Which Countries Offer Working Holiday Visas?

Do you want to explore another country for a longer period of time and have a deeper experience than a packaged two week holiday? Why not spend up to a year living and working abroad with working holiday visas?

Working holiday visas generally allow a traveler to be employed in the country during their visit as a way of supplementing their travel funds. Going on a working holiday gives you the chance to live in a foreign country for a longer period of time than you would on a vacation because you will be able to earn money while you are there.

This type of visa also gives you a chance to experience day to day life beyond the tourist zones, make friends with locals and gain a deeper insight into the culture. It’s a fantastic way to travel and going on a working holiday will be an experience you will never forget.

Most working holiday visas schemes are under reciprocal agreements between two countries, because these countries want to encourage travel and the exchange of culture between their citizens. The requirements for each scheme vary between countries but are often quite similar.

Working holiday visas are usually limited to visitors between the ages of 18-30, although some will accept applicants as old as 35. Some of the working holiday visas place limits on the types of jobs that travelers can take or the amount of time they can be employed during their visit. The usual types of jobs that young people get on working holiday visas are in the tourism and hospitality, retail or seasonal industries, but there are plenty of other options available.

Don’t worry about how taking a year off to work abroad will affect your career. Most employers will actually look upon your working holiday favorably, as it shows that you have initiative and that you are capable of adapting to different situations.

In order to qualify, you will need to prove that you have enough funds saved up to cover your expenses while you are first looking for employment. You might also need to purchase health or travel insurance in some countries.

Which Countries Offer Working Holiday Visas?

The list of countries which offer working holiday visas is huge, so you will have a lot of choice when it comes to where you can go. New Zealanders and Australians have the most choice, whereas Canadians and British are a close second.

Remember that these working holiday visas requirements are subject to change and before applying for any working holiday visas you should always do significantly more research pertaining to your own specific situation. 

(If you are more of a visual person, this chart has all the information on working holiday visas)

Please note, Passport holders of EU member countries do not need permission to work in each other countries, these countries are. Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom.

Argentina

Duration: 12 months
Age Limit: 18-30 years
Countries Accepted: Australia, Denmark, France, Ireland, New Zealand

Australia

Duration: 12 months (but no more than 6 months working for one employer)
Age Limit: 18- 30 years
Countries Accepted: Taiwan, Estonia, Belgium, Italy, France, Cyprus, Finland, Hong Kong, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Malta, Republic of Korea, Ireland, Japan, The Netherlands, Canada, United Kingdom

Passport holders from Turkey, Thailand, Malaysia, Iran, Indonesia, Chile, Bangladesh, Argentina and the USA need to apply for a subclass 462 visa and are required to have a tertiary education.

New Zealand citizens of any age can work in Australia indefinitely.

Austria

Duration: 6 months
Age Limit: 18-30 years
Countries Accepted: New Zealand (as well as an exchange program for Canadian graduates)

Belgium

Duration: 12 months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years
Countries Accepted: Canada, Australia, New Zealand

Canada

Duration: 12 months
Age Limit: 18- 30 years for most countries, 18- 35 years for Switzerland, Ireland, Italy, Germany, France, Denmark, Czech Republic and Chile.
Countries Accepted: United Kingdom, Taiwan, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Latvia, Republic of Korea, Japan, Italy, Ireland, Hong Kong, Germany, France, Estonia, Denmark, Czech Republic, Chile, Belgium, Austria, Poland, Ukraine and Australia.

Chile

Duration: 12 months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years
Countries Accepted: Australia, New Zealand, Canada

China

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years
Countries Accepted:  New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Canada. Germany, Republic of Korea, United Kingdom

Czech Republic

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 35 years
Countries Accepted:  Canada, New Zealand

Denmark

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years
Countries Accepted: Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea

Estonia

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 19 – 30 years (18-35 For Canadians)
Countries Accepted: Australia, New Zealand, Canada

Finland

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years
Countries Accepted:  Australia, New Zealand

France

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years
Countries Accepted:  Argentina, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan

*Citizens of Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Monaco, Montenegro, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Seychelles, Taiwan, Uruguay and the Vatican City, as well as British Nationals (Overseas), of any age can work in France for up to 90 days without a visa.

Germany

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years (18-35 for Canadian Citizens)
Countries Accepted: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea,Taiwan

Hong Kong

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years
Countries Accepted:  Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, Germany, Japan, South Korea

Ireland

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years (18 – 35 for Canadians)
Countries Accepted: Australia, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, New Zealand, South Korea

Ireland also has a Working Holiday Visa scheme for US students or recent graduates.

Israel

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years
Countries Accepted: New Zealand

Italy

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years (18-35 for Canadians)
Countries Accepted: Australia, New Zealand, Canada

Japan

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years (18-25 or Irish Citizens, with some exceptions for over 25)
Countries Accepted: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Korea, New Zealand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, Ireland

Latvia

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years (35 for Canadians)
Countries Accepted: Canada, New Zealand

Lithuania

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years
Countries Accepted: Canada

Malta

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years
Countries Accepted: Australia, New Zealand

The Netherlands

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years
Countries Accepted:  Australia, Canada, New Zealand

New Zealand

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years (18-35 in some cases)
Countries Accepted:  Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Poland, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States of America, and Uruguay.

Australians of any age may work in New Zealand indefinitely.

New Zealand is our favourite destination where many countries are eligible for working holiday visas. Check out our article about why New Zealand is a great choice for a working holiday.

Norway

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years (18-35 for Canadians)
Countries Accepted: Australia, New Zealand, Canada

Poland

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years (18-35 for Canadians)
Countries Accepted: New Zealand, Canada

South Korea

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 25 years
Countries Accepted: Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Ireland, Sweden, Taiwan, United States

Singapore

Duration:  6 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years
Countries Accepted: Working holiday visas only for graduates and undergraduates from Australia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, United States

Slovakia

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years
Countries Accepted: New Zealand

Slovenia

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years
Countries Accepted: New Zealand

Spain

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years (18-35 for Canadians)
Countries Accepted: New Zealand, Canada

Sweden

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years (18- 35 for Canadians)
Countries Accepted: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Korea (if unmarried)

Switzerland

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 35 years
Countries Accepted:  Canada

Thailand

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years
Countries Accepted:  Australia, New Zealand and must have certain qualifications. (3 years full time study)

Turkey

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years
Countries Accepted: Australia

UK

Duration:  24 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years
Countries Accepted: Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, Taiwan, New Zealand, Hong Kong, British Overseas Territories

Uruguay

Duration:  12 Months
Age Limit: 18 – 30 years
Countries Accepted: New Zealand

Are you excited to go on your travel adventure yet? Get started your working holiday visas application today!