All about the working holiday in Hong Kong!
We’ve been recommending Globe WHV since 2005 (medical expenses, hospitalization, repatriation…).
Between 18 and 30 years old
A valid passport for the entire duration of your working holiday
Specific amount depends on nationality
This must be your first participation
Must cover healthcare, hospitalisation, repatriation, and liability
Apply before the annual quota is reached
01. What is the Working Holiday Visa?
WHVs are bilateral accords signed between governments to promote youth mobility and cultural exchange. Participating countries allow young adults to spend a set period of time (usually one year) living and working abroad. Most of the accords are signed between countries in Europe, the Americas, Oceania, and East Asia. A WHV encourages cultural exchange alongside the chance to gain valuable work experience, though participants are not obligated to work.
02. Which nationalities are eligible?
Young adults from the following countries can apply for a Working Holiday Visa to Hong Kong: Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, and the UK.
The effective date of the accord between Italy and Hong Kong is yet to be announced, as of September 2024.
03. What is the application fee?
The visa application fee is HK$230, which is around £23.
Exception: participants from Ireland, Japan, and Korea are exempt.
04. What work authorisation will I have?
You can work for any employer you’d like, but the period of employment is limited. Below is how long you can work for the same employer, by nationality:
- Australians: 3 months
- British: 12 months
- Canadians: 3 months
- French: 6 months
- Irish: 3 months
- New Zealanders: 3 months
05. How long can I stay in Hong Kong?
The Working Holiday Visa allows holders to stay up to one year in Hong Kong.
06. Do I need to speak Cantonese or Mandarin?
Cantonese, Mandarin, and English are all commonly spoken in Hong Kong. But there are no language requirements for the Working Holiday Scheme.
07. Can I bring my spouse and/or children?
According to the official sources, “Entry applications from dependant spouse/children to join the participants will not be considered.”
08. What documents are required for the application?
- Applicant’s valid travel document containing applicant’s personal particulars, nationality, date of issue and expiry of the travel document
- Applicant’s recent photograph
- Hong Kong identity card (if any)
- Financial proof of having any amount sufficient for maintenance during the proposed stay in the HKSAR
- Air ticket for returning to your home country or financial proof of having an amount equivalent to the return air fare
- Proof of acceptance to hold medical, healthcare (including hospitalisation), repatriation and liability insurance to remain in force throughout his/her stay in the HKSAR
09. Where can I apply?
For a detailed instructions for the application process, read our guide on How to get a Hong Kong Youth Mobility Scheme visa (for all nationalities).
10. What is pvtistes.net and how can it help me?
We are a team of current and former working holiday makers dedicated to providing free information and resources about the working holiday in Hong Kong and other destinations. Read our helpful articles, leave comments if you have questions, and check out our special deals.
We don’t ask for any a dime, and neither should anyone else in your application process (besides the embassy/consulate and their official partners). Be very careful of online scams where someone might ask you for an exorbitant amount to help you get your visa. Working Holiday Visas (Working Holiday Authorisation in this case) are designed to be relatively easy to obtain yourself, so there is absolutely no need to pay any professional service to do it on your behalf.
Visa applications are never fun, but if you know what steps to anticipate, it doesn’t have to be complicated.
In our Hong Kong WHV application guide, we walk through 1) applicant eligibility 2) program description and rules 3) and application steps. Be sure to read it in detail so you’re fully prepared.
- How to get a Hong Kong Youth Mobility Scheme visa (for all nationalities)
- What is the Working Holiday Visa? How do I get one?
As mentioned above, all working holiday makers must buy private health insurance that covers medical care, hospitalisation, repatriation, and liability.
We’ve been recommending Globe WHV since 2005. They meet the requirements and have covered thousands of working holiday makers over the years.
Exception: the insurance requirement is not explicitly mentioned for Australians. However, we still strongly recommend it. Without insurance, out of pocket costs for healthcare can be very high.
- FAQs about working holiday travel insurance
- What to have in your Working Holiday adventure first-aid kit
Hong Kong’s currency is the Hong Kong dollar (HKD, HK$). There are two main ways to open a foreign-currency account: via 1) a traditional bank or 2) an online neo-bank. Traditional banks usually require you to already be in the country. You would have to make and attend an appointment where a representative would ask you for some documents.
If you want to have a HKD debit card in hand before even arriving in Hong Kong, you may want to consider the second option, an online neo-bank like Wise. It is an app that offers multi-currency financial services. Customers receive a physical debit card that can be used to withdraw cash at local ATMs. Your HKD account would also have its own routing and account numbers, so you can set up autopay, direct deposits, or transfer money to recipients in Hong Kong. These capabilities could be useful in exchanges with your employer or landlord. You can register from your home country or once you arrive in Hong Kong. Learn more about Wise.
There are advantages to both options. Wise registration is simple and quick, but traditional banks offer the possibility of issuing and depositing cheques, if that is something you need. So you could make a Wise account first and then a traditional account once you arrive in Hong Kong.
Once your application is approved, you’ll need to think about where to live. If you are planning on renting long term housing, we recommend you wait until you arrive in Hong Kong before paying a deposit or signing anything. Never send money to anyone without seeing the place in person. Popular housing websites that you can use include squarefoot (most referenced), 28Hse (can filter for short term), and Roomgo (for co-living with roommates). Also read up on tenant rights and responsibilities on this official website by the government.
For your first couple of weeks upon arrival, you could consider Airbnb or hotels. But the most affordable option is going to be youth hostels. You can find some great ones on Hostelworld.
- Chapter 6: Booking housing for your arrival
- 7 Tips for finding housing during your working holiday abroad
- Five ways to get free accommodation when travelling
After you get your visa, you will have plenty of things to take care of. Some of them are more urgent than others, so this list breaks down your to-dos, starting with the most urgent to the least. It may seem like a lot, but don’t worry, one step at a time!
As you prepare for your working holiday in Hong Kong, check out our library of free articles and guides. Everyone on the pvtistes.net team has done (or is currently on) a working holiday, and so everything we write is from personal experience.
This is also the perfect chance to learn or brush up on English. Babbel is partnering with pvtistes.net to offer 20% off on language courses (learn more). Also check out our some other deals for working holiday makers.
Applicants must be between 18 and 30 years old.
You must have a passport that is valid for the entire duration of your working holiday in Hong Kong.
You must show a minimum savings amount in order to apply. The specific amount depends on your nationality:
– Australians: HK$20,000
– British: HK$22,000
– Canadians: HK$15,000
– French: HK$25,000
– Irish: HK$20,000
– New Zealanders: HK$14,000
See amounts for all other participating nationalities.
See our chapter on budgeting for an idea of how much more savings you should have for a working holiday.
This must be your first participation. If you have already been in Hong Kong on a working holiday, then you cannot apply again.
Most working holiday makers must hold private health insurance that covers healthcare, hospitalisation repatriation, and liability for the totality of their stay in Hong Kong. This applies to British, Canadians, French, Irish, and New Zealanders, among other nationalities (see Note 5 under Working Holiday Scheme Notes).
Exception: Australians are not mentioned in this requirement.
Apply before the annual quota is reached. Hong Kong sets an annual quota by nationality for the number of Working Holiday Visas issued:
– Australians: 5,000
– British: 1,000
– Canadians: 200
– French: 750
– Irish: 200
– New Zealanders: 400
Quotas for all other participating nationalities.