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Months-long waits threaten Australian working holiday plans
Months-long waits threaten Australian working holiday plans
dpa internationalFollowDPAWed, September 16, 2026 at 12:48 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleAnyone planning a working holiday in Australia should expect longer processing times for their Working Holiday visa. Applications submitted from outside Australia can now take several months to process, local officials say.
"Do not book flights or make travel commitments until your visa has been granted," the Department of Home Affairs is now warning travellers on the Working Holiday visa website.
The longer processing times are due to visa applications being prioritised for people who are already in Australia.
AdvertisementAdvertisementTo apply for the visa, applicants must be at least 18 years old. The upper age limit was raised from 30 to 35 this year for citizens of four countries. The higher age limit now applies to: Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Republic of Cyprus, Republic of Ireland, Republic of Korea, UK.
The visa is valid for a stay of 12 months and costs 840 Australian dollars (around €520 or $600 US) and allows holders to work locally to help finance their trip.
Under certain conditions, the visa can be extended twice by a further year each time. The cost of a second and third Working Holiday visa is A$1,000 dollars — a follow-up visa can also be applied for after returning to the person's home country. The higher fees apply in that case as well.
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