Work Holiday Visas: Requirements And Best Countries [2024]

We’re only young once, right? When you’re in your 20s, you have the luxury of being footloose and carefree. Why not take that opportunity and choose your own adventure anywhere in the world, with a Working Holiday Visa?

What is a Working Holiday Visa?

A Working Holiday Visa is an agreement between two countries which allows the youth of those countries to work in and travel around the partnering country. 

The aim of the visa is to foster relations between the two countries through cross-cultural appreciation and mutual understanding. 

The nature of the relationship varies from country to country, but there are certain considerations which are universal. Because this is a youth exchange, Working Holiday Visas have an upper age limit. In other words, once you reach a certain age – usually around 30 or 35 – you are no longer eligible for the visa. 

The duration of the visa differs too, though it’s usually valid for between 12 and 24 months. Because the focus of the visa is to experience another country, regardless of which country you’re in, the majority of your stay should involve tourism and travel. Your work is a means for you to afford that travel.

Because of these restrictions, a Working Holiday Visa suits a young graduate, or perhaps someone between careers. 

Benefits of a Working Holiday Visa

There aren’t many other opportunities besides the Working Holiday Visa which allows you to live and work in another country with so few prerequisites. A degree is not required for some of them, and if you have one you don’t need to work in that specific field. 

In fact, the Working Holiday Visa has no restrictions on the type of work you can do during your time in the country. What they do regulate is the length of time you work for. 

Let’s look at an example:

If Aussie Emma enters the UK on a Working Holiday Visa, works for 6 months as a waitress in London and spends another 6 months seeing the sights of the United Kingdom before heading back to Australia, that’s totally cool. But if she works as a teacher in a state school for an academic year before heading home, then she should rather be on a more formal work permit with some other kind of visa than a Working Holiday Visa.

But the biggest benefit of a Working Holiday Visa is the opportunities it provides for cultural immersion. Living and working in a country is very different to visiting as a tourist. A Working Holiday Visa gives you a taste of another lifestyle, another culture, another way of living.

And that, we think, is priceless!

Working Holiday Visa requirements

Requirements for a Working Holiday Visa depend on your nationality and the country you are applying to. In this post, we’re going to focus on Working Holiday Visas for US citizens.

US citizens can choose to apply for a Working Holiday Visa for six different countries: Australia, Ireland, Singapore, New Zealand, Canada and South Korea. 

Requirements for each visa vary relating to:

• age
• duration of stay
• duration of work permitted
• cost

Do I need a degree for a Work Holiday Visa?

It depends on the country you are going to. 

If we consider American citizens applying for a Working Holiday Visa in these 6 countries, the following is required of US citizens:

• Australia: a Senior Secondary Certificate of Education or equivalent
• Ireland: be currently enrolled in a degree, certificate or diploma programme or have graduated in the 12 months prior to application
• Singapore: be currently enrolled in an undergraduate program or be a graduate
• New Zealand: no degree needed
• Canada: no degree needed
• South Korea: be currently enrolled in a tertiary institution or recently graduated 

Is there an age requirement for Working Holiday Visas?

Usually, yes. Working Holiday Visas are part of Youth Exchange programmes between countries. They are aimed at the youth, so there is a cap on the age you can be to apply for them. How old that cap is, is different in each country!

Read more: Mature Teachers: Is There An Age Limit For Teaching English Abroad?

Do I need to speak English for a Working Holiday Visa?

For certain countries, yes. You need to prove a certain level of proficiency in English. Citizens of countries which don’t have English as an official language must show a certain score on an international English test. 

Luckily for US citizens, if you have a valid US passport, this is not an issue.

How much money can I make with a Working Holiday Visa?

This depends on the job you are doing and how many hours you are working. The country you’re in also makes a difference, as salary rates vary, as well as costs of living.

Here’s a handy table outlining the minimum hourly wage and average monthly cost of living in each of these six countries (calculated in dollars for ease of reference):

 

Country	Minimum hourly wage	Monthly Cost of living
Ireland	$13.60 (€12.70)	$2,316
Singapore	none	$2,169
Australia	$15.50 (AU$ 23.23)	$1,944
New Zealand	$13.90 (NZ$ 22.70)	$1,782
Canada	$11.30 (C$15.50)	$1,701
South Korea	$6.29 (₩8,720)	$1,154

 

Remember, Working Holiday Visas are not designed to make you millions. The whole idea of the arrangement is for you to experience another country’s lifestyle and culture.

Most popular Working Holiday Visa jobs

Working Holiday Visas generally forbid permanent work i.e. working on a full-time, permanent basis. Short-term contracts or hourly work is the name of the game. Ultimately this affects the kind of jobs people do on Working Holiday Visas. If you’re a business owner looking to employ someone remotely without the need to setup an entity, try an employer of record.

Hospitality

Hospitality jobs offer a wide range of positions to suit anyone, from hostels and guesthouses to 5* hotels. Jobs include:

• Waitrons
• Concierge
• Receptionists
• Chefs
• Cleaning staff
• Front-of-house

Working in hospitality you are bound to be working with other travellers in the same boat as you, which gives this working environment a fun, dynamic energy. 

As an added bonus, you might get your accommodation for free!

Retail

If you’ve got the gift of the gab and can sell ice to an Eskimo, you should consider a job in sales!

Retail jobs are fun and flexible. These jobs suit people who are charismatic and outgoing. A knowledge of the product you are selling is a bonus.

Food and drink industry

This one’s for the party people!

Working in the food and drink industry means long hours, odd hours, and sometimes not-so-glamorous working conditions. But think about it: you’re at work at a party! 

Bartending and waitering are very common jobs for Working Holiday Visa-holders. You don’t need any previous experience, on-the-job training is given – and the tips can be amazing!

6 Countries to get a Working Holiday Visa for US citizens

US citizens are eligible to apply for Working Holiday Visa for Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore and South Korea.

Australia

Australia is a popular destination for obvious reasons: sun, the great outdoors, good vibes. Common jobs include waitering, bartending, retail and farming.

Requirements:

• 18 – 30 years
• At least a high school diploma
• AU$ 5,000 (US$ 3,300) in savings and a return ticket out of Australia or the monetary equivalent
• Clean health check and health insurance
• Clean criminal record
• Cost: AU$ 635 (US$ 420)

Restrictions:

• Valid for 12 months
• Employment with one employer for 6 months maximum
• No dependent children 
• Study for no longer than 4 months
• Can only apply from outside Australia

If you’d like to stay in Australia for longer than 12 months, you can apply for a Second Working Holiday Visa provided you have completed a minimum number of hours in a specified industry (subclass 462 work, to be specific). This work includes construction, fishing, farming and tree-felling in certain areas in Australia.

Canada

A Canadian Working Holiday Visa is also known as International Experience Canada, or IEC. Once you have submitted a profile to IEC, you have a chance to be sent an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for a work permit. 

US citizens need to enlist the assistance of a Recognized Organization (RO) to apply to the IEC. An RO is a Canadian-based organization that help youth work and travel in Canada. ROs applicable to US citizens include GO International, SWAP Working Holidays, and the International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IASTE).

Popular jobs in Canada include seasonal work, such as ski and snowboard instructors, wait staff, housekeepers and maintenance staff at holiday resorts. 

Requirements: 

• 18 – 35 years
• Savings of CAD $2,500 (US $ 1,800)
• Health insurance for the duration of your stay
• Return airfare to home country
• Cost: CA$ 170 ($125) plus possible additional costs related to the RO

Restrictions:

• Valid for 12 – 24 months
• No dependents

There are a limited number of Working Holiday Visas granted every year so you are not guaranteed an ITA. 

Ireland

US citizens need to apply for Working Holiday Authorisation from the relevant Consulate General or Embassy in the US. 

Popular jobs in Ireland include: tourism, tech, hospitality, childcare

Requirements:

• 18+
• You must be currently enrolled in a full-time (not part-time or online) degree, diploma or certificate program, or have graduated in the last 12 months
• Savings of € 1,400 (US $1,500)
• Medical/travel insurance for the duration of the trip
• Return flights 
• Cost: € 250 (US $270)

Restrictions:

• Apply outside Ireland

US citizens can apply for a Working Holiday Visa for Ireland more than once if they meet the requirements each time, provided at least 6 months have passed since the expiration of the previous Working Holiday Authorization.

New Zealand

Popular jobs in New Zealand include hospitality, agriculture and adventure tourism.

Requirements:

• 18 – 30 years
• Savings of NZ $4,200 ($2,500)
• Clean health check
• Clean criminal record
• Medical insurance for the duration of your stay
• Cost: NZ$ 455 ($280)

Restrictions:

• Valid for 12 months
• No permanent work
• Maximum of 6 months of study
• No dependent children

Singapore

Singapore’s Work Holiday Programme is open to only 2,000 applicants a year.

Popular jobs are internships in a variety of industries like fintech, marketing and IT.

Requirements:

• 18 – 25
• be currently enrolled in an undergraduate program at a recognised US institution or be a graduate of a recognised US institution
• Cost S$ 175 ($130)

Restrictions:

• Valid for 6 months

South Korea

Popular jobs in South Korea include farmwork, hospitality work, marketing and communications, and au pairing.

Requirements:

• 18 – 30 
• ₩3,000,000 ($2,100) savings
• Proof of student status: currently enrolled in a tertiary institution or recently graduated
• Return airfare to home country
• Health insurance for duration of stay
• Cost ₩62, 500 ($45)

Restrictions:

• No dependent children
• Maximum of 18 months
• Certain jobs prohibited e.g. medicine, law, English teaching

3 Alternatives to Work Holiday Visas

While Working Holiday Visas are a great option for many, they might not be applicable to some of us. In South Korea, for example, teaching English is not a possible job option for Working Holiday Visas. Or, maybe we know we want to move abroad without the restrictions of a Working Holiday Visa. 

Then what are our options?

Teaching English abroad

Yes, we might be biased, but teaching English abroad is one of the best ways to experience a different culture and earn money at the same time. 

Teaching positions can be short-term (summer camps, language schools and universities) or long-term (schools). 

The beauty of teaching is that you can choose your job. In other words, you can decide where you want to work, who you want to teach, how much you want to work, and, essentially, how much you want to earn. 

Read more: Teaching Off The Beaten Track: 9 Alternative TEFL Destinations

Becoming a digital nomad

One of the downsides of a Working Holiday Visa is that it encourages you to stay in one country for the duration of the visa. After all, that’s the whole point of the visa – to experience another culture. 

Being a digital nomad allows you to travel the world. More and more countries are offering Digital Nomad Visas which let you live and work remotely in a country for a certain amount of time.

Digital nomads work remotely so they only need a good internet connection to do their jobs. Popular digital nomad jobs include marketing, web design, writing and editing.

Read more: The Digital Nomad Visa: A Ticket To Your Best Life

Volunteering overseas

Volunteering abroad is a great option for those who are not focused on making money and are looking for ways to make a contribution to the greater community.

Volunteering can be related to conservation, education, fundraising and community support.

To do or not to do a Working Holiday Visa

A Working Holiday Visa can be a great idea for American citizens if you’re looking to work for a short time in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore and South Korea.

A Working Holiday Visa can allow you to teach English abroad for a short time. But if you think you’re ready for a more long-term challenge, why not take a closer look at teaching English as a foreign language? 

Check out our TEFL courses and you could be jetting off to a whole new life before you know it!