r/workingholiday

Hi,

My life is going nowhere and I'm already 32. I'm currently in a training program to become a whale watching guide, but if I can't get a job after that, I'm just thinking of getting a Working Holiday Visa for New-Zealand or Australia.

I always dreamed of travelling to NZ or Australia for months, but at that point in my life, I guess it will not be possible as I'm also looking to go back to university at the end of 2027 if I have enough fund (I want to study in the UK, but it's super expensive if you are international student).

So, is it logical to get a WHV and try to find work in a hostel between January and July and then travel around for a month before returning back home and planning my return to university?

Did any of you did something similar and could give advice?

Thank you.

Can someone please explain to me how I’d get a working holiday in Australia as a hairdresser.

What do people tend to do for accommodation when over there etc ?

I've watched numerous Australia packing tips videos on YouTube and I think all of them recommend packing way too much stuff. Why would I pack a lot of toiletries, and simple T shirts that I can anyways buy once I arrive in Australia? Most videos also tell people to pack towels. Towels take so much space. I don't understand why would anyone travel all the way from Europe to Australia with 20% of their luggage with a fat towel.

Shouldn't I prioritize packing only the things that I cannot get in Australia? For example: certain medications that are only available in home (Germany) - for example: an amazing OTC medicine called Tannacomp etc., toiletries limited to only specialized stuff that I know is cheaper in Germany compared to Australia, etc.

I can only pack 25kg of check-in luggage allowance. Additional bag of 25-kg would cost around 300 euros. I'm sure I could buy many of the stuff in Australia in less than 300 euros instead of getting another check-in bag.

Do you have any sane tips for packing for 1 to 2 years of Working Holiday in Australia? If you're from Europe or Germany: I'm specially interested in what products have a big price difference and are cheaper in Germany, that are worth carrying over.

Hi everyone,

I’d like some advice regarding a trial shift situation in hospitality in Australia (I’m on a Working Holiday Visa).

I first completed a 1-hour trial shift at one venue of a restaurant group, and I was clearly told that this one was a trial.

After that, they asked me to do another shift at a different venue from the same group. This second shift lasted from around 5:30pm to 8:50–9:00pm (about 3.5 hours), where I worked as a runner during dinner service doing regular duties.

The thing is, I’m confused about whether this second shift should have been paid. From what I understand, unpaid trials are usually short and only meant to assess skills.

I’ve already emailed them politely to ask for clarification, but I wanted to know what people here think. Does this sound normal/legal in Australia hospitality?

Thanks!

So I am a 20yr old woman living in the UK. I have only ever lived here and have never even lived by myself, I’ve always lived at home with my parents and brother.

I’ve been working with no studies for the past two years, I don’t have a lot of qualifications to my name but I feel like now is the time to travel. I’d love to go to Japan but I really don’t know anyone who would come with me and I also don’t want to tell anyone I’m even thinking about it.

I think I could get the working visa but I’ve never been on my own in that way and I’m scared of judgment from my friends and family.

I feel like I haven’t accomplished a lot by myself for my self so I’m trying to talk myself into just doing it but I don’t know if I’m being stupid.

Please let me know what you think!

Hi everyone! I’m Italian and I’m considering doing a Working Holiday abroad. I’d really like to use the experience to grow professionally in the non-profit/humanitarian/social sector rather than doing the more typical hospitality jobs like bars or restaurants.

I already have some volunteering experience with vulnerable groups and I’m interested in work connected to NGOs, community projects, youth work, international cooperation or social support services. My goal is to gain experience that could actually help my future career in the third sector.

For those who have done a Working Holiday, which countries do you think are best for this kind of path? Is it realistic to find opportunities connected to NGOs or community organizations while on a WHV? I’d also love to know if there are specific cities, programs or organizations you would recommend looking into.

Thank you!

I keep seeing that people who are on WHV in Australia do 88 days by default as if they need to do it. However, if you want to only spend a year, you don’t need to do the 88 days.

How did you decide that extending the visa by 1 year is worth 88 days of regional work? Did any of you decide against the idea and only staying for the initial one year? Did you regret not extending the visa?

I haven’t made a decision about this yet and would love to get some tips on how to decide

I am looking for some help with an idea I have been thinking of for a while now.

I am 21 years old of Canadian/Mexican nationality working as a luxury car salesman, and I am interested in moving to Italy with no Italian speaking skills. Preferably a bigger city like Florence, Bologna, or Milan for 4 months with a friend to live there by renting an apartment and working full time to pay for expenses while I am there with the holiday work visa program in Canada.

I have done some research and know that I will need a certain amount of money in my account to prove I can support myself financially, have travel insurance and valid documents for my time there.

Not sure if anyone here has done something similar but really my questions are:

Stay- How hard and is it even possible to find a 2 bedroom apartment that would be available for a short term rental of 4 months? Any advice on where to look?

Work- How hard would it be to find work once I am there? Is there a job market that I can explore for temporary work? My plan would be to stay at a hostel for 2-3 weeks while I set the foundation of finding work and an apartment to rent in that period of time. And realistically is there any temporary jobs that can pay enough to cover basic expenses like rent utilities and food? Not planing on living luxuriously at all lol we just need to sleep and eat. Me and my friend would be combing our income to pay for those costs as well.

Any advice or suggestions are open, I need help. I know that things are a lot more complicated than the idea might seem. So I am really looking for anyone that has done something similar or any information that would be helpful to plan this working trip.

Thanks in advance for any help, I appreciate it.

I spent 18 months working in two remote Aboriginal community stores - first in the APY Lands in South Australia, then in Arnhem Land in the NT. Nowhere to spend money, and even the standard award wages accumulate fast.

Total saved: AU$121,920 in 18 months. (Total spent: AU$6,010.)

Most people on WHVs miss a few tax things - Zone Tax Offset adds $1173 a year to your tax return just for working in remote areas, Salary Sacrifice through a Not-For-Profit can make up to $16,900 tax-free, and if you're not entitled to Medicare you can claim back the 2% levy with a Medicare Entitlement Statement.

Full breakdown with employer names, exact wages, tax returns and superannuation payout numbers in the comment.

I’m planning on doing a working holiday in New Zealand in 2027 and I’ve started to be concerned about them rejecting my application due to bipolar. I’m type 2 so not the manic version and have my meds and everything under control atm. Does anyone have any advice on how to approach this or have experience with having mental health diagnosis and getting approved/rejected?

Also how far ahead should I apply for the visa to make sure I have time to get additional information for them if needed?

Hi, 24m from Finland here. I want to see the world and that's why I am planning going to WHV Australia on August - September. Any tips where should i head? what is the best city in the terms of finding a job? I have a bachelors degree on information technology (finding a work from this field is probably impossible at WHV?), but willing to work on basically any job that covers my expenses + some savings for traveling. What are my chances of landing e.g, construction, bar, coffee shop or fast food job if i have no previous experience about those? Did some research and Brisbane seemed like a solid option: chance to find some work in the city and farms nearby. How is the housing situation, is finding a shared apartment hard and expensive?

Any tips or advices would be helpful, thanks!