Ok so we couldn’t get an interview with these guys ...something to do with security or something, but they did send us the official word on all things visas;

So check out the below – this is all 100% correct, as it came from a very nice guy at the Department of Immigration in Australia.

• Australia is continuing to expand its Working Holiday visa program to enhance cultural development, support the tourist industry and help employers meet needs for seasonal workers.

• Australia's Department of Immigration and Citizenship says the number of Working Holiday makers has almost doubled since 2000.

• Australia now grants more than 130 000 of these visas each year. The largest source countries are Britain, Korea, Germany, Ireland and Japan.

• Most working holiday makers apply for their first one-year visas online at www.immi.gov.au

• Applicants must hold a passport from one of 19 eligible countries, be aged 18 to 30 and meet health, character and financial requirements.

• Visa holders can work in Australia for up to six months with each employer, and study for up to four months.

• Visitors can apply for a second year-long working holiday visa if they do three months seasonal work for a primary producer -- such as a farm or mine -- in an eligible regional area while on their first working holiday visa.

For more information, go to www.immi.gov.au/visitors, contact an Australian embassy, or phone the Department of Immigration and Citizenship contact centre in Australia on 131 881.

Many people who first come to Australia on working holidays return to do skilled work, and some go on to become residents and citizens. If you are unsure if this is the visa for you OR you want to find out more about other types of visas to come to Oz –try this cool VISA FIND tool powered by the Department of  Immigration, Australia. It’s awesome. All you have to do is answer a few simple questions and it can give you all the info on visas you might be eligible for, the forms to down load and fill out and heaps more.

Yup, that’s right peeps. good news.

if you’ve  loved the land down under so much and can’t bare the thought of leaving the golden sand and sunny skies;  a secondary Working Holiday visa for Australia is possible!
all you have to do is three months work in regional Australia. so pick apples, help on a sheep farm, pick strawberries, oranges, or mangos...the good old Australian way.

now the catch is,  you must apply for this extension whilst still on your first current working holiday visa.

So to grab this golden ticket if you;

• Must be between 18 and 30 (inclusive) when you apply for your Australian Visa
• have NO dependent kids
• hold a passport from: Belgium, Canada, Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR (the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China), Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan, UK.
• have a valid passport for the entire period of your stay in the UK
• have worked for three months, full time, as a seasonal worker in regional Oz on an Australia Working Holiday Visa.
• have enough cash to support yourself during your initial stay in Australia.

so what is seasonal work?

this website, Harvest Trail says it all. But in a nutshell it’s any type of work undertaken as an employee of a primary producer; apples, strawberries, tomato’s, grapes, even pearl finding...

the site also has jobs listed, a guide about working conditions, transport and accommodation, an info line number for all your questions ; National Harvest Telephone Information Service 1800 062 332, and loads more info. It’s an absolute must if you are looking into working here for another 12 months.

Harvest Trail is a website run by the Australian government so you can be 100% sure the info you are getting is correct and up-to date. 

what is considered regional Australia?

any area outside of Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, NSW Central Coast, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Perth, Melbourne or the ACT

and one last important bit...

be sure to get this form as evidence you have done the seasonal work. this form must be filled out by all the employers you do seasonal work for during the first 12 months of your time in Australia.

Working Holiday visa: Employment verification

happy pickings

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