Currently the AEC is able to assist students who are planning on going to Australia on the Working Holiday visa. The Australian Government’s Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) is the organization that manages Australia’s official visa policy. Information that is provided to you has been compiled from information that is available through that Department.

According to the Australian Government’s Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) website, it states that the Work and Holiday Visa “encourages cultural exchange and closer ties between Australia and other participating countries.” The DIAC site also states that “Australia is the first country with which the United States has entered into a Work and Holiday visa arrangement.”

Applicants from Canada are eligible to apply for the Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417).
Applicants from the USA are eligible to apply for the Work and Holiday Visa (subclass 462).

As there are applicants from other countries living in North America as permanent residents or international students, the following information is made available for the benefit of students who hold nationalities from other countries beyond Canada and the USA.

The Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417) is also available to applicants from: Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan and the UK.

The Work and Holiday Visa (Subclass 462) is also available to applicants from Chile, Thailand and Turkey. There are slight differences in the two visa categories.

In the case of the Working Holiday Visa for Canadians (and the list of countries listed above):

• Applicants need to be aged between 18 and 30 years of age
• Applicants must enter Australia within 12 months of the issue of the visa.
• Applicants may use the visa as an opportunity to work short term in order to supplement the cost of the holiday.
• The primary purpose of travel to Australia must be travel.
• Applicants can apply for the visa on the basis of staying in Australia for a period of up to 12 months.
• It is possible to have multiple entries so that students traveling to other destinations (e.g. the Asia Pacific region or say, New Zealand) can travel and still return to Australia to continue with the visa as long as this happens during the validity of the visa.
• Applicants must not remain in one job for more than 6 months.
• Applicants may undertake studies for a period of no more than 4 months during the validity of the visa. (Applicants will need to pay for the full cost of their study if they choose to enroll in classes.)
• Applicants must have sufficient funds for their round trip travel or for their return travel back to their home country as well as sufficient funds to cover them at least for the earlier stages of their stay in Australia.

In the case of the Work and  Holiday Visa for Americans (and the list of countries listed above):

• Applicants need to be aged between 18 and 30 years of age and must have been studied at college level, except US nationals who can apply with high school graduation completed.
• Applicants must enter Australia within 3 months of the issue of the visa.
• Applicants may use the visa as an opportunity to work temporary or casual jobs only in order to supplement the cost of the holiday.
• The primary purpose of travel to Australia must be travel.
• Applicants can apply for the visa on the basis of staying in Australia for a period of up to 12 months.
• It is possible to have multiple entries so that students traveling to other destinations (e.g. the Asia Pacific region or say, New Zealand) can travel and still return to Australia to continue with the visa as long as this happens during the validity of the visa.
• Applicants must have sufficient funds for their round trip travel or for their return travel back to their home country as well as sufficient funds to cover them at least for the earlier stages of their stay in Australia.

The cost of the visa is A$195 (use currency converter here to convert into US$ or other currencies)

If you use AEC services for pre-departure, arrival, housing and 5 day tour package, then you will pay an additional sum of US$390 for the AEC program.

There are very few limitations on the visa, however, applicants must have sufficient resources to cover their airfares and living/travel expenses at least for the earlier stages of their stay in Australia.

Yes. The AEC is able to assist you from point of arrival into Sydney International Airport to travel to Canberra and a 5 night program to include:

• assistance on arrival
• housing on arrival
• a dossier (pre-departure) kit of resources for contacts within Australia related to work, travel, study and housing.
• a complete 5 night program from date of arrival into Australia which will include:on arrival bus journey from Sydney International Airport to Canberra, the Nation’s Capital (3 hrs travel time)
• 5 nights housing in shared backpacker dorm style hostels.
• a 5 day bus pass for travel within Canberra
• a detailed visits program which takes participants to numerous city attractions and places of significance in Canberra, including Australia’s Parliament House (seat of Australia’s Government).
• Access to health insurance (students must pay extra for health insurance)

The AEC will provide the following services for a fee of US$390:

• assistance on arrival
• housing on arrival
• a dossier (pre-departure) kit of resources for contacts within Australia related to work, travel, study and housing.
• a complete 5 nights program from date of arrival into Australia which will include:on arrival bus journey from Sydney International Airport to Canberra, the Nation’s Capital (3 hrs travel time)
• 5 nights housing in shared student dorms
• a 5 day public bus pass for travel within Canberra
• a detailed visits program which takes participants to numerous city attractions and places of public significance in Canberra, including Australia’s Parliament House (seat of Australia’s Government).
• Access to health insurance (students must pay extra for health insurance)

It is important that you read all the information available at

The Immigration Website 

before you apply for assistance through the program. This is an Australian Government Fact Sheet and provides you first hand information about the program.

Once you have decided that you are interested in the Working Holiday Visa and intend to go to Australia, you may request on-arrival (5 night) assistance package from the AEC program. Please proceed to an application