Preparing for your working holiday in the land of koalas and kangaroos will ensure you'll have more than one g'day.
When I tell people I did a working holiday in Australia, I’m pretty sure they immediately assume I spent a year as a 21-year-old backpacker sleeping under the stars in swags, driving across the country in a van, picking fruit for cash, and spending endless days at the beach.
The reality looked a little different. At 31 years old, I spent my year as a Working Holiday Maker (WHM) renting a house in Sydney’s Inner West and working as a freelance journalist. The only fruit I picked was from the massive mango tree in my backyard—although I’ll concede that yes, I occasionally went to the beach.
The experience of WHMs is as varied as the vast Australian landscape. Yes, you can get a job working at a bar or even picking pineapples to fund your snorkel trips on the Great Barrier Reef—but it can also be the ticket to your first international career, with jobs in marketing, business and STEM up for grabs.
Ultimately, no two working holidays are the same—which is part of the reason why there are so many stereotypes about what it means to do a working holiday in Australia. We’ve spoken with many North American travellers who have done it—and this is what they want you to know.
How to get a working holiday visa
For both Canadians and Americans, getting a working holiday visa in Australia is a relatively easy process.
Citizens of Canada and the United Kingdom will need to apply for their subclass 417 visa and be between the ages of 18 and 35. American citizens aged 18 to 30 are eligible for a subclass 463 visa.
In either case, you can apply online, with the visas costing around AUD$635. You’ll also need to have AUD$5000 saved for your stay.
Do I have to do farm work on a working holiday visa in Australia?
As the Aussies would say: “Yah, nah.”
Doing your regional work—commonly referred to as “farm work,” although that’s a misnomer (more on that here)—isn't mandatory. The only circumstances under which you need to do regional work are if you’d like to stay for a second or third year in Australia, or if you’re bananas for bananas.
In fact, working while you’re in Australia on a working holiday visa is entirely optional. Provided you’ve got enough money in the bank to live your best life Down Under, you technically don’t have to do any work at all.
Can I enter Australia on a working holiday visa if I’m a 31-year-old American or a 36-year-old Canadian?
If you read the introduction to this piece and wondered how I did a working holiday in Australia while I was in my 30s, it’s because of a little-known loophole. You just have to apply for the visa while you’re still within the age bracket (up to age 30 for Americans and up to age 35 for Canadians). But once it’s approved, you have a full 12 months to enter the country.
That means that by the time you start your working holiday visa, you could already be older than the age limit. And if you apply for a second or third year, you could be firmly in your 30s and still in Australia on a working holiday visa.
I’m a young professional. Should I do my working holiday visa (WHV) in Australia?
A WHV is a great choice for young professionals to broaden their skill set, develop cross-cultural skills and gain experience within their field.
Ashlee Brewer, 32, a nurse from the Yukon, applied for a WHM visa because it was the easiest work visa to get.
“It’s been great to work in a healthcare setting in a different country," she says. "It’s given me a broader perspective, which I’ll take back to Canada. I’m more resilient now and I’ve learned a lot.”
That has also been the experience of Sarah Carnevale, who moved to Australia right after graduating with her teaching degree from the University of Winnipeg. Within two weeks of arrival in Melbourne, she had landed her first teaching job.
“When you think of working holiday you think of endless random jobs, travel and being broke—but you can still have a flown-blown career if that's what you’re looking for,” she says. “Employers are very flexible and understand the WHV more than you think.”
However, it’s important to note that Australia’s WHM program prohibits you from working for any one employer for more than six months. There are some exceptions to this rule, such as working in healthcare.
I’m self-employed or work remotely. Can I apply for a working holiday visa?
Yes. Once you are registered to work within Australia, you can apply for an Australian Business Number, which allows you to work for yourself in Australia. However, it’s best to consult with accountants both in Australia and your home country to determine if this is the best option for you.
I have another question about becoming an Australian WHM. Who should I ask?
Some of the most active Facebook groups in Australia for Canadians include:
• Canadians in Sydney Facebook group
• Melbourne Canadians
• Network Canada
• Working Holiday Australia 2024
Ultimately, though, any advice offered in Facebook groups should be taken with a grain of salt. It’s best to consult with Immigration Australia or refer to Australia’s dedicated microsite for working holiday makers.
Money matters
You’ve got the visa and your plane tickets are booked. Now it's time to make a checklist of everything you need to do before and after you land.
1. Make sure you have travel insurance
It’s a misconception that Australia has reciprocal health agreements with all Commonwealth countries (although it does have an agreement with visitors from the UK).
Visitors to Australia should have health insurance that is valid for the duration of their stay, and is specific to being on a working holiday visa. Rather than choosing insurance offered through a Canadian insurer, it’s possible to purchase insurance directly in Australia, with monthly and annual plans offered through providers such as BUPA and Allianz.
Australia’s healthcare is mixed, with public and private providers, so be sure to speak with your insurer to understand what is covered and how to access care when you need it.
2. Apply for an Australian tax file number (TFN), understand superannuation, and seek out the advice of accountants
Before you can get to work or even open a bank account in Australia, you’ll need a tax file number (TFN), which is the equivalent of a Canadian SIN or an American SSN.
You’ll be required to file a tax return in Australia using your TFN. If you’re Canadian, Canada’s dual taxation agreement means you won’t be double-taxed in Canada. However, the two countries follow different tax years, meaning things can get messy. We recommend also finding accountants in both Australia and your home country who are well-versed in dual taxation laws.
Unless you’re self-employed, a portion of your paycheque will automatically be deducted and added to your superannuation plan. (Superannuation is a retirement savings plan in Australia.) However, you will be able to claim your accumulated superannuation after your departure from Australia (DASP). You may apply here.
3. Get a phone first
With two-factor authentication widely used as a security feature, getting a SIM card for Australia should be one of your first orders of business. There are several mobile phone providers in the country. However, if you plan on travelling, it’s best to get coverage with Telstra, which tends to offer the best nationwide coverage (with Optus coming in a close second).
Canadians will likely find both considerably more affordable than the mobile carriers back home, so don’t think it’s a scam when you’re offered unlimited data for what feels like pennies.
4. Get a bank account
To save on international banking fees, it’s advisable to set up an Australian bank account. To do so, you’ll need your TFN. You’ll also likely need an address and phone number to set up your bank account. Most banks don't charge monthly fees, but can charge transaction fees.
If you haven’t yet found a place to live but are staying somewhere temporarily (such as a hostel or Airbnb), you can ask your host if you can use their address. Just be sure to request that no hard copy mail is sent to that address—and once you do find a more permanent abode, update the address on file.
If you need to transfer money from your home country’s bank account to an Australian account, most expats (myself included) swear by Wise.com for its low transfer fees.
Finally, don’t be alarmed if someone you trust requests your bank account details. In Australia, there is no e-transfer, so it’s common to provide your account number to others so that they can deposit money directly into your account.
How to find a job
Employment puts the “working” in “working holiday visa.” While it’s easy to get excited about travelling through Australia, it can be just as exciting to consider the job and professional prospects on offer in the country, with jobs in healthcare, construction, mining, marketing and teaching being some of the most popular for working holiday makers. (Regional work is a whole other kettle of fish, which is why we’ve dedicated a separate article to it here.)
One popular strategy for finding a job that you might not use at home in Canada is to use an agency to find a job or temp work.
“If you’re a web designer, working in communications or have any professional grad job really, sign up with the agencies,” said one working holiday maker I spoke with. “I wasted time in call centres and doing odd jobs until I became an agency temp.”
This can also work for specialized degrees. Originally from Windsor, Ontario, Gilbert moved to Melbourne after recruitment agency ANZUK Education sold him on the idea. “There are a lot of opportunities here as a casual relief teacher,” he says. Now, after four years in the country, he’s applying for his permanent residence.
A working holiday visa can also be an opportunity to explore a sector that you haven’t previously considered.
“I didn’t think I was a ‘kid person’ and never imagined I would work as an au pair,” says Caelen Beard, a Verge contributor who did her working holiday visa in Sydney. “It was a huge learning opportunity for me. I learned a lot and it was cool to see the family’s life on a farm, and have a chance to experience lots of classic Aussie things with them.”
“Anyone with childcare experience should definitely consider an au pair program,” says Albertan Sydney Tschetter, who is based in New South Wales. “It takes the drama out of finding accommodation (which is expensive and will eat at most of your savings), it is a great way to make money, and also to experience the country.”
Tschetter notes that it has also enabled her to make friends, as there are many au pairs in the area where she’s worked.
Where to start your job search:
• South Australia Working Holiday Makers MicroSite
• Tasmania: tastourismandhospitalityjobs.com.au
• Queensland's Working Holiday Makers MicroSite
• Western Australia's Working Holiday Maker MicroSite
Housing
Unless living out a van is your intended destiny, you’ll need to put a roof over your head. Here are some major considerations for finding a place to live in Australia.
How can I find a place to live?
Typically, houses and apartments are rented through rental agencies, rather than directly through landlords. Unfortunately, this can also mean you’re applying to an automated system, rather than to a human. And this can be more challenging if you’re not a permanent resident or a citizen.
“Finding a house was my number one challenge,” says Brewer. “Because I was on a working holiday visa, my application was automatically discarded every time.”
For this reason, sharehouses can often be a better option.
Living with roommates in a sharehouse can be a great way to meet locals, with flatmates.com.au being one of the best places to find listings.
“Living in a sharehouse with locals is the best way to get to learn about a new city and the country. Don’t get stuck spending time with the same people who you can see back home. Embrace where you are and what you came here for,” advises Carnevale.
Houses are cold
The number one piece of advice offered by the working holiday makers we interviewed? Pack your toque.
While winters in Australia are mild in comparison with much of Canada and the United States—particularly in Queensland, the Northern Territory and northern Western Australia—temperatures can still drop into the single digits overnight. What makes it feel so cold isn’t the temperature though, but the infrastructure. Insulation and double-glazed windows are the exception rather than the norm, and central heating isn’t common in most regions.
It's not just a skewed perception offered by international travellers—more people die annually in Australia from cold than from the heat, according to a study recently published by the Lancet.
When you go to view rental homes, be sure to ask direct questions about how they are heated and cooled and if there are any mould issues. Use your nose to sniff out issues on viewings—if a property smells strongly of bleach, there’s likely a mould issue within. If there is mould, ask the rental agent what the landlord will do resolve the issue, as most tenancy authorities consider it their responsibility to ensure a home is free of mould.
Why you should consider doing a working holiday visa in Australia
"Being in Australia has been the greatest adventure of my life," says Tschetter, who moved to Australia at 18 and is now 22. "I have so much life experience I wouldn't have gained if I stayed in Canada. Surrounding yourself with people from all over the world is so rewarding. I have learned so much about myself and the country and I’m so lucky to live here."