Visitors arriving in Australia are required to complete and present an Incoming Passenger Card (IPC) at immigration clearance. The IPC is a legal document and you must disclose any current or previous criminal convictions or serious health problems. If you believe your conviction or medical history may result in you being refused entry to Australia you are strongly advised to lodge a paper based application rather than apply on-line as this will enable the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP to consider your personal circumstances in advance of your travel which will minimise the risk of being refused entry on arrival in Australia.
A copy of an IPC can be viewed by clicking here
In order to apply for a subclass 417 visa you must be aged between 18 and 30, have no dependent children and hold a passport from a country involved in the Working Holiday Program with Australia. Eligible countries are Belgium, Canada, Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (including British National Overseas passport holders), Republic of Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.
If you hold a passport from the following countries you are able to apply for a Work and Holiday visa – subclass 462. Eligible countries are: Argentina, Bangladesh, Chile, China, People's Republic of, Indonesia, Malaysia, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, USA and Uruguay.
Travel insurance is not mandatory for working holiday makers but is strongly recommended, particularly if you plan on doing any adventure activities such as scuba diving, bushwalking or travelling in remote areas of Australia. Medical treatment in Australia can be very expensive and therefore you should consider taking out a policy which covers you for theft, loss, accidents and medical problems.
You must enter Australia within 12 months from the date of the grant of the visa which will then allow a stay of 12 months from the first date of entry. The 12-month stay period on your Working Holiday visa will start when you enter Australia and will enable you to leave and re-enter Australia any number of times while the visa is valid.
The decision to engage a migration agent is a personal choice which will depend on the complexity of your visa application and whether you are confident that you have fully understood all the rules and regulations which will be applied to your case.
If you do need assistance with the visa process, the DIBP strongly recommend that you appoint an agent who is registered with the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA). A registered migration agent must satisfy a strict code of conduct and:
- maintain current knowledge of migration law and procedure
- keep a professional library with direct access to migration regulations via Legend
- undertake continuous professional development in order to maintain knowledge of migration regulations and policy
An agent who is not registered with MARA cannot offer you any legal protection and is not accountable for his/her actions and therefore might:
- make false claims about your chances of success
- give you incorrect advice
- have limited knowledge about current Australian visa legislation and procedures
- increase your risk of being exposed to migration fraud
- charge fees which are unreasonable and excessive.
From July 2015, permission to work longer than 6 months with an employer anywhere in Australia will be considered if you have been employed as an Au Pair with a family and is seeking to continue that employment for a further period. To be considered as an Au Pair, your primary responsibility must be the care of the family's children, rather than any domestic work. The youngest child being cared for should not be older than 12 years of age (that is, primary school age or younger).
Northern Australia - from November 2015, you may be eligible for an employment extension to work beyond the 6 months with one employer if you have been employed in tourism and hospitality, mining, construction, agriculture or aged disability and care.