how much it varies.

Working On Your Visa

In each country there are a few rules first which you must follow whilst on your visa, which are:

Australia

You can work for 6x months at a time with one employer in a certain location. During your 2nd year you could do another 6 months with the same employer again. The exception to this is certain rural work where you can stay longer.

New Zealand

You can work for the same employer throughout your entire one year visa. If on a 23 month visa you are meant to only work for 12x months of your visa.

Generally though you will be able to work in any industry, especially if you’ve done it before. Hospitality and tourism are big business for backpackers on Working Holiday Visas as are various trades like construction.
If you have a skill or trade from back home it is well worth looking at these DOCS to see if you need to transfer or translate anything before you come over to be able to work in that industry here.

So there are all the regular jobs you can get into, but there are also some very different experiences, like your farm work, to try, plus the weirder side like camel herder and the super fun side like a ride attendant at a theme park.

Everyone talks about how travel changes you and a big part of that will be the work you do and how you deal with any issues that arise or any bumps in the road.

You’ll find that once everything settles and you are back home that you’ll have gained serious skills for your future, even if all you did here was work in a roadhouse in the middle of the outback.

The Ideal Place For You

So which is the best one for you?! Hopefully this all gives you a bit more insight to the ins and outs of each Working Holiday Visa and some inspiration about which country may be the best place to get started for you. In all honesty though, I could write and write, and you can research and research and I know you’ll love your choice, whichever it is. Australia and New Zealand are both such incredibly special places to visit and both of them have this mad ability to render each and every backpacker who visits the inability to leave.

The post Working Holiday Visa: Australia vs. New Zealand appeared first on Welcome to Travel.

How To Make The Most Of Your Working Holiday

Lauren Bartlett — Thu, 20 Aug 2020 06:06:42 +0000

The best choice I've ever made in my life was deciding to do a Working Holiday in Australia

And I have now been away for 12 years and helped 1000s of backpackers with every travel, life advice and employment question under the sun. So, I thought I’d pass on some of that experience to the next load of backpackers (you) heading for their life-changing first year in Australia.

Funnily enough, one of the main reasons I chose Australia originally was after googling “Where is it always hot?” Yep, I know. That was mainly because I wasn’t sure if Australia also had ‘off’ seasons like other destinations might have due to monsoons or cold weather. But as I continued my research, I knew I wanted to be there whether it was hot, cold, rain or hail.

Which leads me to the first question that I get asked a lot.

What time of year should you go to Australia?

Luckily the answer to this one is simple. It’s never a bad time to come to Australia. And nope, that’s not because it’s always hot.

It is actually because it’s such a massive country. This means that there are so many different regions to head to and explore, depending on the time of year it is. On top of that, some of our cities are so epic that even in the winter they are the best location to start your travels in.

Therefore even though it may be colder in the southern states at certain times of the year (around May – September), cities like Melbourne and Sydney are still top destinations for people to start their Working Holiday Visa off in, and for good reason. With cheaper flights, more ease getting around and being home to various ‘intro weeks’, cities like these are much better to get your bearings in first, before heading off to use your hard earned money exploring other regions of this big, big country. Which in turn leads me to the next question…

How much money should I arrive with?

Ah the age old question, how much to save for your big trip!

The thing with a Working Holiday Visa, as opposed to a Visitor Visa, is that you need to take into account not just the travel side of things but also ensure you have enough money left over to set yourself up when it is time to work. For example, bond money for a room sublet, public transport to get around etc.

Saying that, you don’t want to come all this way just to dive straight into work! Especially as you don’t know where your favourite places will be when you first land. So you need to head out and explore some of the epic options first.

So let's say a perfect plan

would be taking a week to get settled in, then doing a trip up the East Coast (a MUST-DO destination that has all of Australia’s bucket list items) and then settling in and finding work afterwards. Taking this all into consideration, I’d recommend a good amount to arrive with would be around $7500AUD. That is around: 4200 GBP/4600 EUR/5250 USD

Don’t panic if this wasn’t quite what you were aiming for. This would just ensure you are in a very comfortable position to be able to travel a bit first and have a safe amount left afterwards for job hunting. Everyone is different but it is always good to have a number to aim for. It’s easier to pick a budget if you have an idea of how you want your year to be laid out, as the best part about travelling is seeing where it takes you! So…

How do I make the most out of my Working Holiday?

There are obviously 1000’s of ways to structure your year in Australia. But I firmly believe that you shouldn’t decide 100% where you will live/work or what you will do straight away.

One easy reason for this is that you haven’t lived here yet. You could read every article/blog/newspaper clipping and still not know if you’ll actually love a place as much as you expect to.

With that in mind, and after helping A LOT of people plan their time in Australia, I think this is an ideal example of how to structure your Working Holiday here:

Months 1+2: TRAVEL!
Months 3-5: Work (regional or other)
Month 6: Travel
Months 7-12: Work and live in your favourite location

Why is the first TRAVEL in capital letters, you ask?

Because I think this bit is really important.

You need to get out, explore this fantastic country and figure out where your personal favourite places are. Step outside of your comfort zone, meet other awesome backpackers, feel the pain of waking up for an early morning bus after a big night (a backpacker rite of passage), jump out of a plane, snorkel the reef, do all of the incredible things that you are currently spending all of your time researching from wherever you are right now.

By the end of a couple months on the road traversing our beautiful land, you’ll have a much better idea of where you want to settle and spend some time, get work or head back to later on in your year. Next up it’ll be time to work and this is a great opportunity to get your regional work done for your 2nd year visa, if you are wanting one of course…

Do I really need a second year?

Yes, trust me yes. To start, you don’t actually need to use your 2nd year visa directly after your first one. This means that you can complete your first year (having done your regional work) then head home and finish university or whatever the plan was and come back to Australia later on in a couple of years time when you’re ready for part 2 of your Australian adventure.
Trust me, 29yr old you having a quarter life crisis will thank you for it.

Is farm work fun to begin with? No. Is it easy? Also no. Will it be a unique experience and will you meet amazing friends for life? Yes. The last one is mainly because when you’ve been through something a little different, out of the ordinary, something a bit tough with other people, the bond is definitely stronger.

Still unsure? Well if you haven’t already decided by the end of your 2 months travelling at the start of your year that you never want to leave the glorious land down under, then I can guarantee by the time you’ve stopped and worked somewhere later on and lived a life here you won’t want to, and by then it could be too late! Check out our guide to your 88 regional days HERE for all the information on getting this done.

What's the best way to start my Working Holiday Visa?

So now you know how much to bring, when to come over, when to do what and I’ve convinced you to head into the middle of nowhere and pick avocados for 88 days. Now how to spend those first few days in Australia…

Arriving for a year on the other side of the world means there are some (admin) things you need to get out of the way (not enjoyable, but necessary). Sim card, tax number to use when you will work, bank accounts (can’t use that overseas card forever) plus just generally finding your feet and getting your head around all that weird Aussie slang. That’s where those Intro weeks come into play that I mentioned earlier. These usually include your first week accommodation, various meals (usually at great places you’d never find yourself that quickly), major activities in the city you’ve arrived in and its surroundings, plus the best part: meeting likeminded people to spend time with. The tour companies also do all of that boring admin stuff for you and give you heaps of job help and advice on top.

Alternatively,

There is definitely the option to arrive and just wing it, but you’ve got the whole year to make spontaneous decisions and if I could have arrived and had someone arrange my Tax File number for me before I’d even made it to my dorm room, I definitely would have (not so many of these packages available 12 years ago).

Not to mention being picked up from the airport and delivered directly to my bed with my brand new sim card all ready to tell everyone I’d made it. Trust me you can’t put a price on those kinds of moments after a 24hr flight.

Melbourne is a great place to start yourself off with a cheeky intro week. It also means that when you head off up the East Coast you are starting from the bottom of the country and working your way all the way to the top… Not having to backtrack down this way later on because you’ve missed out on the greatest city in the world (for 7 years anyway and permanently in my opinion), unless of course you’ve decided to come back down to work here and take advantage of our huge hospitality scene.

I'm ready, now what?!

Once the decision is made to go travelling I feel the rest is easy (ish).
Start with your finances and work out when it would be feasible to head here with a decent amount saved so you don’t have to jump directly into work.
Next up, start looking at those flights, put on alerts for dates you are looking at and when you’re ready, just go for it! While you wait for that final flight date decision, it is time for the visa. Follow this link for Working Holiday Visa information.
Finally (or firstly!) get a look at those Intro companies. They will likely assist you with all of the above before you’ve even booked their tour.
The guys at Welcome to Travel will even give you a call to run over everything over a video call from their office in Melbourne. They also offer deposit options so you can choose a tentative date and alter it later if needed for only $99!

It’s time to start the rest of your life and I can honestly say, I’ve never regretted a second.

The post How To Make The Most Of Your Working Holiday appeared first on Welcome to Travel.

88 Days Of Regional Work In Australia

Darryl Newby — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 08:30:11 +0000

Farmwork.

Let’s just be honest from the outset here, we want the visa but we don’t really want to do the work do we? Well, the specified work required for the 2^nd year anyway.

So many of us get to Australia thinking that a year will be enough but the more you stay the more you love it and the more you love it the more you realise you don’t want to leave which leaves the only logical answer-get a 2^nd year!

For those of you on a working holiday visa (sub-class 417) or work and holiday visa (462), you’re able to secure a 2^nd year through carrying out specified work, usually rural work.

You are also now able to apply for a 3rd year work visa- for this the requirement is 6 months work under the same specifications as the 2nd year visa rural work.

Here at Welcome to Travel not only have we done our farm-work but we’ve also found work for so many people too.

With that in mind we’d like to pass on some free advice.

Let’s start with the logistics…

88 Days may sound a little daunting, but luckily there are a few little loopholes that help you along the way.

If you work 5x days a week on full-time hours then that will count towards 7x days of your 88. Unfortunately it does also mean if you lose a day’s work that week due to rain or illness, only the amount of days you worked can count (fun fun).

With this in mind it is good to give yourself plenty of time to complete your farm work- as in DO NOT leave it till your final 3 months of your 1st year visa- it’ll be super stressful for you trying to jam in the days.

WTT Tip: We recommend doing your farm work in the first 6 months of your 1st year of your WHV.

What’s the difference in rural work if you are on a 417 visa or a 462 visa?

A 417 visa holder will need to complete horticulture or agriculture work in specific rural locations throughout the whole of Australia. It is imperative you check that where you are working will count towards your 2nd year before beginning or you may find yourself needing to head somewhere else to complete the days.

A 462 visa holder will need to work within the tourism or hospitality sector in Northern Australia (Above the Tropic of Capricorn line) for their 88 days.

So what are our top tips?

Research the towns and seasons

Australia’s a very big place, I mean very big. Within this big place there’s a lot of rural work opportunities but where do you go and when?

Farm-work is seasonal and dependent on weather conditions so some fruit grows in more tropical conditions and some in cooler temperatures. You need to know this so you know which places to target.

I’d massively recommend checking out this website and looking at what is in season at the time of year for you. From there you need to….

Call the working hostels in the town

If I am a farmer, the first place I’m going to go to get some workers is the working hostel. There’s no point me creating a job advert and then advertising a job online when I can go to the hostel that I know is full of people ready to work.

This means the working hostels usually have an excellent working relationship with the farmers and they exist purely because of the farm-work visa. They should be helpful to you as to be honest, you’re 3 months rent to them.

When calling the working hostels ask them the following things:

When are the picking seasons?

If now, how’s the season going?
How long should the season last?
Do you help find jobs for people?
How much is the hostel accommodation a week?

If speaking direct to a farmer you can also enquire:

Is it paid hourly or piece rate? What is the rate? (What’s Piece Rate? – I’ll go through it below)
How many days work on average are people getting a week?
Do I need any certain clothing before arrival?

Get to the town

This is the absolute key bit of advice. I cannot stress this any more.

I know it can feel strange to be moving hours away to work in a town without actually having a job yet. While it may feel the opposite to anything you’ve ever normally done/felt, it’s something you should do.

The reason for this is linked to the previous tip, the working hostels.

The farmers are going to the working hostels for workers and if you’re not in one, you’ll find it hard to get selected. You need to get yourself to the area where the jobs are and be in the thick of it and give yourself the best possible chance of landing work.

There’s also the flipside that the farmers don’t want to be let down. Imagine a scenario where you’re in Melbourne and you speak to a farmer on a Wednesday for a job starting the next Monday. The pay is $25 an hour and you’ve promised you’ll get to Mildura and be there for a 9am Saturday.

On the Friday, farmer near Perth calls you back from an inquiry you sent a month ago, he offers you $35 an hour for an incredible opportunity. 9 times out of 10 you will drop the original farmer and head to Perth leaving the first farmer in Mildura in a terrible position. From then on that farmer will decide to never hire people that are not yet in Mildura, it’s of no advantage to him.

So you’ve reached the hostel, you’ve paid your rent, you’re looking around at this country town and wondering what on earth you’ve decided to do…. And your job offer comes in but how do you decide if it’s a good one?

There are two ways the farmer can pay you. Hourly, which means they pay you by the hour, the same as in a cafe or bar.

The other option is piece rate, what this means is you are paid by how much you pick. This way of payment can be a huge moneymaker once you have had a couple weeks to get good at the job. Don’t fool yourself though the first week will likely be tough with low rewards but you can definitely build it up and actually be earning higher than you would have done per hour. There are still requirements for how much ‘piece rate’ pay must be which you can find HERE.

There’s no doubt it will be nerve-wracking heading to that town with no guarantee of a job, no knowledge of the town and no experience in this kind of job but remember that you’re not alone in this, everyone else is in the same boat, counting down the days so they get the reward of that 2^nd year.

Sometimes your farm work will be tough and the days long but keep that reward in your mind and it will be easier.

Also, your farm work will give you some of your friends for life. When you go through harder times with people, it brings you together. Plus, at the end of working 8 hours a day 5 days a week in the sun, you’ll need a beer together!

The post 88 Days Of Regional Work In Australia appeared first on Welcome to Travel.