Could a Working Holiday be your perfect travel adventure?

Want to broaden your horizons and experience life in another country?

A Working Holiday could be the perfect way to earn some money and do some travelling,all wrapped up in the same trip!. Long-term travel can be an expensive proposition, but by combining paid work into the equation, you can potentially be away for longer and earn more money to boost your travel budget. A Working Holiday allows you to work alongside others (potentially from a range of nationalities) and experience a more authentic experience of the local culture and community, in comparison to a short-term holiday spent treading the usual tourist trail.

A working holiday allows you to earn some money for your travel adventures!

Some people undertake a long-term Working Holiday trip, in order to really get under the skin of a country and the lifestyle that it offers, with a view to potentially relocating there, in the future. Others,  have a number of jobs, fitting in travel in-between work-stints – and yet others head away on a Working Holiday visa and tag on some travel either at the start or end of their time away – everyone’s plans, situations and preferences are different!

One of the most common Working Holiday experiences for young people travelling away from the UK is to head to Australia on a Working Holiday visa. There is no language barrier, there are many cultural similarities, but there are enough differences to feel like you are really experiencing an independent and amazing experience in this huge country – the beautiful beaches, the climate and the cute native wildlife – to name but a few draws! The visa allows travellers to head away for up to 3 years away from the UK, as long as applicants are aged between 18 and 30 years old (and the 2nd and 3rd year extensions,  depend on doing specified work in a certain geographic area)

You firstly apply for a year-long visa, then you can apply for a second-year holiday visa, if you have completed a 3 month period of specified work (plant and animal cultivation, fishing and pearling, tree farming and felling, mining and construction) during the year. It is a similar process if you wish to apply for a 3rd year holiday visa. Visa requirements change regularly, so it’s always best to check out the full up-to-date requirements on the official Working Holiday visa (Subclass 417) site to make sure that you fully understand how it works and to check whether you meet the appropriate criteria.

The Working Holiday visa for New Zealand lets you work and travel in the country for up to 23 months (if you’re from the UK). You need to be aged between 18 to 30 and you can actually work in New Zealand for up to 12 months, plus you need to have at least NZ $350 to live on, for each month of your stay. Again, rules and criteria change, so check the official guidance here. 

An extended stay in either of these countries puts you in a prime position to explore both Australia and New Zealand, plus Bali, Thailand and a myriad of other popular backpacking destinations in Asia.

Our Working Holiday policy is our most-popular policy and offers comprehensive cover for both paid and voluntary work away from the UK, during your time at work and also on your days off and travel times. You can take a look at all of the relevant information and obtain a quote here , but here are the key reasons it’s the perfect policy for your Working Holiday: 

• It can cover you for a maximum of 2 years away from the UK
• It offers emergency medical cover (and repatriation back to the UK, if necessary) if you become ill or injured , either at work or in your leisure time. 
• You can choose the appropriate Work Pack to cover your plans (job roles are split into these according to the risks involved)
• You can be covered for a multitude of adventurous sports or leisure activities, under our Activity Packs
• The policy offers a comprehensive range of benefits, including cover for your travel documents and personal belongings, and there is also the availability of optional gadget cover

Here’s some further reading that will be useful in your research into Working Holidays, and choosing the best location/s and jobs for you : 

What jobs can you do on an Australian Working Holiday visa? 

5 popular jobs in foreign countries 

10 Best Places to Work Overseas in 2019

The 5 Most Common (But Awesome) Jobs you can find abroad

Finding Work Overseas: 15 ways to earn money while travelling

*The information included in this article is correct at time of publication, but always check the current  policy benefits and visa requirements, when doing your research.