Great news for Working Holiday makers:
From 1. November 2018 Irish and Canadian citizens can apply for a Working Holiday visa up to an age of 35 years! This is an increase from the current maximum age of 30 years. For all other countries eligible for the Working Holiday visa the maximum age remains 30 years.
On 5. November the Australien government has announced several more changes regarding the Working Holiday visa program (417 and 462 visa). The most important changes at a glance:
- The maximum period a Working Holiday maker can work with the same agricultural employer will be lifted from 6 to 12 months
- A third year visa will be introduced. Working Holiday makers who complete from 1 July 2019 onwards six months of regional work in their second year will be eligible for a third year visa!
- The number of places available in the Work and Holiday maker program (subclass 462) will be increased by lifting the annual caps available to a number of countries participating in the subclass 462 visa program.
- Work and Holiday makers (subclass 462) will be able to undertake regional plant and animal cultivation work in additional priority areas to become eligible for a second visa.
These measures aim to help farmers in regional and rural areas around Australia to resolve labour shortages.
