Working Holiday Visa Archives - Visa Go Australia

New Working Holiday visa arrangements for UK passport holders to commence

Australia, Visa, Visa Update, Working Holiday Visa

Finally, the new Working Holiday visa arrangements for UK passport holders are set to commence!

From 1 July 2024, UK citizens can receive up to three separate Working Holiday visas without completing specified work. (Commonly known as ‘regional work’.)

These rules are effective for all applications for the Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa submitted by UK passport holders from 1 July 2024 onwards.

This includes those who previously entered Australia on a Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa.

Working Holiday visa holders can stay in Australia for a total of three years. This period includes three separate visas, each valid for 12 months, excluding any visas affected by COVID-19. These rules remain unchanged.

UK passport holders are eligible to apply for a Working Holiday visa if they are aged between 18 and 35 years (inclusive).

New Working Holiday visa arrangements will allow UK citizens more opportunities to come to Australia

June 17, 2024

Teach in Australia Webinar Feb 2024

Australia, News, Skills Assessment, Teacher, Teaching, Visa, Visa Update, Webinar, Working Holiday Visa

Working Holiday age increases for UK applicants

Australia, News, Visa Update, Working Holiday Visa

It’s finally happened – Australia’s working holiday age increases for UK applicants!

Working Holiday age increases for UK applicants

The Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement was signed nearly 2 years ago in December 2021. This agreement makes it easier for British people to live and work in Australia and vice versa. As part of this agreement, both Governments agreed to increase the eligible age for working holiday makers.

UK passport holders can now apply for a working holiday visa until the age of 35. Previously, UK applicants could only apply until the age of 30. UK passport holders can lodge an application for any Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa until midnight (AEST) on the day before their 36th birthday.

This will be welcomed news for those who want to live and work in Australia!

To see full details of the changes, please refer to the Government website.

Why choose a working holiday visa

A working holiday visa is a desirable option for migrants. This visa lets you experience Australia, with work rights allowing you to fund your travels. Other advantages include:

Quick processing times
Straightforward online visa application
Low visa application fee
Can be extended to 3 years if specified work is completed

This visa is temporary and has work limitations. Therefore, it’s not designed for those wanting to move permanently to Australia. You cannot include children on this visa, and each applicant must apply individually.

However, it may be a good ‘stepping stone’ visa, as it allows you to experience Australian life and discover employment opportunities at low cost. Some of our clients have found employer sponsorship opportunities after arriving in Australia as a working holidaymaker.

If you’re seriously considering a move to Australia, we recommend booking a visa consultation. Our migration agent Darren will explain your visa options to you, and help you decide the best pathway.

July 12, 2023

Move to Australia as an Electrician Webinar

Australia, Electrician, Employer Sponsored Visa, News, Skilled Visa, Skills Assessment, Visa, Webinar, Working Holiday Visa

Want to move to Australia as an electrician? This webinar is for you!

Move to Australia as an Electrician Webinar

Join Visa Go Australia and Future Skills International for an exclusive event.

When: Thursday 23 March 2023
Time: 5pm Queensland ‎(UTC+10)‎/7am United Kingdom ‎(UTC)‎
Where: Online Zoom – Register here

This webinar is for electricians wanting to live and work in Australia. Learn about electrician skills assessment, licensing and visas.

You can expect reliable advice from industry professionals. This is an interactive session with plenty of time for questions. Numbers for our ‘Move to Australia as an Electrician Webinar’ are limited.

What to expect from our webinar

Hear from Jeff Harman, an electrical assessor from Future Skills International. He will be talking about the electrician skills assessment, electrical licensing and more.

Migration Agent Darren Chatt will talk over the many visa options available to electricians. Learn about employer sponsorship, working holidays and skilled visas. Discover which Australian visa best suits your relocation plans.

Following a brief presentation, the speakers will be available to answer your questions. Both Jeff and Darren have years of experience in their industries. This is an excellent opportunity to seek free advice about moving to Australia as an electrician.

Register here to join this webinar.

November 11, 2022

Changes to Specified Work for Working Holiday Visa

Australia, News, Working Holiday Visa

There will be changes to specified work for working holiday visa holders. These changes come into effect this year, and impact visa subclasses 417 and 462. You can learn more about Australia’s working holiday visa on our dedicated webpage.

Specified work for Working Holiday Visa

In order to qualify for a second and third year working holiday visa, applicants must complete specified work in regional Australia. To be eligible for a second year, you must have carried out at least 3 months of specified work. To be eligible for a third year, you must have carried out at least 6 months of specified work on or after 1 July 2019.

Currently, specified work includes 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
critical COVID-19 work in the healthcare and medical sectors anywhere in Australia, after 31 January 2020

Reference: Department of Home Affairs on 21/04/2022

Regional Australia can be determined by postcodes listed on the Department website.

Plant and animal cultivation in regional Australia is a popular choice for working holiday makers

Changes to specified work for Working Holiday Visa

The type and locations of specified work for working holiday makers is changing. From 1 July 2022, more areas of Australia will be classified as regional. Moreover, new job roles will be included as specified work.

These changes include:

add flood recovery work and areas for this work as specified work for these visas
update bushfire recovery work details to include voluntary work
increase the areas in which tourism and hospitality work must be carried out

If you would like to learn more, you can read the Migration Amendment Instrument.

You can complete our free online assessment to see if you qualify for a working holiday visa. Alternatively, you may wish to learn about Australia’s skilled visa pathways. These are suitable for those wishing to live and work in Australia on a more permanent basis. Moreover, you may choose this pathway if you’ve already used your working holiday visa or do not qualify. In most instances you can include family members in a skilled visa application.

Working holiday visas provide an affordable route for young people to live and work in Australia

Complete our free online assessment to see if you qualify for a working holiday visa

Learn more about Visa Go Australia’s team of professionals

April 21, 2022

Australia needs skilled workers – Get your free visa!

Australia, Covid-19 (Coronavirus), News, Visa Update, Working Holiday Visa

Australia has long relied on skilled worker to fill jobs and support their economy. In the wake of the pandemic the stats are clear – Australia needs skilled workers.

Australia needs skilled workers

As a result of the Covid pandemic, Australia faces massive labour shortages. The mass exodus of temporary visa holders and closed borders has created skill shortages across the country.

Australia shed nearly 600,000 temporary visa holders in 2020, many of whom were skilled workers.

Australia’s hospitality and tourism industries have continued to express concern about their hiring struggles during the Covid pandemic. Public-facing businesses rely on casual workers, many of whom are temporary visa holders. Without students and backpackers, Australian businesses and economic growth stagnates.

Encouraging skilled workers back to Australia

Australia has locked out international students and backpackers since March 2020 – nearly two years! Fortunately, Australia reopened to some skilled temporary visa holders on 15 December 2021. This included working holiday makers, regional skilled visa holders and students.

See if you qualify for a working holiday visa

It is anticipated that reopening the borders to selected skilled visa holders will fill job vacancies.

Free Australian visas

Australia’s Government has changed its message this week, with Scott Morrison announcing free visas for students and working holiday makers. Moreover, student visa holders can now work more than 20 hours per week.

Starting today, student visa fees will be waived for the next 8 weeks. Working holiday visa fees will also be scrapped for the next 12 weeks. This is a massive investment in Australia’s tourism and skilled labour force; a huge gesture to welcome back migrants. You can learn more about applying for a visa application fee rebate on the Department website.

There are currently 23, 5000 working holiday visa holders who are yet to go to Australia.

Mr Morrison is hopeful this will encourage people to “…join our workforce and help us in our agricultural sector, in our hospitality sector, and so many of the other parts of the economy that rely on that labour”.

It is worth noting that regional work requirements remain for working holiday visa holders.

If you require assistance with an application, you can complete our free online assessment.

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