New changes to working holiday visa in Australia for Brits

Changes To The Working Holiday Visa in Australia

In accordance with a long-awaited revision, the working holiday visa (subclass 417) will now be available to those between the ages of 18 and 35, an increase of five years from the previous cap of 30. Since the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement (UKFTA) was established in 1975, this is the only amendment that has been made to the visa.

The change means 16 million people will now be eligible for the visa, and with 35,000 British citizens already taking advantage of the opportunity, numbers are only set to rise.

More Changes Set For 2024

In addition to this news, on the 1st of July, 2024, Britons will be allowed to apply to live and work in Australia for up to three years without having to meet any specific employment criteria. The Working Holiday visa (Subclass 417) is targeted at 18-35 year old Brits living in the UK who are looking to live and work in Australia for up to 12 months.

The visa also permits study for up to 4 months in an Australian institution, as well as full-time, part-time or voluntary work.

Opportunity Down Under

With approval rates skyrocketing and decisions on visas taking anywhere from 14 days to 24 hours in some cases, thousands of Brits are jumping at this new opportunity to go down under.

The visa isn’t capped at just 12 months, as in some cases applicants are able to stay on for 2-3 years if they are committed to regional or farm work; dependant on their visa conditions, employment contracts, and legality with the Australian government. For non-farm working Brits on the working holiday visa, their stay can be extended for a further 12 months after their initial year providing they have worked at least 3-6 months of their stay.