Australian red rock formation.
Programs From the US

Work & Travel Australia

Overview

Experience Living and Working in Austrailia!

While a working holiday in Australia is quite a new concept for Americans, it’s a rite of passage, a matter of when, not if, for many young people across the globe. Their friends and family have done it and exclaim ‘you just have to do it’. A working holiday in Australia can offer you so much, it allows you to get out of our comfort zone, experience living and working in a new country, meeting new people, picking up new skills and broadening your horizons and opinions on matters further afield than your front door. A working holiday in Australia is a truly life changing experience that can only benefit you on a personal, and professional level. For an employer, someone that has done a working holiday, demonstrates that they are adaptable, independent, flexible, dynamic, organized, can think on their feet and isn’t overawed by new challenges.

Apply to Work & Travel in Australia

 

So Why Australia?

Australia has so much to offer. This is a country that is home to:

  • The Great Barrier Reef
  • Global cities such as Sydney and Melbourne
  • K’Gari (Fraser Island), world’s biggest sand island
  • Uniquely incredible wildlife such as koalas and kangaroos
  • It’s a place where you can surf, ski and scuba dive, all within a week if you want!

 

So how does a working holiday in Australia work?

Americans are able to get a Work and Holiday visa ($462AUD). Some facts about the visa:

  • It is for people between 18-30: This is a pretty big age gap and gives a lot of people the opportunity to participate.
  • It lasts 12 months (initially): This is great as it means that you have time to experience working in
    different places, as well as travel around, ticking off your Aussie bucket list.
  • It can be extended: By doing specified work (rural work, tourism and hospitality) in specific areas,
    you’re eligible to get a 2nd and 3rd year visa.
  • The 2nd and 3rd year visas don’t have to be used immediately: This is great because it means
    you can complete your first year and the specified work within it, then decide whether you
    immediately extend your visa or return at another time.
  • The Wages Are High: Australian wages are very good. The minimum wage is $19.83AUD for full-
    time work and $25.41AUD for casual work.
  • Businesses love internationals: So many different businesses love to enrich their workforce by employing the working holiday participants. This works especially well in seasonal jobs.
  • There are so many other people just like you: Over 200,000 a year do a working holiday in Australia.

Watch this video and be inspired by fellow Americans that recently did a working holiday in Australia.

Wild kangaroos in Australia.
Job Opportunities

In-Depth, Customized Employment Help

Understandably, getting a job is something that is on the front of people’s minds. You’ll be in a new country, with no contacts and no previous work experience there.  Welcome to Travel’s founders were previously working holiday makers and they understand your needs and wants firsthand. They’ve used their, their team’s and all of their travelers’ experience to create in depth, customized employment help for when you arrive.

This includes

  • An employment presentation
  • CV/Resume Writing Help
  • Interview Questions Help
  • Australia workplace specific advice
  • Access to a live job portal
  • A 2-hour employment and travel advice 1:1 meeting (on tour)
  • Access to an employer database
  • Regular job opportunities emailed
  • Monthly Work and Travel Drop in Clinics

Just like the accommodation help, as long as you’re in Australia, our partner Welcome to Travel will be able to help with your employment needs. A lot of people also want to know what they can earn when in Australia.

Hospitality is a hugely popular sector for people on a working holiday. Australia doesn’t have a tipping culture and the tip you’d expect in the US, is already factored into wages in Australia, where wages are high.

The minimum wage is:

  • Part-Time/Full-Time: $19.83AUD
  • Casual Work: $25.41AUD

We’ve explained more on wages and cost of living in these really helpful blogs and vlogs here:

On the IENA Work & Travel Australia Program, you can take any job you are qualified to do, but can only work for the same employer for six months’ maximum. Work and Holiday Visa holders can take casual incidental work to supplement their income while exploring this amazing country. If you would prefer to stay in one location, that is okay too! It’s your choice! We have hundreds of live job listings which are no more than 3 weeks old. Find current job listings.

I think this program is an amazing opportunity for inner growth and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a life-changing experience.
Apply to Work & Travel in Australia
Accommodations

Welcome Week!

Our Partner – Welcome to Travel’s Hosts Welcome Weeks which include 7 nights dorm accommodation. Having your first week is such a great feeling as it means you can relax and get used to a Country and City, with that added support. Not only this but they are also able to help organize your accommodation before and after the tour, whether that’s another night in the same hostel, or a week’s accommodation 3500km away. Not only can they do that, they offer advice on longer term accommodation in an apartment/house in Australia. As long as you’re in Australia, Welcome to Travel is able to help with your accommodation needs.

To give you an idea on the cost of accommodation, check out our estimates below:

  • Extra hostel night with Welcome to Travel: $35AUD
  • Long term hostel: $165-$220 AUD a week
  • Room in an apartment: $180-$250AUD a week
Surfers on sitting on their boards in the water.
Travel Information

What to See in Australia

Enough about working, let’s talk about travelling around this incredible country. The best thing about Australia’s high wages is it means more money to experience more things, in more places!

From surf to desert to city, Australia really does have it all and the list of travelling opportunities is well and truly endless. Australia’s golden trail for travelers is the East Coast. The traditional East Coast route is the 2500km of road stretching from Melbourne to Cairns.

There are thousands of backpackers and students on their own journey but on a similar path, getting the experiences they want to. This journey includes all of those places you’ve heard of such as:

  • Sydney
  • Byron Bay
  • Surfers Paradise
  • Brisbane
  • Noosa
  • Fraser Island
  • Whitsundays
  • Magnetic Island
  • Cairns

On this route you can experience incredible things such as:

  • Surf world class surf beaches
  • Visit 1 of 2 Everglades National Parks
  • Watch sunset in Australia’s most easterly point
  • Drive a 4WD around the world’s biggest sand island
  • Spend 2 days/2 nights on the Whitsunday Islands, visiting the World’s Best Beach
  • Snorkel or Scuba Dive The Great Barrier Reef
  • Visit the World’s Oldest Rainforest

With so many travelers in Australia, there are plenty of great options for travelling around. You can choose to travel the East Coast in a car or campervan rental with friends, or by taking the bus. The bus is perfect for solo travelers as the ticket last for 3 months and lets you get off in one town, explore the place for a few days before getting back on the bus to the next town when you’d like to move on. This is called a Hop-On Hop Off bus pass and it’s extremely cost effective.

Once again, this throws up many questions and there are so many different things you can do. Welcome to Travel’s expertise really has no limits and they help with every single aspect of travelling Australia. You may want to book a 5 week East Coast trip, 1 day car hire in Brisbane, a 5 day Scuba Diving Trip on the Great Barrier Reef or a 3 month Campervan hire around the country, they can help with any of it.

Welcome to Travel is a great place to learn more about the East Coast, as well as get in touch for help on the adventure you’d like to take. Don’t worry if you’d like help travelling to somewhere other than the East Coast, they can do that too.

Red rock formations in Australia.
Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs

If you’re looking to be inspired whilst also learning about Australia, check out Welcome to Travel’s helpful blogs and videos.

Questions About Traveling

Do many people travel to Australia alone?
Yes! Because Australia is a safe country and with so many incredible places to visit, it’s very popular with solo travelers. Our tours are perfect for solo travelers as they’re a great way to meet people and become comfortable with Australia.
When is the best time to come to Australia?
Any time! Australia is so big that it is always warm somewhere. The official Summer is Dec-Feb but down South (Melbourne and Sydney) it is generally good weather from Oct-Mar. Although it gets cooler after that, the North of Australia is always warm. When it’s summer down South, the North has its wet season, meaning when it’s winter down South, it’s actually the dry season up North, and that’s why we say any time!
Do I need a visa to come to Australia?

Yes, you do! If you’re coming here just as a tourist to visit Australia, you’ll need a Visitor Visa. If you’re coming here to work while you’re on holiday, you’ll need either a Working Holiday Visa ($417AUD) or a Work and Holiday Visa ($462AUD), depending on which country you’re from. Find more information and a list of the various visas.

How do I apply for a visa?
We recommend organizing this as soon as possible. The application can be completed through your travel agent, or directly through the same Australian Government website as above. We always recommend checking Australian Government website for any specific inquiries.
How much money would you recommend bringing to Australia?
This depends on trip length, your travel style (backpacker or flashpacker) and what you are wanting to experience here in Australia. According to the Australian Government, you need $5,000AUD in your bank account on arrival if you’re coming on a Working Holiday visa. This is a good savings target if you are wanting to either travel for a month or set yourself up for working and living in Australia after the Welcome to Travel week. However, everybody is different and to give yourself the best chance of experiencing as many things as possible in Australia, we would recommend just saving up as much as possible before you come travelling.

Questions About a Working Holiday in Australia

How will I find a job?

Our Partner – Welcome to Travel will provide exclusive tips, resources, and guidance towards finding a job and farm work in Australia.

They will provide you with all the basic information needed to get started, and give you access to Their huge database of employers and contacts in sectors such as hospitality, retail, construction, sales and marketing and many more. This is all before having a 1-on-1 meeting with them, where they will go over how they can specifically help you find work.
They also send out a weekly update email that highlights the most recent job and farm work opportunities they come across.

Do I have to do farm/regional work?
No! However, if you are on a working holiday visa ($417AUD) and want to extend your visa to a 2nd or even a 3rd year, then you would need to do some specified work, often farm work/rural work. All the necessary specifications can be found on the government website.
How do I get a 2nd year and 3rd visa?

If you are on a Working Holiday Visa ($417AUD) or Work and Holiday Visa ($462AUD) then you need to complete at least 3 months of specified work in a specific area of Australia to earn a 2nd year visa.

The specified work differs between $417AUD and $462AUD visas. $462AUD visa holders have the additional sector of tourism and hospitality (in northern Australia only) added to the specified work list.
You can find all the necessary specifications for a $417AUD visa and a $462AUD visa on the government website.

How do I apply for a visa?

We recommend applying as soon as possible.
The application can be completed through your travel agent, or directly through the same Australian Government website as above.

We always recommend checking Australian Government website for any specific inquiries.

What is Superannuation and am I entitled to it?
Superannuation is Australia’s pension fund scheme.

Being on a working holiday, you’re entitled to have a superannuation account and your employers have to pay into this account.

Do I need a bank account?

If you’re traveling as a tourist for just a few weeks, you don’t need one – a travel card will be great. With cheap rates, tiny fees and a really to use app, we always recommend Wise.

If you’re here for a longer period of time (for example, on a Working Holiday Visa) then it’s highly recommended to open an Australian bank account. It’s an extremely easy process that our Partner – Welcome tours will assist you with. Not only will you save a lot on exchange/transaction fees, but employers will only pay wages into an Australian account. Don’t worry about it now, Welcome tours will help set it up for you in the weeks leading up to your arrival.

What is a Tax File Number?

This is basically a personal identity number created for you by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). It is required if you want to work in Australia, so that you can be correctly taxed on your income from day one.

You will provide this number to each employer you have while you are in Australia and your tax will be deducted from your wage accordingly, just as it would be in your home country.

Sydney, Australia skyline.
Application and Fees

Stage 1 of the Application

Please set up an IENA account and complete the online IENA Outbound Program application. We will assess your application and then invoice you for payment of our program fee. After payment is processed and you are accepted to the program you will be emailed stage two of the application process.

Stage 2 of the Application

  • Applying for your visa – don’t’ worry, IENA will provide step-by-step instructions and guidance on how to secure your visa!
  • Booking your flight to Australia – IENA’s preferred travel provider can assist with flights.
  • Purchasing travel and medical insurance – it is a visa requirement that you have proof of medical coverage (including medical evacuation and repatriation of remains) on entry to Australia. Note: You will not be covered under the socialized medical system in place in Australia.
  • Job reference from a previous or current employer.

Application Deadlines: Please allow 4-6 weeks for application processing.

Program Fees

Essentials: $485

Other costs to consider for all options:

  • Flights – Special flight deals are available through our preferred travel provider
  • Travel and medical insurance (this is a visa requirement)
  • Visa fee currently AU$485
  • Support funds equivalent to AU$5,000 (this is a visa requirement)

Cancellation Conditions

If you cancel from the program before your stage two deadline you will be charged a cancellation fee of $100. If you cancel after you have reached stage two, no refund is possible.

Any cancellation must be received in writing and is only effective from the date we receive it. Please note that separate cancellation fees and conditions will undoubtedly apply to any flight bookings you make.

Apply to Work and Travel in Australia
Silhouette of a group of people in a field at sunset.
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