This term is applied to anyone who is seeking to reside and work in the country on a temporary basis, with the intention of leaving again at the end of the designated period.There are several visas in this type but in general the majority of British workers in this category apply from the UK under one visa type.
The International Relations Stream
Working Holiday Visas (WHV) are designed for young people who are from countries with which Australia has working holiday arrangements, and who want to holiday and travel in Australia, while having the opportunity to work for short periods of time. Australia has reciprocal working holiday arrangements with the United Kingdom and Ireland amongst many other European countries.
A Guide To The Working Holiday Visa
Providing you are aged between 18-30 and have no dependent children, travelling to Australia to holiday and working for up to a year should be fairly straightforward. However, you still need to secure the visa and you
must adhere to some tight restrictions about what type of work you can do and for how long. You have to apply for this visa from the UK and it is essential that you have this visa in place before you make your arrangements to travel to Australia.
From the UK you should apply online by logging on to the immigration website:
www.immi.gov.au/allforms/visiting_whm.htm You will need to use the FORM 1150, paying the application fee with a credit card. You should expect to hear back from the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) within a relatively short period of time. If you are granted a visa online you will not have a visa label placed in your passport before entering Australia. This being the case, you will need to visit the nearest DIMIA office on your arrival in the country to have a visa label placed in your passport which will provide evidence of your right to work. Employers will ask to see this prior to hiring you.
This visa requires you to hold either a return ticket to the UK or proof that you have the financial means to go back to the UK or on to another country after your stay. It is valid for 12 months from the day you enter Australia and is a multiple entry visa, which will allow you to depart from and enter Australia as many times as you like during the year. However, there is no top-up of time available in Australia, if you choose to depart during the 12-month validity.
What Restrictions Are Placed Upon Holders Of This Visa?
This visa will allow you to work for an employer for a period of up to three consecutive months. You must advise any potential employer of your working visa status. Should your working period extend over three months you will be in breach of your visa and could have it revoked if
immigration catch you out. The visa is intended to supplement holiday travel – it is not intended for people to work the entire 12 months.
You can change from this visa to a Long Stay Temporary Business Visa if you can find a position that offers you sponsorship which will allow you to work for a company for up to four years. See section below on sponsorship.
Recent Changes To The Working Holiday Maker Programme (Whm)
From November 2005 Working Holiday Maker visa holders will be able to apply for another WHM visa if they have completed at least three months’ seasonal harvest work in regional Australia. Prior to this they were only able to secure one of these visa types in a lifetime. Australian immigration have brought in this change to encourage more young people to undertake seasonal harvest work, as many farmers said that these visa holders are amongst their most valuable workers because of their enthusiasm and mobility.
This change will mean even more Working Holiday Makers will become available to Australian farmers. It will also benefit other industries, as
WHMs who do harvest work and stay on in Australia for another year will be available to work in industries such as tourism. To assist the smaller states and regions access more skilled migrants, WHMs and Occupational Trainee visa holders will also be allowed to apply for and obtain a Skilled Independent Regional visa while still onshore. This then provides a pathway to permanent residence.
Over recent years the WHM programme has grown significantly from less than 50,000 per annum in the mid-1990s to approximately over 100,000 in 2004-05. This is expected to grow further in 2005-06.