The Australian Working holiday visa has always been popular in the UK and they have just changed the rules surrounding the visa so lets go through them! What’s changed?
The age bracket
The first change to take effect is the age bracket! From July 1st 2023 UK passport holders now have an extra 5 years to apply for the visa! The age bracket has been extended to 18 to 35 years!
How many times you can apply for the visa
From July 1st 2024 UK passport holders can be granted up to three separate Working Holiday visas without having to meet any specified work requirements. (The new arrangements will apply to all Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa applications from UK passport holders lodged from the date the relevant change commences.)
Specified work requirements
From July 1st 2024, UK passport holders, including those who previously entered Australia on a Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa using a different eligible passport, will not have to meet the ‘specified work’ requirement when applying for a second or third Working Holiday visa on or after this date.
These changes might seem slight but they will make a huge difference for travellers from the UK who want to work and travel in Australia! Check out the details of the changes from the Australian Government website here. Happy travelling!
How to find work in Australia?
There are some great sites to check out, our favourites are:
Seek.com – the most used site in Australia when looking for work.
Backpacker Jobs Australia – loads of backpacker jobs all around Australia.
Workabout Australia Club – this is a club you can join to find out about jobs in whatever area you are looking. A lot of grey nomads use this one.
Where to go in Australia?
Wondering what to do when you get to Australia? Most people will either come for a long period of time and work around or they will choose to visit the west or east coasts. We live of the east coast and have travelled around the west and can honestly say both are beautiful! Check out our Australia Travel Guide to get the basics!
West Coast of Australia
The west cost is huge! It is it’s own state, Western Australia and well worth a visit. There is tons to do here and you will definitely want to spend at least a few months taking it slow to explore as much as possible (if you have the time). Hire a campervan or buy a second hand car to drive yourself around. The distances are long and you will need a lot of time to see it properly. The north is amazing with Exmouth, Ningaloo Reef being the highlights for me, there are also great national parks here and if you go far north you can visit Broome and the incredible beaches there.
The centre of Western Australia is very remote. The capital Perth is beautiful, great atmosphere, lifestyle and beaches. Head a little south from the capital and go to the Margaret River area. It is beautiful and the perfect place to go wine tasting at all the little wineries there. There are also some great breweries which are worth visiting. The town of Margaret River is really cool, has a boho vibe and that small town but lots going on feel. Check out our Western Australia Guide for our road trip details!
In the south is where you will find my favourite beaches! Esperance is incredible and there are tons of towns and beaches that you just have to slowly drive between and see. Lots of people visit and stay here, lots of van life travellers and families. It’s a great area.
From here you can drive or take a bus over the famous Nullabor Plains, the longest straight stretch of road in Australia. It is pretty desolate but nowhere near as bad as others make it out to be. You can do it slowly or do what we did and finish it in 2 days driving for very long days!
South Australia
Crossing in to South Australia you will arrive in Adelaide after visiting the gorgeous coastal areas along the way. Visit wineries in the Adelaide Hills, oyster farms in Coffin Bay, the pink lakes of SA and the beautiful city of Adelaide. The city of pubs and churches, it is really lovely.
Heading to the East Coast of Australia
Head to Victoria and New South Wales, they are both stunning or go to Tasmania. All are full of places that will amaze you. When you head north you will get to Queensland. Home of the best beaches in Australia and there are tons of them! Perfect weather and a holiday spot for most of Australia.
Finally you can’t miss the Northern Territory, the spiritual and cultural home of Australia. It is like nowhere else in the country. Incredible history, landscapes and Indigenous culture. It is a must visit to really get a feel for Australia.
Australia is a hugely diverse country. You can definitely do it as a long year or two road trip, stopping in states to live and work for months at a time. You can fly to each state and get around using public transport, although it is easier in the cities. Whatever you decide to do I know you will fall in love with it!
