The Work and Holiday visa in Australia

Another option to travel to Australia is the Work and Holiday (subclass 462) with which you can travel around the country for 1 year and work at the same time. Additionally, if you meet certain requirements, you can renew your visa up to two times. We explain, in detail, what conditions you must meet to obtain your Work and Holiday visa in Australia.

Conditions to take into account

You cannot work more than 6 months with the same company

For this reason, there are many companies that prefer to hire people with the student visa because they can work with them for the entire duration of their visa. That is, for which companies it is not profitable to hire a Work and Holiday Maker, train him or her for 6 months and then have to let him or her go because he or she can no longer continue providing services to the company. After 6 months of working in the same company, you must change to another.

You will have to pay 15% taxes

Si viajas con el visado Work and Holiday, tendrás que pagar un 15 % de impuestos, siempre y cuando no ganes más de 45.000 AUD (si superas este importe, el % de impuestos también sube). Es decir, de los primeros 18.200 AUD que ganes, tendrás que pagar 2.730 AUD en impuestos.

En cambio, los estudiantes internacionales matriculados en un curso de mínimo 6 meses de duración, tributan como si fuesen residentes a efectos fiscales. Por lo tanto, los estudiantes internacionales están exentos de tributar los primeros 18.200 AUD que ganen. 

You can study for a maximum of 4 months

TheWork and Holiday Visaallows you to study for a maximum of 4 months, but not more than this. That is, if your course lasts more than 4 months, you will not be able to do it with this visa. In any case, the option of enrolling in an English course during your first months in Australia is ideal, as it will allow you to review the most important concepts of the language and gain the confidence you need when it comes to communicate in English.

You will have to present an official English certificate

When applying for this visa, you must attach an official English certificate that demonstrates that you have a medium/high level of English. Throughout this article we give you more information about the certificates accepted by the Australian government.

Al irte de Australia permanentemente, solo podrás reclamar el 35 % de lo acumulado en tu Superannuation

En cambio, con el visado de estudiante podrás reclamar el 65 % de lo acumulado en tu Superannuation, es decir, tu fondo de pensiones australiano donde tus empleadores han ido pagando impuestos para tu jubilación en el país. Al irte de Australia antes de jubilarte, podrás retirar un % de lo acumulado durante los años trabajados en el país. Recuerda, si has tenido una Work and Holiday visa, tan solo podrás reclamar el 35 % de lo acumulado. El resto, se lo queda el gobierno australiano.

Teniendo en cuenta toda esta información, en YouTooProject podemos ayudarte a tramitar tu Work and Holiday Visa. ¡Escríbenos y te informamos! 

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1. What is Work and Holiday?

Es un visado destinado a jóvenes entre 18 y 30 años que te permite estar durante 12 meses en Australia viajando y trabajando al mismo tiempo. También puedes estudiar durante un período máximo de cuatro meses.

2. What requirements must I meet to apply for Work and Holiday?

The first thing you should keep in mind is that not all nationalities will be eligible for this visa. You will need to have a valid passport from some of the following countries: Argentina, Spain, Chile, Ecuador China, Peru, Czech Republic, Brazil Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Uruguay, United States of America, Vietnam or Austria.

To apply for your visa, you will also have to take the following into account:

• Age: You must be between 18 and 30 years old when you apply for the visa. If during your visa application you are 30 years old, but when you travel you are 31, nothing happens, you will receive your approved visa.
• Not having previously entered Australia with any of these visas: Work and Holiday (subclass 462), Work and Holiday (subclass 417).
• You will need to apply from outside Australia.
• Have a English certificate that shows that you have at least a functional level of the language (keep reading because we explain the details below). The Australian Government does not accept tests in English taken online, even if official centers offer to take them from home.
• Financial solvency:it can vary, but they usually ask you to prove that you have 5000 AUD.
• Pay the visa application fee.
• Comply with current health requirements before entering Australia.
• They will ask you to have completed some minimum studies in your country. It will change depending on where you come from. Check them out! education requirements!

In addition to these general requirements, they may ask you for others depending on the country you come from, such as for example sending a letter of support if you come from Ecuador or Peru; or some medical examinations depending on your nationality. You can visit the official government page to verify each of the requirements according to your conditions.

3. What will I be able to do with the Work and Holiday Visa in Australia? 

Take out paper and pencil and write down everything this visa allows you:

• You can enter and leave Australia as many times as you want. In addition to touring the country and seeing incredible places.
• You can stay up to 1 year on Aussieslands.
• Once you are granted a visa, you will have one year to enter Australia. The Work and Holiday Visa will be activated the moment you land in the country.
• You can study up to 4 months. We we will help you to choose the course you need!
• If you fall in love with Australia and want to extend your stay, you can apply for a second and third Work and Holiday visa. To do this, you will have to do certain jobs in hospitality, agriculture, livestock or fishing that the government sets as requirements.
• You will be able to work for a maximum of 6 months with the same employer. After these 6 months, you must change jobs.

4. How much does the Work and Holiday Visa cost?

Este visado tiene un precio de 650 AUD.

5. When should I request it?

Starting July 1 of each year, you can apply for your visa. Please note that the government grants a limited number of visas and this changes depending on the country. For example, for Argentina, Chile and Spain they offer 3,400 places; for Peru they offer 1500, for Ecuador 100 places and for Uruguay 200 places.
On this website you can check whether the calls are open or not.

6. How do we help you apply?

We have designed a perfect pack for you: you choose what you need and we will get to work. Customize your pack according to the services you want to hire and we will send you a quote. The more services you contract with us, the cheaper it will be!

• Visa application: forget about paperwork and errors when applying for your visa. We take care of collecting all the documents and procedures necessary to request it.
• Airport pickup: we will pick you up at the airport and take you to your accommodation, you won't have to worry about a thing!
• Local Advisor Service: When you arrive, one of our Local Advisors will greet you and help you with all the initial paperwork. In addition, he will add you to the WhatsApp group with other students and invite you to all our events.
• Medical insurance: we will take out medical insurance that covers your entire stay in Australia, so your trip will be safe from minute one.

7. Apply for the Work and Holiday Visa – Step-by-step guide

Below, we leave you all the information that we have today and that you should take into account when applying for this visa.

7.1. How to apply for your first Work and Holiday Visa

1. Collection of documents

• Scan your valid passport in color (only the page where the personal data and your photo appear). The rest is not necessary.
• Scan in color the certificate of your degree certifying the studies requiredor valid for the visa.
• Obtain from your banka statement of your bank account IN YOUR NAME with the available balanceto demonstrate the financial funds required for the visa (5000 AUD). It is important that the date of the statement is close to the time you apply for the visa.
• Scan a passport-style photo.

2. Online application

1. Create your ImmiAccount and save your data.
2. Enter your ImmiAccount that you have created and look for the option New Application.
3. Select Work and Holiday Visa Subclass 462
4. Fill out theApplication Contextsection so they know where you are applying for the visa from and your general intentions.
5. Accept the conditions of the visa. You can read them, they are important!
6. Fill in your passport details.
7. Check carefully that the data is correct and confirm.
8. Inform the government if you have previously been to Australia and if so, they will ask you for some more information. Nothing serious, don't worry.
9. Fill in your contact information, resident information and above all, indicate a CORRECT e-mail because it will be where they will send you your approved visa.
10. Upload your valid studies adding one by one in ADD if necessary.
11. Next they will ask you to set your intentions to work in Australia. It is important to remember that if you mention jobs related to childcare or the health sector, they will ask you for more documents that you would need to do it.
12. Validate your level of English by filling out the fields requested
13. Declare that you are fit and healthy to travel to Australia.
14. Declare your criminal record. Normally it's all NO.
15. Declare that all the information and documentation you provide is true. Normally everything YES.
16. Sube los documentos que te piden: Pasaporte y fotografía, tu certificado de inglés, documento demostrando los fondos económicos, títulos universitarios o certificados de estudios (con su traducción).
17. Check your email once again.
18. Enter your card details for the visa charge.
19. SUBMIT!

Ready! Now wait for them to accept it. See you in Australia!

7.2. How to apply for the second Work and Holiday Visa

You will be able to apply if you worked with the Work and Holiday Visa (462) in the tourism and hospitality industry from 22 June 2021 in northern Australia or remote areas. This is what is considered specific work eligible required for a second or third application for a Work and Holiday (subclass 417)visa.

7.3. How to apply for the third Work and Holiday Visa

On November 5, 2018, the Australian government announced the possibility of extending the visa for a third year. Of course, to apply for it you must have completed at least 6 months of specified work. “6 months” means a period equivalent to the shortest 6 “calendar” months of the year, i.e. a minimum period of 179 calendar days, including weekends or equivalent days of rest during your period of employment.

8. Frequently asked questions about the Work And Holiday visa

What English certificate do I need to obtain the Work and Holiday Visa for Australia?

The Australian government requires that the person applying for the visa demonstrate that they have at least a functional level of English*.

You can demonstrate this with:

• A passport from the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, New Zealand or Ireland.
• Un certificado de inglés con las características que se detallan a continuación:
  • International English Language Testing System o IELTS con una puntuación media de 4,5 en los cuatro apartados del examen (oral, escrito, comprensión lectora y comprensión auditiva) y que haya sido realizado en los últimos 12 meses. Revisando la información de inmigración entendemos que piden un 4.5 como media entre todas las partes del examen (por lo que si una de ellas es inferior a 4.5 no pasa nada).
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-Based Test o TOEFL iBT con una puntuación de, por lo menos, 32 en los cuatro componentes de la prueba de expresión oral, lectura, escritura y comprensión. Sin embargo, NO serán válidos los tests hechos desde el 23 de julio de 2023 hasta el 4 de mayo de 2024. Los exámenes realizados antes del 23 de julio de 2023 permanecen válidos durante 2 años.
  • Pearson Test of English Academic o PTE Academic con una puntuación de, por lo menos, 30 de los cuatro componentes de la prueba de expresión oral, lectura, escritura y comprensión, realizado hace no más de 12 meses.
  • Cambridge English Advanced (CAE) con una puntuación mínima de 147 en las cuatro partes del examen. El examen debe haber sido realizado durante los 12 meses anteriores a la solicitud del visado.
• Educación relevante:
  • Haber completado la educación primaria y, al menos, tres años de educación secundaria en un colegio con enseñanza íntegra en inglés.
  • Haber cursado al menos cinco años de educación secundaria en un colegio con enseñanza íntegra en inglés.
  • Haber cursado un año (full-time) en una Institución Australianas con enseñanza íntegra en inglés con el objetivo de ganar un premio.

*When we say «at least a functional level of English»it means that you can also demonstrate that you have higher levels of the language, where the requirements change. You can also demonstrate that you have a professional level of English, what they call Vocational English Level. To do this, you will have to demonstrate one of the following requirements:

1. Demostrar que eres ciudadano con pasaporte válido de Reino Unido, Estados Unidos, Canadá, Nueva Zelanda o la República de Irlanda.
2. Demostrar que has obtenido las siguientes puntuaciones en los exámenes de inglés que se detallan a continuación, en los 3 años anteriores a la solicitud del visado. Las puntuaciones son las siguientes:
   • Para el IELTS: haber obtenido mínimo un 5 en cada uno de los cuatro apartados del examen. En caso del IELTS, tiene una caducidad propia de 2 años, por lo que deberás solicitar tu visado antes de que te caduque el examen.
   • Para el TOEFL iBT: al menos 4 en listening, 4 en reading, 14 en writing y 14 en speaking. *NO serán válidos los tests hechos desde el 23 de julio de 2023 hasta el 4 de mayo de 2024. Los exámenes realizados antes del 23 de julio de 2023 permanecen válidos durante 2 años.
   • Occupational English test (OET): obtener al menos un nivel B para cada uno de los cuatro apartados del examen.
   • Cambridge C1 (Advanced): obtener al menos 154 puntos en cada uno de los apartados del examen.

If you do not have the necessary level of English, you can take the IELTS in Australia with the student visa and then apply for this visa. Or you can get a valid certificate in your country of origin. Check the dates of the next exams on the official website: www.ielts.com.

Is higher-level or intermediate-level vocational training useful?

Higher-level vocational training will help you. The middle grade no. In the case of Spain, the higher education system is made up of university education, higher artistic education, higher-level vocational training, higher-level professional education in plastic arts and design, and higher-level sports education. Therefore, intermediate degrees are not valid to apply for the Work and Holiday Visa.

Will the first to apply get the visa?

They assign places as applications arrive if all the paperwork is in order. So yes, the first to apply get the visas. They are limited!

Can I apply for the Work and Holiday Visa in Australia if I am outside my country?

Can I apply for the Work and Holiday Visa in Australia if I am already 30 years old?

¿Puedo solicitar la Work and Holiday Visa en Australia si ya tengo 30 años?

You can apply for it until you turn 31. If a person has a birthday on July 3 and applies for the visa on July 1, it is valid and they can give them the visa if they meet the other requirements.

How long will it take to hear about my application?

According to the official government pages, the waiting time is between 3 and 4 months.

• 75 % de las aplicaciones: 3 meses.
• 90 % de las aplicaciones: 4 meses.

What happens if I end up not being able to go? Can I cancel it and request it again in the next call?

If you have been granted the Work and Holiday Visa and cannot enter the country before the deadline or want to apply for another visa, you can request its cancellation to reapply for the next application.
Below we explain the process of canceling the Work And Holiday Visa so that you can reapply for the same visa in future calls:

1. Download the form 1446  from the government website and fill it out.
2. Write a letter in English explaining the reasons why the cancellation is requested.
3. Send the form as the letter to the Australian Embassy in Berlin, to the same address to which the documents to apply for the visa are sent:

Australian Embassy Berlin Visa Office Wallstrasse 76-79 10179 Berlin, Germany.

Si tienes dudas sobre este proceso te recomendamos que llames directamente a la Embajada de España en Australia (+61261960196).

Can my family members be included in the application?

Family members, partners or minors cannot be included in the application. They will have to apply for another visa.

Do I have to certify the documents proving my studies?

In principle it is not necessary. If necessary, they will ask you when they receive your request.

Are medical tests necessary?

There is no need to take a medical exam to send the documents and request it. If necessary, once they have received your application, they will ask you to do it. Do not worry about this!

Do I need health insurance?

VERY IMPORTANT! You must purchase health insurance before traveling to Australia. Although it is not necessary when applying for a visa, once you have your visa confirmed, it is HIGHLY recommended that you hire one because healthcare in Australia is very expensive. Look what happened to Gina for not having health insurance in Australia.

¿Puedo trabajar más de 6 meses con el mismo empleador?

No, no podrás trabajar durante más de 6 meses con el mismo empleador, es decir, a los 6 meses deberás cambiar de trabajo. Actualmente, los Working Holiday Makers pueden trabajar en cualquier lugar, ocupación o industria durante su estancia en Australia. ¡Cualquier novedad será anunciada here!

Will my money be refunded if my visa is denied?

Unfortunately not. The visa is denied if you do not meet the requirements or if the deadline they give you to send new documentation has passed.

What do we know about taxes or Tax Return?

Desde el 1 de enero de 2017, los que trabajen en Australia con la Work and Holiday Visa, tienen una tasa fija del 15 % si ganan 45.000 AUD al año en el país. Y si ganan más… ¡sube el % de impuestos!

Más información aquí: cambios en los impuestos de la Work And Holiday Visa.

News for Working Holiday Makers in Australia:

• People with this visa who have not been able to come to Australia or who have had to leave Australia early due to COVID-19 will be eligible for an exemption when they decide to return to Australia.
• Those who cannot return because they have passed the age limit will be able to claim a refund.
• These changes build on a series of measures announced by the Australian Government to allow Working and Holiday Makers to stay longer in Australia and especially support the critical sectors of health, aged care, disability care, childcare and agriculture.

If you are interested in requesting a refund, you can do so at this link following the following steps:

If you applied through ImmiAccount (or paid through ImmiAccount):

1. Log in to your account ImmiAccount
2. Go to “Manage payments” in the “My payments” drop-down tab
3. Se mostrará el estado del pago
4. Si el estado de pago en ImmiAccount es:
   • “Credit” and then select the “Request refund” option from the action menu.
   • «Paid», you must complete the Form 1424 – Application refund. Fill out and send the completed form to the office that processes your application. If you do not know your processing office, please send the completed form to the nearest office.

If you did not make your request or did not make the payment through ImmiAccountyou will need:

1. Completar el formulario 1424 – Solicitud de reembolso.
2. Send the completed form to the office that processes your application. As we have mentioned previously, if you do not know the location of the office that processes your request, you can send the completed form to nearest office.

Web oficial del gobierno australiano con toda la información en inglés

Finally, we have compiled the most useful websites to apply for your visa. At this link you will find more official information from the Australian government about the Work and Holiday Visa in Australia (always updated with the latest news).

Websites of interest:

• Immigration Australia : On this website you will find all the requirements for this visa and you can make your application.
• Immigration page about Work And Holiday.
• Consulate of Spain in Sydney.They inform you of all the visa news.
• Consulate of Spain in Melbourne: You can read all the information available about the Work and Holiday Visa.
• Australian Embassy in Spain: You can contact them If you need more information, also by phone 91 144 73 90.
• Embassy of Spain in Australia:You can contact them if you need more information.

If you have more questions, enter the Facebook group Work & Holiday 462 Españoles in Australia, where you can contact other young people who have already applied for this visa.

¡Te esperamos en Australia!