Do you love traveling but wish you could stay longer than a 90-day tourism visa allows? Have you been daydreaming about moving abroad for a year, or maybe several years? Are you between the ages of 18 and 30 (or even 35)? If you answered yes to any or all of the above questions, we might have a solution for you. A working holiday visa lets young people travel around a country for at least a year and work to fund their adventures. This visa is an excellent option, especially if you want to volunteer in Australia, and we’re going to show you why.
What is a working holiday visa?
Spend your working holiday helping research turtles in the Great Barrier Reef.
A working holiday visa, or what the Australian government calls a Working Holiday Maker (WHM) visa, allows you to work and travel within this beautiful country for at least a year. This visa is designed for young people to have the ability to explore this wonderful place and fund their adventures along the way. In fact, this visa type is only available to people ages 18 to 30 (or even 35 if you’re from certain countries like Italy, Canada, Ireland, and more). Many working holiday visa holders get jobs working in hospitality so they can have more flexibility with their time. Additionally, during the first working holiday visa, if you do specific work in rural or remote areas, you can apply for a second- and third-year visa so you can live in Australia for up to three years. This visa also lets you travel to and from Australia as many times as you want.
There are two types of WHM visas, subclass 417 and subclass 462, which are divided by country. For example, a person from the United Kingdom can only apply for the subclass 417 visa while someone with a Chilean passport can only apply for the subclass 462 visa. The latter type also has requirements based on language abilities, education, and providing a letter of support from your government depending on your country of origin. Before applying, be sure to head to the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs website to learn more about all the requirements.
Why volunteer while on a working holiday visa instead of a tourism visa?
One of the many benefits of the working holiday visa is that it allows you more time in the country than a traditional tourist visa. The working holiday visa lets you live in Australia for up to a year with multiple re-entries. You can do specified work to earn a second- and third-year visa giving you a total of up to three whole years in the land down under. If you want to spend several weeks volunteering, the working holiday visa is a great option because it gives you the time to do so without feeling rushed or worried about missing out on any experiences. In contrast, depending on your citizenship and which type of tourism visa you apply for, you may only be able to stay in the country for 3 months at a time.
You never know where you’re going to make new friends.
Additionally, it’s a great way to see different areas of the country and make friends. If you want to experience the Great Barrier Reef in a new way, a volunteer trip is a great option to consider. Unlike day or half-day boat trips out to the reef, Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers gives participants multiple days out on the water and helps them to experience it in a way that fosters the environment. As citizen scientists, you’ll help monitor and survey the reef while exploring the region knowing you’re making a positive impact on the area. On these volunteer trips, you’ll meet like-minded people interested in wildlife conservation and seeking unique travel experiences just like yourself. You might even meet other working holiday visa holders in the process. If you want more ideas about how to make even more friends during your working holiday visa year, Tourism Australia has some great suggestions like taking a class or going to an event.
Do I need a working holiday visa to volunteer abroad?
Start packing your bags. Adventure awaits.
No, you do not need a working holiday visa to volunteer somewhere. However, the benefit of using a working holiday visa, in comparison with a tourism visa, is that it allows you more time to explore a region without worrying about needing to leave as quickly. Working holiday visas typically allow you to be in the country for up to a year initially whereas tourism visas are usually only 90 days.
Where can I volunteer with my working holiday visa?
Working holiday visa programs are offered all around the world for citizens of many countries. Australia is very well-known for its working holiday visa. However, in addition to the land down under, we’re happy to say that nearly all the countries where Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers offers programs have a working holiday visa scheme. The only exception to this is Malawi which offers a tourist e-visa.
Making friends is easy when it’s an elephant.
How does the recent UK free trade agreement affect my working holiday visa experience?
Get ready for your next adventure!
If you’re lucky enough to be from the UK, we’ve got some good news for you. In July 2023, the Australian government came to a new free trade agreement with the UK which will impact the working holiday visa program in 2024. Many changes will come into effect next year for UK passport holders, but there are two key aspects to note. Firstly, UK citizens can now apply for working holiday visas from ages 18 to 35. Before this new agreement, Brits could only apply until the age of 30, like most other nationalities. Secondly, UK visitors can apply for up to three working holiday visas without having to do the specified rural work to be granted the extra years.
This is all great news for Brits because they make up the majority of citizens applying for and receiving working holiday visas in Australia. According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs, in the 2021-2022 UK working holiday visa applicants made up 24.6% of total lodgements and 25.1% of total visas granted. These percentages and the number of applicants are only expected to increase due to the changes from the new trade agreement making it easier than ever for British citizens to come to Australia.
Now that you know what a working holiday visa is, make sure to check out our Australian Oceans 2 Earth volunteer programs and see where you can go with this newfound information.
