Travel Guides / Australia
A guide to Melbourne’s coolest neighbourhoods
Georgie Birch
Dec 1
We were just in the neighbourhood, so thought we’d drop by.
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Jenza Work Australia
Working holidays in Australia
‘Bye friends’ waved Dorothy as she left for Oz on her JENZA working holiday – with visa processing, unlimited working holiday jobs, welcome week and new mates all included.
Fancy a yarn?
Let's talk
We make moving to Australia, finding a job and finding a travel crew easy.
(It’s a rhetorical question)
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.
The Jenza difference
Roadtested arrival week
We use our roadtesters’ experience to shape yours. Which is how we know your first week sets you up with everything you need to live and work in Australia.
Unlimited Job Hub access
The worst part of job hunting? All of it. Which is why we source and vet hundreds of jobs. Interview before you go, when you land and for your whole visa.
Yes to no stress
From applying for your Australia working holiday visa to included essentials like your tax file number and Aussie bank account – we work out the details.
18-35 years
12-month+ visa
Depart year round
Job before you go
Group welcome week
AUD $23.23 minimum wage
$1,510
Getting Down Under
Work Australia | $1,510
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 $23.23 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 year-round, with additional departures every other Thursday between Sep and Jan. 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
Everything you need to get your visa, get hired and get on the plane – with one-on-one support from people who’ve been.
Pre-departure inclusions
Expert advice from people who’ve been
Your working holiday ride or die, our JENZA Support Squad have all worked the world so can give you firsthand advice on moving abroad. As well as being a geeky bunch of travel nerds and visa whisperers, we're also all mental health awareness trained. Which means we know how to connect like humans – not customer service bots.
On top of being at the other end of an email or video call throughout the booking process, we also include a group call with a live Q&A before you go to answer all your questions.
Visa inclusions
Cost and visa processing all in
No drama visa inclusions. We apply for your working holiday visa Australia for you. Once you’ve checked your eligibility in the above tab and paid your deposit, we’ll send you a simple form to fill out. Visas are issued electronically and can take up to two months to process – depending on whether more information is required.
The visa cost (AUD $640) is included in your Work Australia price. We don’t charge a fee to apply for your visa, but if you’d rather apply yourself or already have it sorted – we’ll take £300 (or the currency equivalent visa cost) off the overall cost.
Job inclusions
Unlimited pre-vetted working holiday jobs
We’ve been there, so we know the plane panic. It goes like this: ‘What if my seatback TV is broken?’, closely followed by, 'What if I can’t find a job when I arrive?’
Our Dream Jobs team scour the planet to find employers looking to take on working holidaymakers right now. They’re pre-vetted to make sure everything is legit, and as soon as you’ve paid your deposit, you’ll get access to our JENZA Job Hub where you can start searching and applying for jobs.
If you’d rather wait until you land, your welcome week includes job workshops from the awesome Welcome to Travel team – our tried-and-trusted Aussie partners. You’ll also have access to our JENZA Job Hub for the full 12 months of your visa.
Scroll the page to check out some of our current Australia job openings.
In-country inclusions
Arrival orientation with 7 nights' accommodation
This fully-guided intro week is all about getting in your comfort zone – and friend zone if you’re flying solo. Starting in Sydney or Melbourne every Sunday, it’s run by our in-country partners at Welcome to Travel and includes everything you need to find your feet.
- Airport transfer
- 7 nights in hostels
- Job workshops
- Cultural city tour
- Nights out
- Surf lesson
- 2-day road trip
Some meals and drinks
Can't decide between Melbourne or Sydney? Scroll the page to watch the videos.
Work essentials
Tax number, bank account and SIM
This is all the un-sexy stuff, but essential and legal stuff you need to start working in Australia. There’s admin days in your welcome week where the team will help you set everything up.
- Tax file number
- Australian bank account
- SIM card
Jen-setter benefits
Plus, these JENZA community perks
Free (or close to free) stuff Our favourite F word. Score hundreds of overseas discounts with our virtual JENZA X IYTC card.
Earn extra cash Shot it? Share it. We pay for blogs, vlogs, images and videos. DM us on Insta and send us a pitch.
Ask an alumni Hear from people who've been. We try to have an alumni on every pre-departure call to answer all your questions.
Find a friend Meet people like you. Connect with travellers arriving at the same time on our JENZA Discord group chats.
Book now pay later
- Secure your spot with $115 deposit
- Second payment of $450 due before we can issue your working holiday visa
- Balance due 12 weeks before you fly.
Already have your visa? | We don’t charge extra to do your visa for you, but if you’d rather apply yourself or already have it sorted – we’ll knock the cost (currently AUD $635) off your final balance.
About our pricing | Our mission is to make working abroad more accessible. Meaning we do everything we can to pay our team, support our partners and make a profit – without screwing over the people who matter. Find out how our pricing works and the people involved in making your JENZA happen.
We also walk the walk, donating 5% of profits to our overseas scholarship fund.
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.
Dollar bills
Australia has one of the highest minimum wages in the world.
Pre-arranged working holiday job + minimum AUD $24.10 an hour = making working abroad in Australia add up.
Work in Australia / Hiring now
Hiring: Construction positions at HLH Group, Sydney NSW
Jobs available: Construction. Pay is AUD $30-45/hour. Great site locations, flexible working available, work for the highest rated labour hire company on Google. Book Work Australia now to be the first to apply.
Jobs available: Construction. Pay is AUD $30-45/hour. Great site locations, flexible working available, work for the highest rated labour hire company on Google. Book Work Australia now to be the first to apply.
Work in Australia / Hiring now
Hiring: Attendants at Cape Lodge, Margaret River WA
Jobs available: Food and Beverage Attendant. Pay is AUD $28/hour, plus hotel and restaurant discounts. Work for a luxury hotel on a private vineyard. Book Work Australia now to be the first to apply.
Jobs available: Food and Beverage Attendant. Pay is AUD $28/hour, plus hotel and restaurant discounts. Work for a luxury hotel on a private vineyard. Book Work Australia now to be the first to apply.
Work in Australia / Hiring now
Hiring: Housekeeper at Gaia Retreat & Spa, Byron Bay NSW
Jobs available: Housekeeper. Pay is AUD $22/hour, with staff rewards, spa and accommodation discounts. Plus, it’s BYRON BABY! Book Work Australia now to be the first to apply.
Jobs available: Housekeeper. Pay is AUD $22/hour, with staff rewards, spa and accommodation discounts. Plus, it’s BYRON BABY! Book Work Australia now to be the first to apply.
Work in Australia / Hiring now
Hiring: Bartenders & Floor Staff at Merivale group, Sydney NSW
Jobs available: Bartender, Floor Staff, Wait Staff. Pay is AUD $21-27/hour depending on the role, hours and experience. Discounts at all Merivale establishments in Sydney. Book Work Australia now to be the first to apply.
Jobs available: Bartender, Floor Staff, Wait Staff. Pay is AUD $21-27/hour depending on the role, hours and experience. Discounts at all Merivale establishments in Sydney. Book Work Australia now to be the first to apply.
Meet people on your wavelength
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And not just at the surf camp
Start in Melbourne
Staying at the Village North Melbourne with up to 22 of your soon-to-be-closest friends, our Work Australia welcome week blatantly disregards the warning about never mixing business with pleasure. As well as 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, pub crawl, St Kilda trip, rooftop BBQ, some meals and drinks, 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.
The Sydney one
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, pub crawl, Bondi Beach trip, rooftop BBQ, some meals and drinks, 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.
The JENZA blog
All the inspo and intel on life Down Under
You shaped travel
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.
Travel you can trust
Our Extra Mile Promise
Every JENZA experience has been shaped by our Youth Advisory Panel, roadtested by our travellers, and backed by 60+ years of work abroad expertise. But if we still don’t rock your world, we’ll refund the part of your JENZA program you’re not happy with. T&Cs apply
Who you gonna call?
Let's talk Australia
Get some facetime with our amazing JENZA Support Squad. When they’re not posing for pool pics, they’re making your work aboard adventures happen with their endless enthusiasm and mad traveller skills. These include: parent whispering, visa geekery and the ability to pack a backpack in 30 seconds flat.
Got a question? We've got answers.
Not found what you're looking for? Hit 'Ask a question' on this page and one of our JENZA Support Squad will come back to you.
How can I work in Australia?
For passport holders who are part of Australia’s working holiday visa scheme, you can apply for a working holiday visa that allows you to work in Australia for up to 12 months – with the option to extend to a second and even a third visa when you’re over there. For some nationalities, you may need to do three months of 'specified work' to apply for this visa extension. Find out more about second and third visas below.
What’s the age limit for a working holiday in Australia?
For most nationalities, you must be aged 18-30 (inclusive) to apply for an Australia working holiday visa. Unless you’re from the UK, Canada, France, Ireland, Denmark or Italy - in which case it’s 18-35 (inclusive). Check out the visa eligibility for your nationality here or here - depending on which subclass of working holiday visa your nationality is eligible for.
How long does a working holiday visa last for?
You have 12 months to enter Australia once your visa is approved, and your visa then lasts for between one and three years - depending on your nationality.
How do I get a second or third working holiday visa?
From 1 July 2024, the regional work requirement was removed for UK passport holders - who can now apply for a second and third 12-month extension to their working holiday visa without having to show proof that they have completed specified or regional work. Find out more about the changes here.
For other passport holders, you may need to complete three months of 'specified work' (this is usually work in regional areas of Australia) to apply for a second or third visa. Find out more about the extension requirements for your nationality here.
What kind of work can I do on a working holiday visa?
The working holiday visa for Australia is flexible, and allows you to do either casual work or pursue career work that's related to your profession, trade or training. Popular casual or backpacker jobs in Australia include farm work, fruit picking, waitressing, bartending, labouring, shop work, hostel work, hotel work, housekeeping, sales, promotions, tourism and more. You aren't required on this visa to have a job lined up before you go.
How much will I earn?
Most entry level jobs will pay at least Australia's minimum wage - which is currently AUD $24.10 per hour. This can be more depending on the job and the location. For more skilled work related to your profession, trade or training - your salary will be higher and is uncapped on this visa.
Do I need to be in my home country to apply for a working holiday visa?
No, you don't need to be in your home country. However, you cannot be in Australia when you apply for your visa.
How long does a working holiday visa take to process?
Our team are usually able to process your visa and have it back to you within 2-3 days. However, as the Australian Government make the final decision, it can take longer – up to six weeks if they require further information. We don’t recommend booking your flights until your visa is approved.
When should I book?
Planning a year abroad, working holiday or gap year can take 6-12 months to organise. However, as Australia visas can be issued faster than working holiday visas for other countries - you can also book Work Australia more last minute. However, spaces on our welcome weeks can sell out months in advance. If your heart is set on a certain date, we'd recommend booking ASAP.
Does the Work Australia program include accommodation?
Starting in either Sydney or Melbourne, Work Australia includes 7 nights' hostel accommodation. You can book a maximum of 3 pre-nights and 3 post-nights - just get in touch once you've booked.
How can I go to Australia?
If you’re thinking of doing a working holiday in Australia, we'd love to help you start planning your trip. As travellers ourselves, we'll be able to help you decide the where, when and how. You can apply for Work Australia on the JENZA website, or if you’d rather talk to us, just give our JENZA Support Squad a call and we'll go over all your options.
How can I get a work visa for Australia?
Work Australia includes the cost of your working holiday visa. We’ll process your working holiday visa before you go, and once you land in Australia - you'll have a shared transfer booked to take you to the hostel where our partners Welcome to Travel will take over. Your group welcome week includes 7 nights' accommodation, a job workshop, group dinners, Aboriginal tour, a 2-day roadtrip, surf lesson, and more.
How can I get work in Australia?
You can apply for job listings on our Job Hub before you go, when you land, and for your whole visa. Your welcome week also includes a job workshop, help getting your CV ready, and access to additional listings. There can be opportunities for work all over Australia if you’re flexible with the kind of work you do.
How do I stay in Australia after my working holiday visa?
Once you have extended your working holiday to two or three years (passport dependent), you would need to check on the Australia immigration website to see what other visa type you might be able to apply for.
What to pack for a working holiday in Australia?
While Australia has a legendary sunny climate, depending on where you travel and when you go - it isn't always always beach waves and budgie smugglers. Australia is a huge country with multiple climates and weather patterns - from the tropical climate of Northern Queensland to the four seasons of Victoria and South Australia. You will be able to buy everything in Australia that you can buy in your own country - so we'd advise packing for the season that you're arriving in to keep your bag light.
What’s the eligibility for Work Australia?
Each nationality eligibility can be slightly different, you can check on the below links to see the requirements for your nationality. Working holiday visa (subclass 417) and Work and holiday visa (subclass 462). You can also give our team a call and we'll talk you through it.
How much money do I need for a working holiday in Australia?
Australia immigration requires you to have at least AUD $5,000 when you enter the country. Australia does have a high cost of living and so this may be higher than in your home country. The more money you can save before you go, the more flexibility you'll have to travel before starting work and the less pressure you'll be under to find a job.
Is doing a working holiday in Australia worth it?
Obtaining a working holiday visa for Australia allows you to work and travel at the same time. Which is a great way to see Australia as it is a huge and diverse country - with each state offering something different to the next. Working in Australia will also allow you to have a more authentic experience and build more lasting connections - living like a local instead of travelling like a tourist.
Is it difficult to get a working holiday visa in Australia?
We will process the Australia working holiday visa for you. So as long as you meet the eligibility criteria for your country passport, then there shouldn’t be a reason you wouldn’t get the working holiday visa. But ultimately, it it is up to Australia immigration.
More ways to work the world
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Did someone say ‘gap decade?’
BUNAC Travel Services Ltd trading as “JENZA” is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 01391030 and registered address at 5 Richbell Place, London, UK, WC1N 3LA.