Itinerary idea

2 years of Working Holiday Visa traveling across Australia

A unique experience, the best experience of their life according to Audrey and Steve – The Manalas. They spent 2 years alternating between work and travel thanks to the PVT visa, here is their itinerary and expert advice.

Step 1

Panoramic view of the Brisbane wheel, surrounded by greenery, with the river and modern city in the background.

Panoramic view of the Brisbane skyline by the river, with pleasure boats and a clear sky.

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Step 2

More than three months

Step 3

Three months

Step 4

Two days

Step 5

Six days

Step 6

One to two weeks

Step 7

Two months

Step 8

One to two weeks

Step 9

Three months

Step 10

Four days

Step 11

One day

Step 12

Three days

Step 13

One month

Podcast

Start a Working Holiday Visa

The PVT is a program that allows you to travel and work in Australia and in several other countries like Canada, Japan, and New Zealand. In Australia, it is possible to extend the stay for up to three years by working for 88 days in the hospitality sector, and the list of jobs changes regularly. This visa offers the possibility to open a bank account, own a vehicle, and rent accommodation: just like a real citizen!
It’s the best experience of my life. It’s there that you take the best road trips, see the most beautiful landscapes, and have the most memorable encounters. It really is the biggest shock of my life.
You must be at least 18 years old, under 35 years old, and we don't necessarily recommend it before 23-24 years old. It's not during your Working Holiday Visa that you will have your first experiences; you need a bit of autonomy and life experience so you don't miss out on your Working Holiday Visa in Australia. For example, we easily found house-sitting jobs because we had already had our apartment, we had already lived with cats, dogs, and that is what convinced the people who entrusted us with their house.
You need to have at least $6,000 in a bank account, per person: there's no point in cheating, that's really the minimum we recommend. Upon arrival, you will have quite a few administrative expenses, a new local phone number for employers to call you, paying for housing, etc. And you will need to move around quickly, so buy a vehicle, pay for gas, in short: quite a few steps before starting to work!

Find a job.

Start by volunteering! It may seem strange, but volunteering in Australia is different. Through platforms like Workaway or HelpX, it allows travelers to exchange their help for accommodation and meals with individuals or organizations. You can improve your English and get local tips for finding work: word of mouth works really well!
When you arrive in the country, generally, you tend to shelter a bit in a bubble with other French speakers: you must not do that. You need to move, you have to push yourself to speak English to improve. And especially do not follow others: travelers tend to follow the seasons and there is huge competition to find jobs. Go against the seasons to find the best possible jobs and negotiate your conditions.
It was discovered much too late: the IBN number. It is a self-employed number that allows you to legally carry out any activity! It takes a few minutes to obtain, directly online, and after that, you can provide any service. For example, with the agreement of the campsite where we were staying, Steeve used his French diploma in computer science to start his computer repair business, and it was a hit!