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Working Holiday Visa 417
(content source: www.immi.gov.au)

For people from Belgium, Canada, Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan and United Kingdom

Who is this visa for?

You should read this information if you are applying for your first or second Working Holiday visa.

This visa is for people aged 18 to 30 years of age, who are interested in a working holiday of up to 12 months in Australia.

Important: Applicants must have turned 18, but not turned 31, at the time of visa application.
See: Eligibility

This visa allows you to supplement the cost of your holiday through short-term employment. If your primary reason for travelling to Australia is to participate in the work force, you should consider a visa designed for that purpose.
See: Workers

You may apply for this visa if you hold a passport for one of the countries or regions participating with Australia in the Working Holiday Program.
See: Countries/Regions Participating in Working Holiday Program

People who have worked in a specified industry in regional Australia for a minimum of three months (88 days) while on their first Working Holiday visa, may be eligible to apply for a second Working Holiday visa.
See: Applicant: Second Working Holiday Visa Eligibility

How much will this visa cost?

You must pay a non-refundable visa application charge when you lodge your visa application.
See: Working Holiday Visa Charges

What does this visa let me do?

If you are granted this visa you can:

• enter Australia within 12 months of grant
• stay up to 12 months
• leave and re-enter Australia any number of times while the visa is valid
• work in Australia for up to 6 months with each employer
• study for up to 4 months.

If you hold a second Working Holiday visa, you may return to work for a further 6 months for an employer with whom you worked on your first Working Holiday visa.

How the Visa Works

The main purpose of this visa is to allow you to combine a holiday with work and supplement your funds with short term work in Australia.

Applying

You can apply for a first or second Working Holiday visa online or by using the paper form. Your visa application will be processed more quickly if you apply online.

First Working Holiday visa

Applicants must be outside Australia when they apply and when the visa is granted.

Online first Working Holiday visaapplications can be lodged from anywhere outside Australia.

Paper first Working Holiday visa applications (on form 1150) must also be lodged outside Australia. The office where the application can be lodged depends on your country or region of passport.

• If you are one of the following passport holders, you can lodge your application by post, fax or in person to any departmental office outside Australia: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
• If you are one of the following passport holders, you must lodge your application in the country or region that issued your passport by post, fax or in person to the relevant departmental office (you do not need to by physically located in that country or region at the time you lodge the application): Republic of Cyprus, HKSAR (including British National Overseas), Japan, the Republic of Korea and Taiwan.
  Note: Passport holders from Malta must lodge their application in Germany.

Second Working Holiday visa

Applications may be made from either in or outside Australia:

• If you lodge your application outside Australia, you must be outside Australia to be granted your visa.
• If you lodge your application in Australia, you must be in Australia to be granted your visa.
  Note: You should apply before your current visa ceases. If you want to travel overseas while the application is being processed, you must contact Cairns office to apply for a Bridging Visa with travel rights.

Visa validity

Any time spent outside Australia while on your first or second Working Holiday visa does not extend the length of the visa.

First Working Holiday visa

If you are granted your first Working Holiday visa you can:

• travel to Australia at any time in the 12 months from the date the visa is granted (this cannot be extended or deferred)
• stay in Australia for 12 months from the date you first enter the country
• leave and re-enter Australia any number of times within the 12 months from the date you first entered the country.

Second Working Holiday visa

The table below outlines how long you can stay in Australia if you are granted a second Working Holiday visa, depending on your circumstances at the time of application.

Activating your Working Holiday visa

If you applied for your Working Holiday visa outside Australia, your 12 month stay period starts when you enter Australia. This includes entering Australia as a transit passenger, on an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA), Crew Travel Authority (CTA), or a Maritime Crew Visa (MCV). When you have started the stay period on your Working Holiday visa, it cannot be delayed or deferred.

If you do not want to start your 12 month stay on your Working Holiday visa, and you plan to transit through Australia or enter on an ETA, CTA or MCV, you should consider cancelling your Working Holiday visa. You will then need to apply for an alternative visa before you travel to Australia. Information about visa options when transiting through Australia is available from the departmental website.
See: Transiting through Australia

To have your Working Holiday visa cancelled, contact the Working Holiday visa processing centre. You may apply for another Working Holiday visa in the future but will need to pay another visa application charge.

Note: If you wish to travel to Australia on an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA), Crew Travel Authority (CTA) or Maritime Crew Visa (MCV) before activating your Working Holiday visa, you should first cancel your Working Holiday visa. Cancelling your Working Holiday visa after obtaining an ETA, CTA or MCV will also cancel the ETA, CTA or MCV.

Accompanying family

You cannot include family members in your application for this visa. If a family member or partner wants to come with you to Australia, they must apply for their own visa to Australia.
See: Visitor visa options

Working

You can do any kind of work in Australia. However, you can only work with the same employer for up to six months.

If your main reason for coming to Australia is to work, you should consider the type of visa intended for work purposes, such as a business visa.
See: Workers

Access to retirement savings

You are entitled to access your retirement savings (superannuation) when you leave Australia. The Australian Taxation Office website provides more information on accessing this money. Follow the links for temporary residents.
See: Australian Taxation Office

Studying

You can study for a maximum of four months.

If you want to study for a longer period in Australia, you may be able to apply for a student visa.
See: Student visa options

Extending your stay

You must depart Australia when your visa ends, unless you apply for another type of visa to extend your stay.

If your Working Holiday visa ends and you have not departed Australia or applied for another visa, you risk being detained and removed from Australia. You may also be subject to a period of exclusion from Australia.

If you are in Australia and your visa has expired, you should contact the department to regularise your status.
See: Expired Visas

A first Working Holiday visa cannot be extended beyond the 12 month validity period. However, if you have completed three months of specified work in regional Australia on your first Working Holiday visa, you may be eligible to apply for a second Working Holiday visa.
See: Second Working Holiday visa eligibility

There are other visa options for remaining temporarily or permanently in Australia at the end of your working holiday. However, your eligibility depends on your circumstances and intentions.

Note: If you apply for a Tourist visa while in Australia on a Working Holiday visa, it can only be granted in exceptional circumstances, such as being unfit to travel.
See: Tourists

Once you leave Australia, you may be eligible to apply for an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA)
See: Tourists