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 Australia and New Zealand VisasOur guide to applying for a Working Holiday, Student or Travel Visa for a trip Down Under.AustraliaWorking Holiday VisasTo work in Australia you need to apply for a Working Holiday Visa. You need to apply for this before you arrive in Australia, but certain nationalities (including British people) may apply in any country except Australia. You have a year from the date your visa is issued in which to travel to Australia and you are allowed to stay in Australia for 12 months from the date you enter. You can travel in and out of Australia as many times as you like during the 12 months from the date of first entry. However if you depart Australia during your 12 months stay you can't "top up" or recover the period of time spent outside Australia. You are only ever issued one WHV. Note: It is now possible to apply for a second WHV, which will give you 12 more months in Oz. The only condition is that in order to be eligible you must spend 3 months under your first visa doing harvest work in one of the regions of the country. The work restrictions on the visa mean you can only work for three months with any one employer, however there are no restrictions on the type of work you can do. A WHV also allows you to study or do training in Australia for up to three months as part of your year there. A Working Holiday Visa is the best way of working legally and getting paid properly on your travels. If you are doing a round the world trip, Australia and New Zealand will be your likely port of calls for holiday and work. There are a number of criteria you must fulfil as a working holiday visa applicant for Australia: Working Holiday Maker Visa Conditions
Processing your Australian WHM visa You can only process your WHM visa online now on the Australian Immigration website – www.immi.gov.au. If you would like assistance, then Travellers Contact Point provide a visa processing service for the e-visa for only £15 plus the embassy fee which is currently AUD$170 (approx £70). Please note the Australian High Commission in London DOES NOT offer a mail, fax, telephone or public counter WHM visa service. You should receive a reply on the outcome of your visa within 2 working days. Please note you don’t have to send your passport, bank statement or any proof of funds. On arrival in Australia you have to go into the local DIMIA (Department of Immigration and Multicultural & Indigenous affairs) office to get your passport stamped with your WHM visa. Embassy fees and processing methods can change at any time. Other types of visaETA (Electronic Travel Authority) All travellers to Australia (other than NZ citizens) require a visa. An ETA is issued electronically and is valid for 12 months allowing you to stay up to 3 months at a time in Australia. You can get an ETA from the Australian Embassy by applying online (for a charge of $20) and travel agents (the cost will vary from £10 - £14). It is strictly against the law to work on a visitor visa in Australia – with two exceptions - WWOOFing (Willing Workers On Organic Farms), and conservation work. Illegal labour is a political hot topic in Australia and the Department of Immigration will be only too happy to add you to the statistics of illegal workers they have caught and deported! Tourist Visitor Visas This visa does not allow you to work but you can visit Australia for up to 6 months. You are required to show that you are able to support yourself financially and it is open to any age group. The embassy charge is currently £30. Student Visa The Australian government operates an Overseas Student Program (OSP) that allows people who are not Australian citizens to study in Australia. You must obtain a student visa (Form 157A) before you can commence a course of study in Australia. You can be granted a student visa only if you wish to undertake a registered course or part of a registered course on a full-time basis. Students on this scheme can work up to 20 hours per week and up to 40 hours during school holidays (around 12 weeks school holidays per year). Travellers Contact Point represent several approved colleges and universities in and around Sydney. The Student Visa scheme is a great alternative to the working holiday for those of you torn between taking a gap year and continuing with your studies. It is also suitable for those of you who have already used the Working Holiday Visa to return for another extended stay, and a good opportunity if you’re looking to migrate. Studying in Australia and getting a qualification there can boost your migration points by up to 65 (110 is required to be eligible to apply for migration). Other visas such as those enabling permanent immigration, temporary employment or business in Australia are much harder to get than the tourist or working holiday visa. Getting one involves a lot of paperwork, time and effort with potential employers and lawyers. If you are eligible, a working holiday visa is by far the easiest way to work legally in Australia whilst travelling. Key Contacts: www.visas-australia.comwww.visabureau.com/australiaUK Australian Embassy: UK Australian EmbassyAustralian Immigration and Citizenship Information Line 09065 508 900 (calls cost £1 per min) New ZealandWorking Holiday VisasEvery year the NZ government allow 10,000 Working Holiday Visas (WHV’s) to be issued to Brits and 2,700 to Irish. The visa quotas are renewed on the 1st September, and if your application is received after the available places have been filled it will be returned to you and your fee refunded. The WHV is similar to the Australian version. It entitles you to work in New Zealand on a temporary, part time or casual basis for a year. Working Holiday Visa Conditions
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