| If you're planning on being on of the
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| | work"), so there's no danger of losing
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| 30,000 Brits heading Down Under this
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| | any time in Australia if you do apply
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| summer on a gap year or working holiday,
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| | slightly early.
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| then the Australian Visa Bureau has some
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| | About the Australian Working Holiday Visa
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| important advice about when you should
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| | To be eligible for the Australian Working
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| apply for your visa.
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| | Holiday Program, candidates must be
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| The Australian working holiday visa
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| | between 18 and 30 (inclusive), have no
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| programme allows young people between the
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| | children and be citizens of country where
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| age of 18-30 to travel and work
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| | a reciprocal working holiday arrangement
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| throughout Australia for up to a year, or
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| | exists (these include the United Kingdom,
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| if they undertake seasonal work for three
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| | Ireland, Germany and Canada).
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| months, up to two years.
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| | In addition, applicants must prove they
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| Most UK and Irish citizens have little
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| | have 'sufficient funds', roughly £2,200
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| difficulty in applying for their visa,
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| | to support themselves for the initial
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| but where there are potential health
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| | period of their holiday plus a return or
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| issues or criminal convictions, the
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| | onwards air ticket (or the funds to
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| process can be delayed and to avoid
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| | purchase another ticket) and be of good
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| disappointment it is best to apply at
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| | health and character. Criminal
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| least two months in advance of your
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| | convictions are taken into account and
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| planned departure date.
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| | may delay or extend the visa processing
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| "One of the problems we find is that
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| | period.
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| people are applying either too early for
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| | Applications for Working Holiday Visas
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| their working holiday visa, or in most
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| | must be made outside Australia. In other
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| cases, too late," said Amanda Gripske, a
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| | words, applicants cannot be on holidays
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| working holiday consultant for the
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| | in Australia already and apply from
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| Australian Visa Bureau.
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| | within the country. The visa is granted
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| "Usually it takes just a few days to
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| | upon entry to Australia and is valid for
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| process a working holiday visa if all is
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| | 12 months from the entry date.
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| well, but in certain circumstances, for
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| | A Working Holiday Visa allows for
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| example where people may have indicated
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| | multiple entries to Australia, meaning
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| they have a pre-existing medical
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| | travelers can visit other countries in
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| complaint, have spent three months
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| | the region while on their working holiday
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| outside of the UK in a TB high risk
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| | visa. However, any time spent outside
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| country, or perhaps have had a previous
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| | Australia cannot be reclaimed.
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| criminal conviction, then extra checks
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| | As the criteria for the visa are
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| may be required by the Australian
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| | straightforward, other considerations for
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| Department of Immigration and that can
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| | backpackers and career breakers alike
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| take time.
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| | include processing time and the
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| "We have seen people apply just a week
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| | conditions imposed once the visa itself
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| before they were booked on a flight out,
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| | is granted.
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| receive a request to undertake a chest
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| | A straightforward visa application can
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| x-ray (as is commonly required by anyone
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| | take anywhere from 2 days to 6 weeks to
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| seeking to work in a medical or hospital
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| | process. Generally, processing is under
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| environment) and not manage to get the
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| | two weeks, but if applicants have medical
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| results back in time to get their visa
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| | or criminal considerations this period
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| granted before their flight left."
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| | may be extended.
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| Without an appropriate work visa visitors
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| | Once the visa is granted, the conditions
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| are not allowed to undertake any paid
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| | imposed on the holder include the
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| work in Australia. The government has
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| | previously mentioned 6 month working
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| also taken steps to clamp down on
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| | limit for any one employer. Study is
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| "working under the table" by making it a
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| | allowed for up to four months.
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| criminal offence for an employer to give
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| | An Australian Working Holiday Visa is
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| work to anyone without a valid work visa.
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| | activated upon entry to Australia for a
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| This makes it even more important to
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| | period of 12 months from the date of
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| ensure you have a valid visa and apply in
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| | entry. In November 2005, it became
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| good time.
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| | possible to apply for a second Working
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| "We would advise people to apply at least
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| | Holiday Visa. This 12 month 'extension'
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| six to two months before they are
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| | or second visa is available to applicants
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| planning to travel to Australia,
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| | who worked as seasonal employees in a
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| especially if they know they could be
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| | regional area. For a full definition of
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| required to undergo an x-ray or provide
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| | what constitutes seasonal work in
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| background information," added Gripske.
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| | regional Australia, please see the Visa
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| You do have up to a year from the date
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| | Bureau website;
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| your visa is granted to enter Australia
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| | Applications for a second Working Holiday
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| and then you can stay for a full year (or
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| | Visa must be submitted with proof of the
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| 2 if you opt to undertake "seasonal
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| | work completed and in what area.
|
