Working holiday Australia | Work in Australia

Why do a working holiday visa Australia?

The OG of the work abroad world, Australia practically invented the working holiday. With a flexible 12-month work visa, one of the highest minimum wages in the world, and backpacker-friendly employers looking to fill their bars, hotels, resorts and farms with international working holidaymakers – Australia defines the work/life/travel balance. Skip between the beaches, islands and outback – picking up casual or seasonal work to fund your adventures. Or grow your career working in stylishly cool cities like Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide or Perth. Plus, there's the option of a second working holiday visa if you fall head over thongs (flip flops) for Australia's legendary lifestyle. We’re not in Kansas now.

What our Aussie roadtester had to say

Before you’re even let loose on one of our JENZA experiences, it’s roadtested by our community. Because if it didn’t fly with them, it’s sure as heck not going to fly with you. Meet Adithi, one of our Youth Advisory Panellists and Aussie roadtester, who lived her wildest life working and travelling in Australia on her gap year.

Work Australia | £1,179

(visa included worth AUD $635)

We provide the working holiday visa, pre-arranged job and arrival support to live and work in Australia for up to a year.

Starting in Melbourne or Sydney, spend the first week of your working holiday with travellers like you. With seven nights’ hostel accommodation, job workshops, day trips, nights out and a two-day road trip included – it's the ultimate way to settle into Aussie life. Plus, meet your future best mate/housemate/life partner (maybe).

After that, you can head off to start your pre-arranged job. Or hit the East Coast to explore, picking up vetted jobs from our JENZA Job Hub as you travel.

About the visa

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Who and for how long

Your working holiday visa Australia allows you to work for a year, changing employers every six months. If you do three months of ‘specified work’ in regional Australia during your first visa, you can apply for a second working holiday visa. This can be joined onto your first visa, or you can return to Oz Dorothy-style before you're 36.

British passport holders must be aged 18-35 (inclusive) to apply – meaning you must submit your application before your 36th birthday. Once approved, you have 12 months to enter Australia.

You don’t need to have a job lined up before you go, but you must be able to prove you have AUD $5,000 support funds when you enter Australia. You can apply year-round.

Make it work

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Where and what you can do

Hot for working holidaymakers, Australia has one of the highest minimum wages in the world – currently AUD $21.38 an hour.

Your visa allows you to work anywhere in the country and pretty much do any type of job – from casual to career work.

Typical working holiday jobs include hospitality, tourism, sales, labouring, childcare, retail and harvest work such as fruit picking. Hospitality and harvest work often include discounted staff accommodation – making them a great choice for saving money, making friends and living in stunning locations.

You can also work in industries related to your career, education or trade – such as nursing, beauty, marketing, construction, finance, recruitment and everything in between. Here your earning potential will be higher.

Just be sure to balance the ‘work’ and ‘holiday’ part – you're a long time doing the 9-5 thing when you get home!

Departure dates

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Start Melbourne or Sydney

Our seven-night welcome weeks depart from Sydney or Melbourne every Sunday. When you book, we’ll grab your flight details to arrange your airport transfer. If you're arriving early and need extra bed nights, just let us know.

What's included

Australia working holiday visa (worth $640 AUD) + application processing
Bank account, tax file set up, Australian SIM card
1-on-1 help finding a job when you land + CV assistance
12 months’ access to our nationwide job database
Airport transfer + 3 nights’ hostel accommodation
Arrival orientation with 7 nights' accommodation - including Cultural city tour, nights out, surf lesson, 2-day road trip and some meals and drinks.

Can't decide between Melbourne or Sydney? Scroll the page to watch the videos.

What's not included

Flights We don’t recommend booking flights until your visa is approved.

Support funds (AUD $) You may be required to show proof that you can access AUD $5,000 on entering Australia.

Travel insurance To cover against cancellation, we recommend taking out comprehensive travel insurance as soon as you book.

7-day itinerary: Start Sydney

Exactly what the Melbourne one said, but staying in Sydney’s legendary Wake Up! Hostel. You’ll do the same job workshops and work admin to sort out the essentials such as your tax number and bank account when you arrive, plus all of this good stuff in and around Sydney.

A welcome dinner, city walking tour, Aboriginal tour, cocktail class, farewell meal, and a two-day road trip. Here you’ll stay at an overnight surf camp, go dolphin spotting and get Australia’s cheapest exfoliating pedi at Jervis Bay – home to the finest and whitest sand in the world.

7 DAY ITINERARY

7-day itinerary: Start Melbourne

Staying at the Village North Melbourne with up to 22 of your soon-to-be-closest friends, our 7-day Work Australia blatantly disregards the warning about never mixing business with pleasure. As well as accommodation, job workshops and help getting your tax and bank account sorted, it includes all this awesomeness.

A welcome dinner, street food tour, Aboriginal heritage walk, farewell meal, and a two-day road trip to the Mornington Peninsula and Phillip Island. Here you’ll learn to surf, go wine tasting, and probably cry tears of joy at the tiny penguins.

7 DAY ITINERARY

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Working holidays in Australia