Working Holiday Visa

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G’day!



Not long now- I shall be leaving in approx four hours for Dubai. As I’m going Stir-crazy in anxiousness/ excitement I thought I best take some time out to write the blog I promised about the Working Holiday Visa.

Just a bit of background to the workforce in Ausralia- their population is 23 million. At any one point there are about a million backpackers in the country, that is alot of tourism and casual work to be done. Being as backpackers are a fundamental slice of Aus labour market, the government created the Working Holiday Visa. (Subclass 417) The visa is initially for a year and if you want a second year you must complete 3 months of ‘ seasonal work’ in the rural parts of the country. Examples of this include fruitpicking, animal husbandry, mining and farmwork. I have never ever done any of these things, but I suppose it will be a good craic working alongside other backpackers and it also provides a welcomed change from a life of grime in Environmmental Health 😊 That and it would build up the funds to travel to my next destination or fund my crazy travel plan.

Talking of which, I have managed to get an interview with Sydney City Council for the 30^th of April , so I shan’t be going to Melbourne any time soon. They have advertised for an EHO for 2/3 months and I think being in central Sydney would be awesome! For any EH buffs reading this- the big Environmental Health recruiters are Hays (https://www.hays.com.au/) Aspect Personnel www.aspectpersonnel.com.au and Logo App- Local Government Appointments http://www.logoapp.com.au/

Getting the Working Holiday visa was extremely easy, I just went on the immigration departments website(http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/working-holiday/), gave them about £250 and I had an email confirming my visa the next working day. Success! There are companies out there that will sort this out for you at a charge but to be honest its quite straight forward and cheaper to do it yourself.

The conditions of the visa are that you are unable to work for the same employer for more then six months meaning you have to move around and also you can’t do more than 4 months of study ( not really any issue for me) As mentioned to qualify for a second year down under you must pick fruit ect and risk getting eaten/ bitten by spiders and snakes. Also, you must be under the age of 30, have no criminal record and be in good health.

I haven’t put any photographs up yet as I’m sure you all know what Walsall looks like, but rest assured I will be snap happy to keep you satisfied and content.

My Next blog will be about my travels in Dubai. Until then, keep it classy People of Britain!



JJ x

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Comments

[Sarah Hughes]

Good luck and safe travelling johnny boy :) xxx