How to get a Australia Working Holiday Visa for Filipinos: Requirements, fees, and more (2024)

From iconic cities like Sydney and Melbourne, to serene coastal towns and even the outback, Australia has much to offer. Thus, Down Under has become an attractive destination for digital nomads and remote workers, who tap its thriving economy and well-established tech ecosystem.

The working holiday visa provides a valuable opportunity for Filipinos to live, work, and travel in Australia for up to a year. In this guide, we will delve into working holiday visa Australia requirements for Filipino applicants. To help you better receive, spend, and convert your finances while abroad, we’ll share more about Wise for international money management.

How to work in Australia for Filipinos?

When planning to work in Australia, Filipinos must apply for the appropriate work visa in Australia based on the type of job they are seeking. Australia offers a variety of working visa options¹, each tailored to specific industries and skill levels.

For example, a music director may want to explore Australia’s Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189), a type of skilled migration visa that invites skilled workers to fill in-demand roles and live permanently anywhere in Australia. There are also short stay work visas, which include the Australia working holiday visa for the Philippines – officially known as the Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462).

How to apply for work in Australia?

Filipinos applying for Australia working visas must do so online, via the Australia Government’s Department of Home Affairs website. In addition, applicants for the working holiday visa in Australia must meet certain requirements2. For the Work and Holiday Visa, these include age, English language skills, tertiary education qualifications, a clear criminal record, a clean bill of health, and sufficient income for your stay.

In this guide, we’ll look at the working holiday visa Australia requirements for Filipinos; more specifically, the Work and Holiday Visa (subclass 462).

Australia working holiday visa for Philippines citizens

The Australia working holiday visa is designed for young Filipinos between the ages of 18 and 30 who want an extended holiday in Australia while supporting themselves through temporary work. This work and holiday visa allows them to live, work and travel in Australia for up to 12 months.

As the working holiday visa in Australia allows holders to leave and re-enter the country as long as their visa is valid, Filipinos enjoy the flexibility to travel not only within Australia but also to nearby countries and back home during the holidays.

What can you do with a working holiday visa for Australia?

With the Australia working holiday visa, Filipinos can do short-term work in Australia to help fund their travels within the country. They can even study.

Here is what you can and cannot do with this Australia Work and Holiday visa:

• Only take up temporary jobs, typically not exceeding 6 months with the same employer in the same location
• You can take up any job, as long as it is legal employment
• Those who work at least 3 months in a specific role³ can be eligible to apply for a second Australia Work and Holiday visa
• Study for up to 4 months, or 17 weeks

Some jobs you might undertake are roles in the tourism and hospitality sector, agricultural work, construction, or even render recovery help in bushfire affected areas.

Australia working holiday visa requirements for Filipinos

The working holiday visa Australia for Philippines citizens was announced in September 2023, after the Governments of Australia and the Philippines signed a Memorandum of Understanding the previous year.

Here are some of the main eligibility conditions Filipinos must fulfil to successfully apply for the working holiday visa Australia:

• Be 18 to 30 years old at the time of application
• Apply from outside Australia
• Are not accompanied by dependents/family, and must apply on their own
• Have a tertiary qualification
• Have at least a functional command of the English language
• Have about 5,000 AUD (about 193,000 PHP) for your initial stay, plus the fare to where you are going after leaving Australia
• Meet the Australian health requirements, which includes going for tuberculosis screenings
• Have a clear criminal record, which may require you to produce a police certificate as proof
• You or your family must not owe money to the Australian Government
• Sign the Australian values statement to confirm that you will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws when you apply for the visa

While processing times for the Australia Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) vary due to various factors, 50% of applications are processed within 36 days.

Do also note that the Australia Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) is different from the Australia Working Holiday visa (subclass 417). The latter is not available for Philippines citizens, and does not require tertiary qualifications and a functional command of English.

How to apply for a working holiday visa in Australia

Here is an overview of the application process of the working holiday visa Australia for Filipinos:

• First, do your checks: Are visa applications still open, eligibility, health exams, etc. Get help from a registered migration agent if needed
• Then, gather your documents: health, police and education certificates, proof of income, etc
• Complete the online application via the Australia Department of Home Affairs website (you will need to create an ImmiAccount first)
• Attach your documents pay the application fee of 650 AUD (about 25,000 PHP)
• Wait for further instructions (if any). Do not arrange travel to Australia yet – update if anything regarding your application changes
• Receive the Australia Work and Holiday visa application outcome and details in writing

One key point to note during the application process is that there’s a quota for the Australia Work and Holiday visa each year. For the Philippines, as announced, this is limited to 200 young Filipino and Australian passport holders. The cap is for each program year, which runs from 1 July to 30 June the following year. Hence, it is a good idea to prepare ahead and apply from as early as July to improve your chances of getting a visa slot.

Australia working holiday visa fees

In addition to the application fee, Filipinos applying for the Australia Work and Holiday visa also need to pay for associated costs such as medical examinations, insurance, renewing their passport if needed, going for an English language test, and so on.

To obtain the police certificate, there is a national police clearance administrative fee of 150 PHP payable. There might also be administrative fees payable to your bank to obtain proof of funds, and tax statements.

Other costs include paying for your accommodation once your Australia working holiday visa is approved, buying your air ticket, and even setting aside tuition fees if you plan to take a short course. While you may intend to work, budgeting is also a priority, as the cost of living⁴ in Sydney, Australia is significantly higher than that of Manila, the Philippines.

Use Wise to receive and make payment in AUD with absolutely no hidden fees for a seamless working holiday in Australia

Before heading to Australia for your working holiday, it’s a great idea to first open a Wise account to help you better manage your money easily while abroad.

The Wise multi currency account allows you to receive money directly with 8+ local currency account details, including AUD. This way, you receive your salary directly without the need to open a local bank account. You can also hold 40+ currencies in your account, and send money to 160+ countries – making it a breeze to convert AUD back to PHP at the mid-market rate, with low transparent fees⁵.

Additionally, you can use the Wise card for everyday expenses in Australia, whether through contactless payments or chip transactions. At times where you need cash, the Wise card also offers some free ATM withdrawals per month of up to PHP 12,000.

Getting an Australia working holiday visa is definitely a dream come true for Filipinos who want more time to explore this incredible destination while gaining work experience there. Use this guide to help you sail smoothly through the application process, and aid your financial planning by getting a Wise account even before you begin your Aussie adventure.

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1. Working in Australia - Australia Department of Home Affairs
2. Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) First Work and Holiday Visa - Eligibility
3. Specified work for Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) - Australia Department of Home Affairs
4. Numbeo: Cost of living comparison between Manilla, Philippines and Sydney, Australia
5. Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing: Only Pay for What You Use for the most up-to-date pricing and fee information.
6. Eligibility is subject to verification of customers identity.