A working-holiday visa lets a young person from one country live and work in another for a year or two, usually in any job, with the holiday as the stated purpose and the work as the means. The schemes are bilateral and reciprocal, which is why eligibility depends on your passport and not on your plans. Around 60 countries run them; the ones that matter for English speakers are Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the UK's Youth Mobility Scheme, Ireland, Japan, South Korea and a dozen European countries.
Who qualifies
Age 18 to 30 at application is the standard window, extended to 35 for some nationalities (UK, Canadian, French, Irish and Italian citizens for Australia; Canadians for several European schemes; Australians, Canadians and New Zealanders for the UK). Most schemes require proof of funds (roughly $2,500 to $5,000), a return ticket or the money for one, health insurance for the stay, no dependent children, and a clean record. Some are quota-capped and run ballots (Japan for several countries, the UK for India, Korea for the US). The Visa & Work Finder lists each programme with age limits, duration, fees where verified, the official page and the date we last checked.
What the work pays for
Australia and New Zealand are the money-makers: hospitality, farm and construction work at minimum wages that, after rent, still bank $1,000 to $2,000 a month for a frugal worker, enough to fund six months in Asia or Latin America. Canada's IEC pays similarly in ski resorts and cities. European schemes pay less and cost more to live on; their value is residence in Europe rather than savings. Japan and Korea pay modestly, but a year there on a legal visa is the point.
The small print
- One shot per country is the norm; Australia offers a second and third year for specified regional work (UK citizens are exempt from the work condition since 2024).
- Apply from home for most schemes; some allow in-country applications.
- Employer limits: Australia caps time with one employer at six months; Korea caps weekly hours under some agreements.
- Tax: you will pay it; register properly and claim refunds on departure where allowed.
- Insurance: required for the whole stay in Canada and several European schemes, and sensible everywhere.
Sequencing a year
A common shape: three months travelling cheaply in Asia, six months working in Australia or New Zealand through their summer, then three months spending the proceeds on the way home. Another: a Canadian ski season, then South America for its autumn. The gap-year planner places the work block in the calendar and lists the programmes you can use.
Programme rules change every year. Treat every row in our database as a prompt to read the official page, which is linked on each one.
Sources
- Australian Department of Home Affairs: Working Holiday Maker program ↗
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada: International Experience Canada ↗
- UK Youth Mobility Scheme visa ↗
Research and information only, not financial, legal, immigration or medical advice. Figures are dated; verify against primary sources before acting. Portions of this site are compiled with AI-assisted research. Editorial policy · Report an error
