From 1 November 2005, Working Holiday Makers who have worked as a seasonal worker in regional Australia for a minimum of three months while on their first working holiday visa, will be eligible to apply for a second Working Holiday visa and stay for a further 12 months.

Australia has reciprocal Working Holiday maker arrangements in effect with the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, Japan, Republic of Ireland, Republic of Korea, Malta, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China, Finland, the Republic of Cyprus, France, and Italy, Belgium, Estonia and Taiwan.

Information about harvest work opportunities in regional Australia can be found at the Harvest Trail Website -
See: Harvest Trail Website

If you intend to apply for a second Working Holiday visa, you will need to provide evidence that you have worked for a minimum of three months as a seasonal worker in regional Australia while on your first working holiday visa. Before commencing seasonal work in a regional area, you should obtain a copy of the employment verification form from your nearest DIMIA office, or from the forms section of the DIMIA website –
See: Form 1263 - Working Holiday Visa: Employment Verification

Other acceptable evidence of seasonal work for working holiday makers who undertook seasonal work in Australia before May 2005 may be payslips, group certificates, tax returns, and employer references.

Minister for Immigration, Senator Amanda Vanstone, confirmed that a Work and Holiday (W&H) Visa arrangement between Australia and Thailand came into effect from 01 September.

‘The new arrangement means that 18 to 30 year-old Thai and Australian nationals who have already completed their university education will be eligible to apply for W&H visas for stays of up to 12 months in Australia or Thailand,’ Senator Vanstone said.

‘The W&H program allows young overseas professionals to get to know Australia and its people while affording Australians the opportunity to improve their understanding of other cultures through undertaking working holidays overseas.’

Any work undertaken must be incidental to the main purpose of holidaying in Australia or Thailand and W&H visa holders are only permitted to work with the one employer for a maximum of three months.

The Work and Holiday visa is different to a ‘Working Holiday’ visa arrangement, in that it requires an applicant to have the support of their government, hold tertiary qualifications and speak functional English.