Picture yourself blending into a foreign culture, meeting the locals and making new friends, while still earning money to do the things you enjoy. If you’re looking to see the world or gain some overseas work experience, a working holiday is a great option. However, the prospect of spending at least a year across the globe on a working holiday can seem a little daunting.
To help you lay those little niggling butterflies to rest, we’ve put together some helpful advice and travel tips that will set you on your merry (working) way.
Eligibility Criteria
Working holiday visas are usually limited to visitors between the ages of 18 and 30, although some will accept applicants up to 35 years of age. Some of the working holiday visas place limits on the types of jobs that travellers can take or the amount of time they can be employed during their visit. The usual types of jobs that young people get on working holiday visas are in the tourism and hospitality, retail or seasonal industries, but there are plenty of other options available.
In order to qualify, you will need to prove that you have enough funds saved up to cover your expenses while you are first looking for employment. You might also need to purchase health or travel insurance in some countries.
Where Can you Go?
The list of countries that offer working holiday visas is huge, so you will have a lot of choice when it comes to where you can go. New Zealanders and Australians have the most choice, whereas Canadians and British are a close second. Click here for the top 10 inspiring destinations that offer this visa type.
How to Find a Job?
Now that you’ve chosen the destination for working holiday, the next step is to think about what you want to do. Looking for a job in a different country before you get there is similar to looking for a job in your own hometown – you have to have a well written cover letter and resume and you need to put yourself out there tirelessly to many different companies.
For example, try Gumtree to search for jobs online in Australia and Trade Me to do so in New Zealand. To find job opportunities in Singapore, you can search websites like JobsCentral, JobsDB, MonsterSG and CraigslistSG. You can also check out Anywork Anywhere to get jobs and resources for work and travel in US, UK and worldwide.
Remember those online classifieds you went to when looking for a job? They are also a great place for finding people who are looking to rent out a room in their house. You can check out websites like HostelBookers, BudgetPlaces, and Airbnb. Of course, watch out for places that require you to sign a six month or one year lease if you are not planning on being there that long.
Should you Get Travel Insurance?
Why take the risk of letting medical billing burn a hole in your pocket if anything goes wrong? It might seem like travel insurance is a big expensive pain in the butt and you are probably telling yourself that you don’t need it, but it is still advisable to purchase a comprehensive travel insurance when going abroad as medical treatment can be very expensive..
There are a lot of travel insurance options that are designed for young people on working holidays. Take your time and read the fine print to make sure you will be covered for extra activities you might want to take part in, such as surfing or extreme sports. Make sure that you save all of the emails you receive with your policy number and details, in case you need to file a claim later.
Is It Safe?
Right now there might be a feeling of nervousness in your stomach when you think about travelling abroad on your working holiday. You may have concerns about the safety and security conditions of the country you’re travelling to.
Well fear not, most countries that you will be doing your working holiday in, such as Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Europe and Japan are developed first world countries that are very safe to live in. Even if you are going to a country that is slightly less developed and has some risks, you will be fine as long as you are smart and use your common sense. Be informed, do your research and know what the safe behaviours are in the destination you are travelling to.
Locals are also an important source of information for safety. If a local person tells you not to walk around alone in a certain neighbourhood at night, take their word for it because they know from experience. To make the best of your travel and stay safe, make sure you have an anti–theft travel accessory like a Pacsafe Coversafe Belt Wallet to keep your valuables secure at all times.
If you want to travel the world after college, but are unsure how you will afford it, working holiday visas are the perfect opportunity for you. They allow you to legally work in a foreign place, so you can avoid the stress of not earning money (or doing so illegally).
It’s also the perfect opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of a place than you would as a tourist. Since they’re only available to people under the age of 30,start planning for your working holiday visa now!
