We know you want to get stuck into the fun part of mapping out your Australian travel itinerary. But before you do, it’s important to make sure your visa requirements are all sorted. With several different options available, we know it can be slightly confusing when it comes to knowing which one to apply for. That’s why we’re guiding you through the types of tourist and working holiday visas you might require when travelling to Australia.
Australia offers ‘Tourist’ visas and ‘Working Holiday’ visas. Depending on how long you plan to stay in Australia, what your purpose of travelling to Australia is, and which country your passport is from, will determine which one you need to apply for.
Overwhelmed? Let’s break them down!
Tourist Visas
A tourist visa is your go-to option if you’re looking to purely holiday while in Australia (that is, not undertake work). Let’s have a look at the Electronic Travel Authority Visa (601), the eVisitor (651) and the Visitor visa (600).
Electronic Travel Authority visa (601)
Stay: Visit Australia as often as you wish within 12-months. Stay for up to 3 months each visit.
Cost: No Visa Application Charge (VAC). There may be an application service charge of AUD $20.
You Can: Visit family and friends • Cruise or have a holiday
You Can’t: Work
To Apply: Apply using the Australian ETA App
eVisitor (651)
Stay: Visit Australia as often as you wish within 12-months. Stay for up to 3 months each visit.
Cost: Free
You Can: Visit family and friends • Cruise or have a holiday
You Can’t: Work
Other Requirements: You must hold a passport from an eligible country. Eligible countries include:
- Andorra
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Monaco
- The Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Republic of San Marino
- Slovak Republic
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom – British Citizen
- Vatican City
To Apply: Apply online. You must be outside of Australia when applying.
Visitor visa (600)
Stay: 3, 6 or 12 months may be granted.
Cost: From AUD $145
You Can: Visit family and friends • Be here as a tourist
You Can’t: Work • Be here for the purpose of business or medical treatment
To Apply: Apply online. You must be outside of Australia when applying.
Working Holiday Visas
A Working Holiday Visa is what you’ll need if you’re looking to work (and travel) in Australia. There are two visa options available: The Working Holiday Visa (417) and the Work And Holiday Visa (462).
Working Holiday Visa (417): What Is It and Who Can Apply
1 July 2023 Update: For UK passport holders, please read more here.
The Working Holiday Visa (417) is a 12-month visa that allows you to:
- Do short-term work in Australia;
- Study for up to 4 months;
- Travel to and from Australia as many times as you want; and
- Do 3 months of specified work to become eligible for a second Working Holiday Visa.
You can apply for this if you are 18-30 years old (inclusive) – or 18-35 years old if you are a Canadian, French, Italian, Danish or Irish citizen – and hold a passport from an eligible country. Eligible countries include:
- Belgium
- Canada
- Republic of Cyprus
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (including British National Overseas passport holders)
- Republic of Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Republic of Korea
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Sweden
- Taiwan (other than an official or diplomatic passport)
- The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
1 July 2023 Update For UK Passport Holders
- From 1 July 2023, UK passport holders aged between 18-35 inclusive can get a Working Holiday (417) visa. This was previously 18-30.
- From 1 July 2024, UK passport holders can be granted up to 3 separate Working Holiday (417) visas, without having to meet any specified work requirements. This means, you could stay in Australia for a total of 3 years without doing specified work, like farm work.
- If you’re a UK passport holder and have already spent 1 or 2 years in Australia on a Working Holiday (417) visa before the new updates started, you’re in luck. You can still apply for the remaining visa(s) from 1 July 2024, which means you can still access up to 3 years in Australia.
Work and Holiday Visa (462): What Is It and Who Can Apply
The Work and Holiday Visa is very similar to the Working Holiday Visa (417), however it applies to those with passports from different countries. The Work and Holiday Visa (462) lasts 12-months and allows you to:
- Do short-term work in Australia;
- Study for up to 4 months;
- Travel to and from Australia as many times as you want; and
- Do 3 months of specified work to become eligible for a second Work and Holiday Visa.
You can apply for this visa if you are 18-30 years old (inclusive), and hold a passport from an eligible country. Eligible countries include:
- Argentina
- Austria
- Chile
- China, People’s Republic of
- Czech Republic
- Ecuador
- Greece
- Hungary
- Indonesia
- Israel
- Luxembourg
- Malaysia
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Slovak Republic
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Thailand
- Turkey
- Uruguay
- United States of America
- Vietnam
Stay Up To Date
Stay up to date with the latest visa rules and eligibility requirements on the Australian Government’s official page.Here, you can explore
Visa sorted! Ready to book accommodation?
Set your sights on Sydney when you arrive to Australia. It’s the perfect base from which to launch your ultimate Australian adventure, and is so extraordinary to fly into, viewing Sydney’s harbour from above. Wake Up! Sydney Central is one of the city’s most top-rated backpacking hostels, providing affordable accommodation with an incredible community atmosphere. Prefer to stay by the beach? Why not check out Wake Up! Bondi Beach, with its panoramic views of world-famous Bondi.
