Work and travel australia
Many are not attracted directly to the university or apprenticeship after school. A wonderful way to take such time off and also finance it is work & travel.
Translated, it means something like work and travel, which also describes the essence of the matter quite aptly. For a certain period of time, get the opportunity to work in a country and earn money. This usually involves taking jobs that don't keep you in one place for too long. For example, you might work for a month, then travel for a month, only to work again in a different location afterwards.
A work and travel visa for australia
In australia, it is not difficult to get an appropriate visa. Through a form, people apply for it online at the immigration and naturalization service. The rest is done electronically, which eliminates the need to go to the embassy or a consulate. It should be noted, however, that one may be required to prove assets of 3000 euros upon entry. Once you arrive in australia, you get a tax number, which is very uncomplicated and you can start looking for a job. The visa is valid for one year and entitles you to 6 months of paid work. However, one may remain with the same employer for a maximum of 3 months. Those who have worked long enough in particularly remote areas can extend their visas for another year.
Finding a job in australia
In larger cities, the hostels are the best places to start. On the bulletin boards you can usually find offers. Jobs in the service sector or as street vendors are particularly numerous in metropolitan areas. Those who have completed education can also try to find a job in the relevant field. Outside of cities, fruit picking is the classic work & travel job. On farms, you can either help with harvesting, weeding and any other chores that may arise. Depending on the size and type of farm, there is something different to do. If you are looking for a job, there is a government hotline that can help you find a job. Otherwise, more often in small towns there are hostels with bulletin boards, or you can simply go to the local market and talk directly to the farmers.
The payment
Payment often varies widely. But is in the $10 per hour range for many jobs. Especially on farms it is possible that you get paid per kilo of harvested fruit. Here it is often necessary to be especially careful, because otherwise at the end of a 10 hour day you will only have 30$. It also depends on what additional benefits the farms offer. Large farms often specialize in backpackers and have built simple accommodation for them. You should also check with hostels that offer to help you find a job. Often you then work for them and still end up putting money on top for accommodation.
All in all, australia is a good choice for this kind of travel. It may take a year to see everything. Despite some black sheep, most employers are friendly and fair.
Work & travel australia visa
Students or young people can spend a tourist stay of up to twelve months in australia on a working holiday visa and work legally to finance their stay. Therefore, this form of stay abroad is also called work & travel. Foreigners are granted the appropriate visa a maximum of two times. The primary purpose of residence must be travel, accompanied only by short-term employment. Who wants to work in australia, should apply for a visa for workers or business travelers.
Application and requirements
Any german citizen between the ages of 18 and 30 can apply for a working holiday visa (subclass 417). In doing so, one must be of suitable age at the time of application, while the australian date counts at the time of application. The applicant must be in possession of a passport. A visa application for a working holiday visa can be made online on the pages of the australian embassy or in writing at the earliest twelve months before the planned entry as well as outside australia. Those with children must choose the written application option. The working holiday visa does not allow children to travel with you. When applying, application fees of 270.00 australian dollars, just over 200.00 euros, must already be paid and documents must be submitted as certified copies and with qualified english translation.
Those wishing to work & travel in australia may require a health certificate that includes a chest x-ray and tests for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. The visa application can only be processed once the test results are available. This is what you should plan for.
The working holiday visa allows entry and exit to and from australia during the 12-month approval period. One can thereby enter as many times as one wishes during the visa validity period. However, the validity of the visa is not extended if you leave and return to australia after three months, for example. You are allowed to work for a certain employer for a maximum of six months. Any type of work is allowed. Study is allowed for a maximum of four months on work & travel. That's why you have to apply for a student visa to study in australia.
The working holiday visa can be granted a second time if you worked in certain fields for at least three months during your first stay. However, it only entitles you to work for an employer who already employed you during your first stay. The maximum period of employment is again six months with each employer and the second visa is also valid for twelve months. It can be applied for in germany or locally in australia, for example if you want to extend your stay for another twelve months.
Since germany does not have a health care agreement with australia, it is advisable for german tourists to take out private health insurance for the duration of their stay in australia. However, it is not a requirement for a working holiday visa.
A police clearance certificate is not mandatory for the first visa application, but may be required in individual cases. You should also have sufficient financial resources, as the australian authorities may also require evidence of this. 5000 australian dollars is considered sufficient for a 12-month stay.
Work & travel australia tips
For those who have little money to spend but still want to see a lot of the world, work & travel is a great opportunity to travel without having to take out a loan. Australia in particular is popular as a destination for many work & travel travelers. But what exactly is work & travel, what should you keep in mind when planning your trip and what is there to consider during your stay down under?
Work & travel is a form of travel that was created to enable young people without savings to travel around the world. The idea behind it is as simple as it is clever: the money for the trip is earned by doing simple jobs on the spot, so the journey is the destination. You get to know the country, culture and people up close and personal, and in this way you can finance even longer stays abroad without bankrupting yourself. Not as a typical tourist who only gets to know his hotel, but as a real explorer you travel to your desired country and take home numerous wonderful impressions and acquaintances.
At the beginning of each work & travel trip is the decision for the desired destination. Those who choose australia usually dream of white sandy beaches and gigantic waves that are perfect for surfing. The second important decision, on the other hand, is of a completely different nature: should the organization of the trip be done through a professional provider or do you want to take the planning and execution into your own hands? One organization takes care of such important matters as applying for a visa, booking a flight and taking out travel and health insurance. Otherwise, you have to think of all these things yourself and plan them independently – preferably some time before you start your trip.
Now it is time to pack! Here you should keep in mind that you will carry your luggage with you during the whole trip at up to 40 degrees in australia, so packing too much would be fatal. Therefore, you should limit yourself to a few practical and versatile items, such as functional clothing that is light and takes up little space. You can also invest in a comfortable backpack and good walking shoes – you will spend a lot of time with these things!
After arriving in australia, you start looking for a job as soon as possible – nevertheless, it is a good idea to plan a small financial buffer for the first days in down under. Finding your way around the country and landing your very first job takes a bit of time. But then it can finally really start! Typical jobs for work & travel travelers are farm work, hotel jobs or office jobs. When looking for a job, three things are essential: a good command of english and an australian bank account, which is best opened as soon as you start your trip. You also need a TFN, the tile fax number, which is comparable to the german lohnsteuerkarte and is indispensable for every job. Often you have to wait a few days for the issuance of this document, but then nothing stands in the way of your work & travel adventure in down under and you can start right away!
Work & travel australia experiences
Last year I fulfilled a long-awaited wish, I spontaneously decided to give in to my urge for freedom and booked a work-and-travel trip to australia.
I made the booking through travelworks, because it made it a lot easier for me to get started. So at least a place to stay for the first days was secured and a few contacts to other travelers couldn't hurt either. In addition, I was supported super with the organizational errands.
My trip to australia started in february with the departure from frankfurt airport. The first leg of the flight took 12 hours, and in singapore I had to change planes, please. After another 12 hours we finally landed in sydney. Thanks to the well-organized transport from the airport to the accommodation I reached my first place quite fast, where I fell exhausted on the bed.
The next day started with a so-called info workshop, which should prepare me and all the others for the coming months. So I went together with a fellow traveler to the meeting point at oxford square. Before I could start my adventure, I had to open a bank account, apply for a tax number and take care of a few other things. Thanks to the support of travelworks everything went very quickly and without any problems. Afterwards my adventure could begin, the job search stood also nothing more in the way.
The choice of jobs in australia is really huge, you just have to be careful not to be too choosy. I had the great luck to be allowed to work as a nanny during the first 2 weeks. A very advantageous job, because I could see sydney at the same time during my working hours. My protege was 6 years old, so we could already do a lot together.
After these 2 weeks I finally decided to continue my journey, because I wanted to see as much as possible. I decided to have a closer look at the highlights of the east coasts. It was beautiful in mission beach, a dream of a beach with coconut trees and everything you usually only see in brochures or postcards. From there I continued by plane to cairns, where I checked into a cheap hostel. Despite the tropical climate there, I liked it very much in cairns because of its central location. Leisure time possibilities without end, I decided among other things for a tour with the speedboat to the coral reefs.
My next destination was finally the city of melbourne, where I wanted to look for a job again. Immediately after my arrival there, it also worked out with the job at a large supermarket chain. My job was to stock the shelves with new products. So definitely nothing special, but at least a secured income for the next weeks, because I also wanted to enjoy the great environment. I found the trip to the great ocean road very impressive. With its length of more than 300 kilometers and the twelve apostles simply spectacular.
After 8 long months, my homesickness was so great that I decided to start the journey home. Since my plane started again in sydney, I made my way back to the metropolis, of course not without a few stops at places worth seeing.
Australia was worth the trip, the country is simply breathtakingly beautiful and the people there are very nice and open-minded, I can only recommend this trip to others.