OZ working holiday visas – good news for Irish applicants
Young Irish workers have been granted an additional five years in which they can venture down under for work and travel.
Prospective Irish travellers can now apply for an Australian working holiday visa up to the age of 35.
Successful applicants can spend up to two years working and travelling around Australia.
The previous age limit had been 30 for Irish candidates.
The agreement between the Irish and Australian governments is reciprocal, meaning Aussies can also come to work in Ireland.
Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said the purpose of the move was to “promote cultural exchange and strengthen people-to-people links by creating opportunities for young people to travel.”
Ireland and Australia first signed the deal which created the working holiday programme in 1975. Since then, it is estimated that more than 275,000 young Irish people have journeyed to Australia under this scheme to gain valuable life experience.
In fact, more than 8,600 Australian working holiday visas were issued to Irish citizens in 2017 alone - with many living and working in regional and rural areas of Australia during their stay.
How you can apply
If you’re interested in securing an Australian working holiday visa, you can apply with Visa First.
Aside from meeting the age limit requirements, there are a number of other criteria you must meet in order to apply for this visa. These include:
First visa – you must not have previously held an Australian working holiday visa
Passport validity – the expiry date of your passport must cover the duration of your stay in Australia
Sufficient funds – you must provide a bank statement as proof you have enough money to support yourself in Australia (AUD 5,000)
Personal requirements – you must be of good health and character
Children – the visa does not allow you to bring dependent children with you to Australia