Embaixada da Austrália
Portugal
Cabo Verde, São Tomé e Príncipe, Guiné Bissau

WrkHolQA

Work and Holiday Visa Arrangement – Australia and Portugal

 

  • The Work and Holiday Maker (WHM) program remains open, and applications continue to be accepted and processed, subject to applicable country caps and ballot arrangements.
  • To manage high demand and support the long term sustainability of the WHM program, the Department of Home Affairs is normalising processing timeframes for most WHM visa applications.
  • The average processing time for WHM applications is expected to be around three months.
  • Published processing times are a guide based on recently decided applications. They do not provide a guarantee that an individual application will be decided within a particular period.
  • Processing times may vary according to the circumstances and complexity of an individual application, whether the application is complete and whether further information is required.
  • Applicants should monitor their ImmiAccount and respond promptly to any request for further information.
  • Applicants should not book flights or make travel, work or study commitments until their visa has been granted.

https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/what-we-do/whm-program/status-of-country-caps

 

 

Did Portugal and Australia sign a Work and Holiday visa arrangement on 25 September 2014?

  • Yes. On 25 September 2014, Australia and Portugal signed a reciprocal Work and Holiday visa arrangement in Australia at Parliament House Canberra.
  • The signing was publicly announced on the website of the Department of Home Affairs and of the Embassy of Australia in Portugal: www.immi.gov.au; www.portugal.embassy.gov.au.
  • Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, signed the arrangement on behalf of Australia, and His Excellency Mr Paulo Cunha-Alves, Ambassador to Australia, signed on behalf of Portugal.

Are participants in the arrangement individually selected?

  • No. Anyone who meets the Work and Holiday visa’s eligibility requirements is free to apply, noting however that there is an annual cap of 500 places for participants from Portugal.

What are the visa’s eligibility requirements?

The general eligibility requirements for Portuguese Work and Holiday visa applicants are:

  • hold a valid Portuguese passport;
  • are at least 18 but have not turned 31 years of age at the time you lodge your application;
  • will not be with a dependent child while you are in Australia;
  • have enough money to support yourself on a working holiday (about AUD 5000);
  • have enough money to buy a return or onward travel ticket at the end of your stay;
  • have not previously entered Australia on a Working Holiday visa (subclass 417);
  • meet the educational requirements;
  • have functional English;
  • have a letter of support from the Portuguese Government;
  • meet character and health requirements; and
  • are a genuine visitor.

Note: Specific information on what is involved in meeting these requirements will be made available closer to the date that applications can be lodged (the date the arrangement comes into effect).

Can I apply for a Work and Holiday visa now?

Yes.  Following a temporary suspension, applications for the Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) for Portuguese passport holders have resumed.

Eligible Portuguese citizens can apply for the visa, which allows young adults to travel and undertake short-term work in Australia.

For up-to-date information on eligibility, how to apply, visa charges and processing times, please visit the Australian Department of Home Affairs website https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/work-holiday-462 

If you require additional information, you may telephone the Global Service Centre on +61 2 6196 0196, Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5pm, Portugal time.

What will I need to provide in my application and where will I send it?

  • The details of what will be required of applicants and where to send applications will be clarified on the Department of Home Affairs and Australian Embassy websites.

How much will the visa cost?

What will a Work and Holiday visa allow me to do?

  • The visa allows the holder to:

          -  stay in Australia for 12 months from their date of first arrival;
          -  work for the 12 month duration of their stay, but for no longer than six months with any one employer; and
          -  study for four months.

What is the difference between a Work and Holiday (subclass 462) and Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa?

  • The two visas are similar in nature with both being cultural exchange visas building closer ties between partner countries.
  • The primary difference is that the number of places offered on Work and Holiday visa is capped for each country.

Where can I find more information on Australia’s Work and Holiday visa?

  • Further general information can be found on the departmental website at: www.immi.gov.au