The Backpackers Guide to Outback Australia — ‘Working Holiday Visa’
Everything on how to get your Australian Working Holiday Visa [WHV]
Oi oi, Welcome, bienvenue, benvenuto, bienvenido, willkommen, welkom, , välkommen, Добро пожаловать, 欢迎来到, ようこそ!
“Don’t Panic…[the story] begins with a house.” — The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy
Prelude
This series is dedicated to those brave pioneers who have decided to give the southern hemisphere’s big clump of dirt, situated under a hot sun known collectively as Australia ‘a fair go’.
Throughout this guide we will do our very best to remain genuinely informative through the most up to date and efficient means of navigating the country in all its beauty and bureaucracy.
To retain both the reader’s and the writer’s sanity there will be slightly eclectic musings and occasional tangents. If this is not your ‘thing’ then luckily for you there will be a contents list just below here where you can freely jump like a kangaroo between pieces of information you’re specifically searching for.
For everyone else who loves not only the destination but the journey, we hope to hear your echo’s cry out for more of these guides so that we may get to know one another and have some bloody good fun along the way.
Would you like an adventure now, or shall we have some tea first? — Alice in Wonderland
What these guides will provide (more will be added in time):
- ‘How to secure a Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417 or 462)’
- ‘Most everything you need to know and do before coming to Australia’
- ‘Securing a 2nd year Working Holiday Visa’
- ‘Finding work in Australia (farm work included)’
- ***Let us know what you’d like us to guide you through next!***
These guides are designed to show that the process of working and travelling is not a means to an end, but an experience like no other. We want to free up YOUR time from doing boring and frustrating ‘research’ and instead provide a pleasurable experience that empowers the story of YOU. We hope you draw value from the insights, humour and humanist approach we have to offer because you’re never alone when you explore with tree. If any of your questions go unanswered or there’s an itch left unscratched, then come have a yarn and we’ll pop the kettle on.
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How to secure a Working Holiday Visa [WHV]
So you’ve decided its time to pack your things because Australia has been calling to your nomadic nature and it’s time for an adventure! Not just any adventure but one that is both travel orientated and work-driven right?!
Question: So what do you need to do before you can throw a shrimp on the barbie and chug back a frothy or two with the local crocodile hunters?
Answer: Apply for a Working Holiday Visa of course!!
What you’ll need before we begin:
- Your passport
“Recommended to be valid for at least the next 6 months — though ideally the length of your stay”. - Your phone
“As if its not already next to you”. - A declaration of your current state of health by a registered Doctor within the last 12 months
“I hope you’ve been eating your apple a day.” - $440 AUD* for the Visa
“Ideally also having $5,000 AUD in your bank account — for immigration assurance”.
Are you a 417 or 462 kind of person?!
Restrictions
- You cannot have a dependent child accompany you during your journey in Australia
- You cannot have entered Australia previously on a WHV or working visa (with the exception of having completed specified rural work in Australia, see here for more information)
- You must be between the age of 18 & 30 years old (This may change in the future*)
- You must be from an eligible nation for either a 417 or 462 WHV (see table)
Applying and Receiving a WHV
- You must be outside of Australia when you apply for and receive the first year WHV— (we recommend allowing for up to 3 months to receive the visa).
- Ensure all documentation is translated into English.
— 462 Specific —
If you’re applying for a 462 WHV you may need additional documentation of:
- Relevant education qualifications.
- Some countries may require a government letter supporting your application.
- Evidence of functional English communication abilities (Generally speaking any English test completed within the last 12 months see here for more detail).
Hey its me again!
I know I know, this isn’t the most interesting stuff to read … Luckily we’re getting to the hands on stuff where each additional piece of information will begin to coalesce your dream into a near graspable reality. You might even feel a few volts of excitement course through your body all from simply filling out an application — if only all forms gave us that feeling!
What does the visa give you?
- You can stay in Australia for up to 12 months.
“Wooohoooooo!” - You can work in Australia, for up to six months with each employer.
“A chance to make a deep connection and long-lasting relationship” - You can study for up to four months.
“Learning never stops whether you’re inside or outside a classroom” - You can leave and re-enter Australia any number of times while the visa is valid.
“But… who would want to leave?!”
But what is the cost of a WHV?
The question everyone wants to know the answer to — “how much does it cost?”
- $440 AUD (a bargain)
*NOTE*
The exception being if you’re applying whilst IN Australia for a subclass 462 this may cost — $700 AUD
Finally, Let’s do this! How to Apply?
Step1
To start choose either:
- 417 subclass visa *(This will be used for the following demo)
- 462 subclass visa
Follow one of the above links and click on ‘Apply now’ on the bottom right hand side:
Awesome, you should now be directed to login to your ImmiAccount:
Wait what?!
Don’t worry you’re not expected to have one of these yet (you’ll find the ‘Create an ImmiAccount just below). — “Aren’t I helpful!”
This account will be the Facebook of your Australian immigration information, where you will lodge and pay for applications in one relatively easy sequence of steps.
Step 2
- Click on ‘Create ImmiAccount’ and follow the prompts until you’ve applied and paid for your preferred visa subclass.
This may take some time to fill in all the necessary information but it should be straight forward. If you’re unsure about anything send us a cheeky message and we’ll get you moving again.
Stoked! Assuming the Australian Immigration website hasn’t crashed you’ve done it!
If you think this guide might help fellow travellers, click the clap button a few times (or more) so others can find it!
If we’ve missed out any relevant information or you have some feedback we’d love to hear from you in the comment section below.
“Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.” — Jennifer Lee
