As of 1 January 2016, citizens of the Slovak Republic and Slovenia can apply for the Work and Holiday (Subclass 462) visa. These new visa arrangements will allow 200 young adults between 18 and 30 years old from the Slovak Republic and another 200 from Slovenia visit Australia for up to 12 months each year. The arrangements will also allow an equivalent number of Australians to visit the Slovak Republic or Slovenia each year.
Exclusive Work & Holiday Visa List
The Slovak Republic and Slovenia join an exclusive list of countries who are eligible for the Work and Holiday visa including countries such as the USA, the people’s republic of China, Thailand and Chile. The Work and Holiday visa allows successful applicants to work in Australia for up to six months with any one employer, study for up to 4 months and leave and re-enter Australia any number of times while the visa is valid.
The Work and Holiday (Subclass 462) Visa
The Work and Holiday (Subclass 462) visa is different to the Working Holiday (Subclass 417) visa in that the former requires a letter of support from the applicant’s government, requires applicants to speak functional English and meet educational requirements. Additionally the Work and Holiday visa does not allow applicants to apply for a second year visa unlike the Working Holiday Visa. Your eligibility for either the Work and Holiday (Subclass 462) or the Working Holiday (Subclass 417) will also depend on your country of citizenship.
Both these visa programs significantly benefit the Australian economy, especially in the hospitality and tourism sectors. As a result, the DIBP is looking to expand the programs further and is in the process of negotiations with another 12 countries including Mexico, Hungary, San Marino, The Czech Republic, Latvia and Andorra.
The work and holiday visa programs are also a popular pathway to the Temporary Work (Subclass 457) visa which subsequently could lead to a permanent residency visa. If you are interested in learning about you visa options for Australia, call us for a consultation today on +61 7 3229 4025.