A year abroad in Australia – but too old for Working Holiday?

A year abroad in Australia
The Working Holiday visa is the classic visa for people planning to spend a year in Australia. But although the Australian Working Holiday visa carries an age limit of 30 years, this does not mean that you cannot apply for this visa after your 30th birthday.

Who hasn’t dreamed of taking a break, dropping everything, starting a new chapter in life, and experiencing new adventures? Well, Australia offers a whole range of options for turning that dream into a reality. The simplest and most uncomplicated is certainly the Working Holiday visa (subclass 417). But that’s just for people in their twenties, right? At least that’s what most people believe about Australia’s work and travel option.

Although most work and holiday travellers have just finished school, education or studies, this does not necessarily mean that this visa is only for the under-30s. If you’re smart, there is a way to spend a year abroad in Australia with a Working Holiday visa even if you’ve already turned 30. Under Australia’s immigration laws, people between the ages of 18 and 30 can apply for a Working Holiday visa. This means that the application for this visa must be made before the applicant’s 31st birthday. Once the visa is granted, you have 12 months to activate your visa by entering Australia, and you can stay for a total of 12 months. This means that you can still head off on your personal work and travel adventure at the age of 32.

So, if you want to take a break upon completion of your studies or even after some years in the workforce and you’re keen to spend a year abroad, then a Working Holiday visa is still an option.

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