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The Working Holiday Visa (WHV) scheme is an innovative set of agreements between participating countries that offers you the freedom to travel around a country, gives you the possibility to work to cover your expenses, and provides many opportunities for unique experiences. Still deciding whether to leave home on a WHV? Here are 16 unique perks of a WHV that should convince you to pick a destination right now!
1. Easy-to-meet admissibility requirements
The WHV is an inclusive program. Most WHV programs don’t require specific training, education or work experience to apply—all backgrounds are welcome! It’s probably the easiest temporary work visa to get: pretty much anyone between 18 and 30 (or 35 for some countries) can apply, regardless of their background or current situation (student, intern, job-seeker, recent graduate, etc.). However, don’t forget to get check eligibility requirements for each country before you apply.
One caveat: you need to have enough money saved (sufficient funds in your bank account) to cover your expenses at the beginning of your trip. That said, saving for a couple of months or years before applying for a WHV is doable if you set your mind to it!
2. A straightforward application process (with some fine print)
For most destinations, applying for a WHV is straightforward. For example, for Australia and New Zealand, the application process is completed online and visas are usually issued in a matter of days (if not hours). Some countries have an unlimited quota for how many WHVs are given out. Other participating countries do have annual quotas, but these are rarely reached (or are only reached at the very end of the calendar year).
The main exception is Canada. As many know, for this country, demand exceeds supply. It used to be easier to obtain but beating the quota has become harder over the years, and there is now a lottery system in place.
Note: Current or past major health issues or criminal background could affect your ability to apply for a WHV. Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, so research your eligibility before applying.
Only apply for a WHV through official websites to avoid scams.
3. A way to cover the cost of your travel adventures
This is the core principle of the WHV program. Most travellers have enough savings to cover their initial expenses, but few can finance a one-year or multi-year trip without working. The idea of the WHV isn’t to work for 12 months straight, but to find paid employment when you need funds in between your periods of travel.
Find out more about your destination of choice and their employment rules and restrictions. Japan and South Korea, for example, forbid WHV-holders to seek employment in certain fields. In Australia or Hong Kong, you can’t work for the same employer for longer than six months, etc.
4. Plenty of time to plan your trip
Once the visa is issued, you have either three, six or 12 months (depending on your destination) to arrive in the country.
After you arrive, you have complete freedom ahead of you for the duration of your visa. Most WHVs are available for 12 months (some even longer!), so you can travel for a year without working if you want to. You can combine travel with work, either working for money or volunteering for bed and board. We’ve got more ideas for how to travel and work for free accommodation in Five ways to get free accommodation when travelling.
Alternatively, you can focus solely on the “work” part of a WHV and concentrate on gaining foreign work experience for 12 months. You can move to a big city or a remote village, travel around and sleep in your campervan, or change your mind and try many different options.
Go with the flow and grab opportunities when they arise. It’s your gap year; your time to enjoy freedom! After a certain routine at home, whether you’ve been studying or working, you can finally try a more refreshing, exhilarating way of living.
5. It’s a unique opportunity to discover another country
The Discovery Channel and other travel shows may take you around the world from your couch, but nothing beats a first-hand experience. Going on a two-week summer holiday isn’t nearly long enough to soak up a culture, an atmosphere or adopt a new way of life. This is why a WHV is an excellent opportunity for young people who want to roam around freely in a country for an extended period of time, with no strings attached!
Suddenly, everything is possible: following in the footsteps of Frodo in New Zealand, singing K-Pop in Seoul for a year, exploring Canada’s Great White North, taking a road trip in the Australian Outback, or reaching the end of the world in Ushuaia, Argentina. Every experience is unique. This is why the WHV is perfect—your dreams can actually come true.
6. Don’t just learn the basics of a language, speak it fluently
A WHV is a great opportunity to practise a foreign language. Several hundred WHV-holders head to Argentina to speak Spanish, to Japan to read Kanji, to Hong Kong to speak Cantonese (or English!), to South Korea to speak Korean, etc.
Arriving in a country without knowing the local language can be an awkward experience, but true linguistic immersion gets fast results; you have to learn new words and expressions on a daily basis.
If you’re planning to get a job, consider signing up for language classes in advance, arrange conversation exchanges (30 minutes of helping a local with English conversation for 30 minutes speaking in the local language, for example), or join activities to meet people and improve your language skills socially.
Of course, you can volunteer through organizations like WWOOF, WorkAway or HelpX to benefit from language and cultural exchange. This work experience can also help you later during your job hunt.
7. A mind-opening journey
Going abroad for a few months or years, far from everything and everyone you know, on your own and at a young age, is a major challenge!
Some may say a gap year is like a long vacation—wrong! You’re jumping into the unknown and no one knows how you will turn out after your experience. The WHV is your ticket to new discoveries, social interactions, work experiences, ups and downs, surprises, disappointments, challenges, etc., which can only better you as a person. You’re embarking on a mind-opening journey where stereotypes are shattered and you learn more about another country and culture. You constantly learn and adjust, try new things and live a different life.
Younger participants learn to be self-sufficient, to manage a budget and overcome shyness. Those in their late 20s and early 30s can fulfil a dream or put their life on hold for a while to reconsider priorities.
Remember: as a WHV-holder, you are truly free. How you use your time is up to you. You’ll soon realize that the application process isn’t as complicated as it seems, even though dealing with paperwork is always a chore (at home or abroad). The WHV program is popular because spending time abroad is a deeply enriching and exciting experience.
For some participants, the WHV is a great way to switch perspective and see your home country—strengths and weaknesses included—in a new light, and maybe to come back as a new person, full of energy. Those who were fed up with life back home might feel homesick, while some daring souls might fall in love with their host country and stay longer than planned.
8. No job offer required before arrival
Looking for work abroad is often easier when you are already in the country. The WHV doesn’t require you to get a job offer before arriving—in fact, you don’t even have to work if you don’t want to. The key idea of a WHV is to be able to travel and have the option to supplement your stay with work if needed or desired.
Some people work through the entire visa or for several months only. Frugal participants rely on their savings, volunteering opportunities, free camping and Couchsurfing.
There’s no guarantee a WHV-holder will find paid employment. However, for job seekers, perseverance usually pays off. Popular countries like Canada and Australia attract WHV-holders from all over the world and competition is high. Don’t give up! A combination of planning and patience will lead to a successful WHV experience.
9. A way to gain valuable professional experience
Some hesitate to participate in the WHV program because they’re afraid of the “gap year stigma” on their resume. But many WHV-holders end up in jobs they had never considered before, developing new skills and gaining knowledge. We have tips on how to use your WHV experience to better your future in How to showcase my experiences abroad after a working holiday?
10. An open door to a new corner of the world
WHV-holders in Australia often take the opportunity to explore New Zealand or Southeast Asia. Those heading to Canada can cross the border to visit the United States. The WHV is usually a multi-entry visa, where you can leave and re-enter the country to explore neighbouring countries. You’re not only enjoying access to your WHV destination of choice; you can discover an entire new corner of the world.
Don’t forget that many airlines offer free stopovers (in Bangkok, Hong Kong or Dubai for example), so you can add even more stamps to your passport on your way to and from your WHV country!
11. A lifetime of memories
This is probably what all WHV participants agree on: people, places, anecdotes, feelings, atmospheres, sounds and smells will linger long after your year abroad. Some people find it difficult to return home because it marks the end of an intense experience and the beginning of something new.
Most travellers need time to process the transition. No matter how long it’s been since the end of your WHV, details will never be forgotten and core memories stay vivid.
Nostalgia is a bittersweet feeling. It’s tempting to cherish the past and wish you could go back again. Your WHV will stay with you forever.
12. A chance to meet great people
There will be amazing people you meet along the way and, as they say, people are what makes it all worthwhile. Whether it’s for a night when you share a dorm, a few weeks at work, or a backpacker friend you make for life, all these people you meet are part of your trip and many will be hard to forget.
If you’re shy, this is the time to step up and speak out. You will meet a lot of travellers just as shy as you, who have plenty to say if given the opportunity.
13. An opportunity to travel with relatives
Parents and relatives of WHV-holders will surely want to visit. They can take the opportunity to discover a country they might never have thought to set foot in before. Sharing the experience with them in a new country generally creates unforgettable, long-lasting memories.
For many relatives, it’s their first time abroad or their first trip far away from home. It’s rewarding to see your loved ones discover your host city or country, show them around your new environment, and make them experience your way of travelling—for example, driving around in a small car that makes a constant squeaky sound, not knowing where you will spend the night!
14. A chance to get to know yourself better
Cliché, but oh so true! It may be hard to believe before you leave, but months spent away from home, far from friends, relatives and everything you know, is a real learning experience. This is an opportunity to test your ability to adapt to a new language, culture, environment and to different customs.
You have to build a network from scratch and throw yourself into the unknown—no wonder you’ll get to know yourself better! What you are able to accomplish may surprise you. You’ll test your limits and push yourself beyond them, whether you choose to go skydiving or simply achieve more mundane activities, like meeting new people in a new city.
You’ll become a bolder and more daring person abroad because you’ll try your best to make this experience an amazing one. A sense of optimism and the power of the word “yes!” will make your WHV an outstanding experience.
After such an eventful trip, you’ll feel proud of yourself—proud of the chances you’ve taken, of the challenges you’ve overcome—and then you’ll appreciate how much you changed.
And those who only stayed a few months abroad because they felt homesick, out of place or because they ran out of money have nothing to be ashamed of. The only mistake you could make is to be afraid to try the WHV program and regret it afterwards. Sure, it can be disappointing if the experience doesn’t meet your expectations but no matter what, you’ll learn something.
15. A chance to test the waters before starting an immigration process
The WHV program is a way to discover a country, its atmosphere and its culture for a liberal amount of time—enough to decide if a long-term move is possible. You’ll have a better idea of the local job market and available opportunities when you investigate in person, and you’ll be able to make an informed decision.
16. A way to celebrate your 20s (hurry up before you turn 30 or 35!)
The opportunity to try a WHV won’t always be available—indeed, the age limit to apply is 30 for most destinations (35 for a few). After that, no matter how young and fresh you still look, you won’t be eligible.
We often read messages from 30-somethings who wish they could apply, so if you are in the right age range, grasp the opportunity before it’s too late!
So, what are you waiting for?
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