Over 22 thousand people from Ireland were granted Working Holiday Visas for Australia in 2008/2009. With the jobs market looking bleak – many unemployed Irish young people are thinking about going to Australia in 2011 for a year .
You will need a Working Holiday Visa to allow you to stay in Australia for up to 12 months and work.
This visa is for people aged 18 to 30 years of age, who are interested in a working holiday of up to 12 months in Australia.
Ireland is one of several countries participating with Australia in the Working Holiday Program.
An Australian Working Holiday Visa allows you to :
* enter Australia within 12 months of the visa being granted
* stay for up to 12 months
* leave and re-enter Australia any number of times while the visa is valid
* Work in Australia . You can do any kind of work in Australia. However, you can only work with the same employer for up to six months.
* study for up to 4 months.
More details about the rules and how to apply for a Visa below
You must have access to sufficient funds to support yourself for the initial stage of your holiday. Usually $5000 AUS dollars will be regarded as enough You should also have a return or onward ticket or the funds to pay for a fare to depart Australia.You may be asked to provide evidence of funds . Evidence may include a certified copy of a bank statement and an air ticket out of Australia.
A first Working Holiday visa cannot be extended beyond the 12 month validity period. However, if you have completed three months of specified work in regional Australia on your first Working Holiday visa, you may be eligible to apply for a second Working Holiday visa.
All working holiday visa applicants have to meet health criteria. You may need to undertake a medical examination which may include a chest x-ray, HIV, Hepatitis B and/or Hepatitis C test.All required health examinations must be completed before a decision can be made on your visa application.If you need a medical examination, the cost is not included in the visa application charge .
It is a very good idea to take out health insurance for the duration of your stay in Australia. You should be able to get health insurance through a health insurance provider in Ireland.
The application fee is $230 Australian Dollars – about €150 Euro – you must complete application form 1150
Or you can apply online here