Australian working holiday proving more popular in Taiwan

Amanda Gripske from the Australian Visa Bureau says the trend is not exclusive to Taiwan, and that her team has seen a phenomenal increase in the number of Australian working holiday visas granted this year when compared with the same period last year, particularly in the UK and Ireland markets. 

"While young people are struggling to enter the workforce during these tough economic conditions, more are realising that now is a better time than ever to take time off and apply for an Australian working holiday visa," Ms Gripske said.

"Not only do they get to travel Australia for a year, but they also get the freedom of temporarily working for employers of their choice to supplement their travel, and if they play their cards right, they can apply for a second Australian working holiday visa."

The Australian working holiday program is an uncapped Australian visa program for 18 to 30-year-olds from countries nominated by the Australian government.  The 12-month visa allows holders to work for an unspecified number of Australian employers during the 12 month validity period, provided they do not work for one employer for longer than six months. 

If an Australian working holiday visa holder works in a specified region of Australia in the horticultural or construction industries for three months or more they can apply for a second working holiday visa.

According to the Taipei Times, Taiwan is steadily growing to be a major market in the Australian working holiday program, and of the Australian working holilday eligible countries, is now the eighth-largest recipient of working holiday visas.

Of the 154,148 Australian working holiday visas issued in the year to June 2008, Taiwan received over 6,000, and predictions from the Australian authorities in Taiwan expect this number to increase to over 10,000 this year.

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If you are interested in participating in the Australian working holiday program, check your eligibility using the Visa Bureau online assessment.