Australia’s Working Holiday (subclasses 417 & 462) program offers young travelers the opportunity to explore the country while funding their adventures through short-term employment. Recent changes have extended the age limit for certain nationalities, allowing more individuals to take advantage of this unique experience.
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Age Limit Increased to 35 for Some Nationalities
Countries with age increased
This is great news for travellers over 30 years old from a few countries! Indeed, the age eligibility for applying for an Australian Working Holiday Visa expanded to 35 years for some nationalities!
- In 2018, Working Holiday Visa Australia age limit increased to 35 years for Canadian and Irish citizens.
- In 2019, it was France that announced the same change !
- Since 2022 the age limit for Italian and Danish citizens wanting to work and travel in Australia has also increased by five years – from 30 to 35 years of age. Australian citizens up to the age of 35 will also benefit from reciprocal arrangements with Italy and Denmark.
- And finally, since July 2023, the age limit increased to 35 years for UK passport holders!
Migration Act Extract
Those changes can be seen in Schedule 1—Countries or regions, passport conditions and age requirements in the instrument Migration (Arrangements for subclass 417 visa applications) Instrument (LIN 22/051) 2022 and Migration (Arrangements for subclass 417 visa applications) Amendment Instrument (LIN 23/047) 2023.
It is also noted on the immigration website under the ‘age condition’ for a WHV.
Australian legislation clearly defines the age limit for Working Holiday visa makers :
(2) The applicant:
(a) holds a working holiday eligible passport of the kind, or of one of the kinds, specified in a legislative instrument made by the Minister for the purposes of this subclause; and
(b) is aged at least 18 and no more than:
(i) 35; or
(ii) if a younger age is specified in the instrument mentioned in paragraph (a) for the kind of passport the applicant holds—that younger age.
Therefore if no age is specified, it means that the age limit is 35 years old.
Other partner countries (such as Germany) are still in the process to amend the bilateral Working Holiday Maker agreement expanding the eligibility age to 35.
In Summary: 🧑🎓 Who Can Apply Up to Age 35?
As of 2023, citizens from the following countries can now apply for a Working Holiday Visa (WHV) up to the age of 35 (inclusive):
- United Kingdom
- Canada
- France
- Ireland
- Italy
- Denmark
For all other eligible countries, the age limit remains at 30 years.
For UK Passport Holders 🇬🇧
The UK – Australia Free Trade Agreement has entered into force and the age limit for UK passport holders has been increased to 35 since July 2023.
With the agreement, UK passport holders are able to:
- apply for a Working Holiday visa between the ages of 18 and 35 years inclusive since 1 July 2023
- can be granted up to three separate Working Holiday visas without having to meet any specified work requirements. These arrangements apply to all Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa applications lodged by UK passport holders on or after 1 July 2024.
UK passport holders, including those who previously entered Australia on a Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa using a different eligible passport, do not have to meet the specified subclass 417 work requirement when applying for a second or third Working Holiday visa on or after 1 July 2024.
More info : UK – Australia FTD
Key Points About the Age Limit
- Application Timing: You must apply for the WHV before your 36th birthday.
- Visa Granting: It’s acceptable if the visa is granted after you turn 35, as long as the application was submitted before your 36th birthday.
- Multiple Visas: Eligible individuals can apply for up to three WHVs, each requiring specific regional work (UK passport holders exempted).
Extending Your Stay: Second and Third WHVs
People currently on a Working Holiday Visa in Australia (subclasses 417 or 462) and over 30 years old, are eligible to apply for a second or third year visa if they are from France, Ireland, Canada, Italy, Denmark and UK.
For Subclass 417 visa holders, you’re eligible to apply for a second year if you have completed three months (or 88 days) of specified work in regional areas of Australia during your first year visa. This work often includes farming, fishing, mining, and construction. Holders of a second Subclass 417 visa can apply for a third year by undertaking six months of specified work in specified regional areas during their second year.
For Subclass 462 visa holders, a second year is possible if you complete three months (or 88 days) of specified work in northern Australia in certain industries, including tourism and hospitality, agriculture, forestry, and fishing. As with the 417 visa, a third year is possible for 462 visa holders who complete six months of specified work during their second year.
Benefits of the WHV Program
- Work Opportunities: Engage in various short-term jobs to fund your travels.
- Cultural Exchange: Experience Australian culture firsthand.
- Travel Flexibility: Explore Australia’s diverse landscapes and cities.
- Extended Stay: Possibility to extend your stay up to three years with additional regional work.
Been a month since the last hearing
You guys must have a lot more faith and patience in the UK government than I..
😉
Hi, any advice on how to get a PR visa ? Doubt the age will be increased in time for me now and desperate to go before Jan.
https://www.londonworld.com/read-this/australia-offers-skilled-uk-workers-jobs-to-emigrate-full-list-of-jobs-including-nurses-and-mechanics-4029938
Good article on the positives of living in Australia
I’m aiming for permanent residency at some stage but unsure of how to obtain it.
I keep reading different bits of information but as an unskilled worker, I don’t even know if this would be an option
Hi Dan, could be depending on your situation and professional experiences. Please check https://www.australia-backpackersguide.com/living-australia/ for some options. Cheers
I have 16 years in retail in the UK. I am a supervisor so I’m one level below assistant manager.
I will be doing it alone, no kids or partner. No criminal record etc.
The information out there is confusing at times
Hi Dan, I’m in a similar situation. Trying to work out how to secure PR but not currently on any Skilled visa options.
I’ve read that an option is to learn a trade (carpenter, electrician etc) out in Aus. Check out pathway to Aus. It is very expensive though and will take a few years. There is high demand for tradies out in Aus however.
Another option is to just reach out to employers if they offer sponsorship. Most will say no but you might luck out with a couple. Otherwise, best bet is to just get out there and network like crazy. You never know what opportunities might come up.
Hey guys, yes going on a student visa to get to the PR… can be a long process and quite pricy but worth it 🙂
I’ll check it out!
I know for a fact that if I go out on a WHV, whether it’s one or three, I won’t want to come back to the UK.
Although it would be one hell of an experience, I’ll just come back to the UK depressed and back to where I started… Living at home with my parents and stuck in a dead end job
I’m checking this every week at the moment for updates! Thanks guys for all the info.
I’m 33 this June so have time on my hands but ideally i want to go this year and get at least 2 years out there. Sick of the UK – place has gone so off the boil
I agree! Wish they’d just get on with it so I can quit my job and get out there
I wish they would just announce a date for it, instead of leaving us all to guess and wait.
Dan
The Trade Bill is pretty much focused on creating the laws necessary for free trade. Once it’s passed FTA will enter into force and then trade etc as lined out in the deal will be able to start. The visa changes are (probably) not one of the things that will change immediately.
The interesting thing is that neither government needs to change any laws for the visa changes to happen. They could do it now if they wanted to they just happen to have agreed to do so after EIF of the FTA. So it’s not an issue of laws or needing the trade bill, they’ll just do it when they want.
So the short answer is probably no, the visa changes won’t happen on EIF.
I’m still confused on this. The EIF part, if it enters in to force at the end of March say, does that mean all parts of the deal become effective/law? or can certain bits (visa age) come into effect at any stage after?
Fingers crossed Charles. The Australian PM said in November 2022 that a trade agreement with the UK will be settled in the first quarter of 2023. This was in an article on Bloomberg, so hopefully an earlier date is agreed but both governments.
Fingers crossed
Thanks Lee. You and me both haha. For anyone looking for a reason to be optimistic:
The terms of the FTA are that it will enter into force one month after both sides have implemented the necessary laws unless a different date is otherwise agreed upon.
Like Emma I was also under the impression the UK govt had committed to EIF in Q1 2023 (although I don’t have a source to back that up). So it’s still possible it could start in Q1 if both governments agree to an earlier start date.
Losing hope it’s more reason why I want to leave the U.K. because of the government!, Charles has helped this group/forum massively with information just like everyone else. And everything he’s said has been true and fair. But to put your frustration with a comment like that won’t make things quicker or better.
This is not benefiting any of us. But things we have to accept as it’s out of our hands.
What happened to it coming into force in quarter one 🙁 oh well, hopefully it is passed by the summer!
Hahaha ok.
I understand that you are feeling apathetic about this situation and that the reality of it is not meeting your expectations but getting personal is counterproductive. It’s probably a good idea to stop. Not for my sake but because it might deter someone else in our position with a genuine question or useful information from posting which would mean we all miss out.
We all want the same thing. I hope we get good news and you feel better about all of this soon 🙂
Charles will still defend his beloved UK government and that they are working diligently to pass the bill XD
14th March? Are these bastards taking the piss?
Clearly in no rush for whatever reason.
Where does it mention 14th March?
Never mind, just seen it! Surely it’s not going to be that late!? I thought it was all going to be completed by Middle of March, guess not! The closest I’ve got to going to Australia is my new passport that will be coming soon….literally can not do a single thing else, just like many others on this forum….it’s kind of pi**ed me off now 14th March, what a load of shite
Hi everyone,
I’ve been following this page for a while, thanks for all the updates!
Looks like the report stage has now been scheduled for 14th March
Hi Gem, let s hope it will move forward!
Since you know so much, what does your crystal ball tell you about when your government is going to approve this deal?
Haha thanks. That’s kind to say but I don’t think I know “so much”. Just what I manage to find with Google 🙂
You don’t need any kind of prescience to know when it will be approved because that happened in December 2021 when both sides signed the FTA.
But if you’re asking when I think it the Trade Bill will be made law: when it receives Royal Assent. Just like in Australia the UK Parliament announces the dates of each stage one at a time and as it hasn’t completed the penultimate stage the date of Royal Assent cannot be announced (if it will be at all).
It’s very likely that the UK will do what Australia did and not announce a date for the bill to become law but just say that they “expect” it to pass during a particular week/parliament sitting.
You’re right to be optimistic Dan; the Trade Bill is very close to being passed. The HoL acknowledged that even with the Procurement Bill superseding it the Trade Bill is still needed to allow the FTA to start as soon as possible.
A big issue with this has been that Australia took sooooo long to take care of their side. As the FTA overwhelmingly benefits the Australian economy the onus was on them to bring the necessary laws into force and they just dropped the ball over and over. The old government holding elections before their JSCOT could publish its report, the new government not forming a new JSCOT for TWO MONTHS after coming into power then immediately going on holiday and two months later shutting down again during a JSCOT sitting period are all examples.
If you look at the UK parliament timings they started work on the Trade Bill shortly after Australia and then just paused it until Australia had finished mucking around. There was just no incentive for the UK to rush as their counterparts weren’t in a hurry to facilitate billions of additional trade for themselves.
None of this really matters now though. It’s very close to getting passed and we’ll hopefully have more info about visas soon 🙂
So the political turmoil in the UK had nothing to do with the delays..? Lol
I initially thought that it did too but if you look at the timings that just doesn’t seem to be the case. In fact, they restarted work on the Trade Bill during the latter half of the political turmoil. The UK govt essentially put the process on hold for four months from May to September while they presumably waited for Australia to show some indication that they wanted the deal to go through.
I was incorrect in my previous comment though: I said that the UK govt waited for Australia to stop delaying before they restarted work on the bill. However, it actually seems like they got tired of waiting and and took the initiative to start the process without any indication Australia was making effort to pass their side. If you look at the time from second reading in HoC until now in HoL the UK’s time frame has been five months which is comparable with New Zealand.
As Dan said: It’s quickly moved through the stages in UK parliament.
You can argue all you like
The facts are that Australia is the only country keen to push through this FTA and the UK is the one holding up the show, with no clear end in sight. Even Australian diplomats have flown over to speed up the process.
I wasn’t arguing :). It’s all good, we want the same thing here.
I was just pointing out that Australia made at least four major blunders that significantly held up the process and would have disincentivised the UK from rushing their side 🙁
Well, the ministers didn’t travel specifically for that. They were traveling for EU trade talks and dropped by the UK.
New Zealand are the real heroes in all this though. From starting work on their trade bill to it getting royal assent in five months. It’s very impressive and even quicker than the UK is going to be.
I dunno, I like to think that seeing as how quickly its moved through the different stages we are going to be pleasantly surprised. I think all of a sudden its going to pass and come into force sooner than we expect.
Or am I just being too optimistic ?
Hope is the only thing I’m holding on to at the moment. My mate whose in Brisbane said its a shame I cant go now as he has a job opening where he works. Seeing as he’s in charge of hiring, I could just walk straight into it.
Still radio silence from the UK government and media on this FTA.
Maybe it has been put on the back burner, again.
Hi guys, I have been following this forum for quite a while hoping to gather some insight into when the visa age will be lifted. I am 32 years old and live in Sydney, but really want to move to London with my friend who already lives there (she has dual citizenship). It feels a little hopeless just waiting around for this age thing to take place. I am aware other countries like France and Ireland already have this visa age in place, but I don’t want to live somewhere that I don’t know anybody.
Does anyone know if theres any other possible visa I could apply for in order to live and work in the UK. From what I can see, it is very difficult to work over there unless you have prior work lined up.
Thanks in advance!
Steph
Hi Steph, yes seems quite difficult indeed. We have no news so far regarding the FTA… which is quite annoying for everyone.
Dan
If what was said is true then yes and if not; consideration of amendments normally only takes a day anyway. Report stage and 3rd reading are usually on the same day but in some cases report stage can go for a few days. A lack of amendments should keep it short though.
I’d expect a date to be set for the report stage this week. Let’s see what happens 🙂
So does this mean there were no ammendments our side?
If so, does that mean the consideration of ammendments phase will be tricked off immediately once it reaches that stage?
Or have I got the wrong end of the stick completely lol?
Based on how everything has been handled from the UK government, it will be a long while before we hear anything and kept in the dark
There hasn’t been official confirmation from the UK Parliament regarding the following (at least none I’ve found) but here is some encouraging quotes from the Aussie agriculture minister:
“I met with the House of Lords committee that was considering the legislation that underpins the UK Free Trade Agreement while I was in London.”
“And since I’ve returned that committee has actually passed and recommended the support of the legislation without amendments.”
“So it’s through the committee stage. It now has to go back to the House of Lords for its third reading.”
https://www.beefcentral.com/trade/watt-reports-positive-progress-on-uk-fta/