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Internship Visa Process for Australia

You are required to obtain a Work and Holiday Visa to participate in the internship program in Australia. It is your responsibility as a participant in this program to obtain this visa before departure.  Your visa provides you with permission to travel to, enter, and remain in Australia. The Work and Holiday (Temporary) visa (subclass 462 or subclass 417) is for young people who want to holiday and work in Australia for up to a year. It is a temporary visa that encourages cultural exchange and closer ties between Australia and eligible countries. You may not apply for a work and holiday visa if you have previously entered Australia on this visa category or the working holiday (subclass 462 or subclass 417) in the past. You may only utilize this visa once. U.S. citizens will need to apply for the Work and Holiday visa subclass 462.

Working in Australia for up to six months with one employer: You can generally only work six months with one employer. This visa allows you to:

  • Stay in Australia for up to 12 months
  • Work in Australia, generally for up to six months with each employer
  • Study for up to four months
  • Leave and re-enter Australia any number of times while the visa is valid.

Cost: $495 AUD*, plus credit card surcharge. ​​​If you pay for your visa application by credit card, a surcharge will apply, depending on the type of card you use. The surcharge will also apply to debit cards when making payments online. Note that the fee is subject to change at any time as it is set by the Australian government.

Eligibility: In order to apply for this visa, you must meet the following qualifications:

  • You are a U.S. citizen (if you hold a green card and or have a passport from another country, you are not a U.S. citizen and need to check if you are eligible to receive this visa) 
  • You are at least 18 but have not turned 31 years of age at the time you submit your application
  • You will not be with a dependent child while you are in Australia 
  • You have enough money to support yourself on a working holiday (about AUD 5000)
  • You have enough money to buy a return or onward travel ticket at the end of your stay
  • You have not previously entered Australia on a Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462 or subclass 417)
  • You meet the educational requirements
  • You have functional English
  • You meet character and health requirements
  • You are a genuine visitor

Education Requirements: If you are from the United States of America, you must hold at minimum secondary school (high school) qualification.

More information about visa fees is available here.

APPLYING FOR THE VISA

STEP 1. CREATE AN IMMIACCOUNT

  • To start an online application you will first need to create an ImmiAccount here. 
  • Make sure that your contact details match your passport details. 
  • Note that Family Name = Last Name, and Given Name = First Name.

STEP 2: CREATE A NEW APPLICATION

  • Select Create New Application
  • Select Working Holiday Category
  • Select Work and Holiday (subclass 462 for U.S. citizens)

ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS ON THE APPLICATION: Below are some points of clarification to certain application questions that may cause confusion.

  • Entering your passport information: It is ESSENTIAL that you enter the details correctly otherwise your visa will not be attached to your passport properly and you will not be able to board your flight.
  • Date you plan to enter Australia – Enter the date you plan to arrive into Australia. This should be your program start date.  Please note, if you plan to arrive before the program start date, you need to make sure to discuss your planned departure with your program manager to make the appropriate early departure arrangements.
  • Do you have health insurance? Select yes. API provides health insurance is provided in the program fees. We can provide proof of insurance if requested by the Australian government for visa approval.
  • Do you have evidence that you meet approved educational requirements for a Work and Holiday visa? Select yes.
  • What is your usual occupation? “Student” or “Recent Graduate,” based on your current status.
  • What employment do you plan to seek in Australia? “Internship.”
  • Entering your education details: Qualification Name = Name of degree (i.e. Bachelor of Arts)
  • Qualification Type = Higher degree or High School, based on your current status
  • Documentary Evidence Type = Academic transcript
  • Qualification Status = Your current enrollment status
  • Health and Character information: “Yes”
  • Communicating with this Department:  Select “Washington”
  • Assistance with this form:  “No”
  • Health declarations: If you think you must answer yes to any of these questions, please save your application at this stage and contact your API program manager before proceeding to discuss further. Please note that if you must answer yes to any of these questions, you will likely be required to complete medicals for visa processing and approval. This will add additional time to your visa process and your visa may be declined.
  • Character declarations: If you need to answer yes to any of these questions, please save your application and contact your API program manager before proceeding to discuss further. Please note that If you must answer yes to any of these questions, you will likely be required to provide additional information and your visa may be declined.
  • Declarations: You should answer ‘Yes’ to all of the questions.

REVIEW APPLICATION: Review all of the details you have provided to ensure that the information is correct. Any errors can cause significant delays in your visa processing.

NOW SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION!

PAYMENT: For payment you should use a credit card and NOT a debit card, as debit cards will get declined and cause a delay in your application.

ENTERING AUSTRALIA: Your visa will be electronically attached to your passport. When you arrive at the airport for your flight, the agent will swipe our passport to ensure that you have the appropriate visa for entering Australia.

APPLICANT DOCUMENTS YOU MAY BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE:

  • Copies of the biographical pages of your current passport or travel document (these are the pages with the holder’s photo and personal details and the issue/expiry dates).
  • A copy of your birth certificate showing both parents’ names. If you do not have a birth certificate and are unable to get one, you must provide a copy of the identification pages of at least one of the following documents:
    • family book showing both parents’ names
    • identification document issued by the government
    • court-issued documents that verify your identity.
  • If your name has changed, a copy of the evidence of the name change.
  • Two recent passport-sized photographs (45 mm x 35 mm).
    • These photographs should be of the head and shoulders only against a plain background.
    • Print your name on the back of each photograph.
  • If you have served in the armed forces of any country: copies of military service record or discharge papers.
  • Evidence of sufficient funds for personal support during your stay in Australia, of approximately AUD5000.
  • Evidence that you hold an onward travel ticket out of Australia OR have sufficient funds to purchase such a ticket at the conclusion of your stay. This must be in addition to your funds for personal support while in Australia.
  • Evidence of relevant educational qualifications.
  • For relevant countries, a valid letter of government support for this application. For details, see: Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462).

EVIDENCE OF COVID VACCINATION: For travel into and out of Australia, travelers must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination. You can find more information here.

EVIDENCE OF POLIO VACCINATION: Visa applicants, applying from outside Australia, who have spent 28 days or longer in Afghanistan, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia or Syria, or in any combination of these countries, on or after 5 May 2014 should provide a vaccination certificate as evidence that they have been vaccinated against polio. Failure to provide the certificate may result in delays processing your application.

APPLICATION PROCESSING TIMES: It is essential that you monitor your email for communication from the Australian government requesting additional details. You can also login to your ImmiAccount to check the status of your application. Do not make arrangements to travel to Australia until you are advised in writing that you have been granted a visa.

DISCLAIMER: The Australian government may change their rules, fees, and regulations at any time.  Be advised that API does not have any control over these procedures, and requirements can vary greatly.  For this reason, your primary source of information regarding visas should be the Australian government website. API can offer advice based upon our past experiences working with participants, but please be aware that each situation is unique and immigration rules are constantly evolving. The ultimate authority on the visa process will be representatives of the Australian immigration office. 

The information outlined here pertains specifically to participants who are U.S. citizens. Participants who are not U.S. citizens are advised to consult with their local consulate for requirements. API can only offer limited advice for participants who are not U.S. citizens, but in many cases, non- U.S. citizens will have additional requirements for visas in terms of required documentation and locations where they are eligible to apply for their visa. Additionally, students who plan on traveling outside of Australia during their internship session may require additional documentation beyond the visa for that travel. 

To summarize:

  1. You are solely responsible for obtaining the proper documentation for your internship period in your host country.
  2. Students who do not follow the correct procedures may not be eligible to complete their internship and/or receive credit for their time abroad. 

STILL HAVE QUESTIONS? 

  • Chat with use using the chat feature on our website, https://apiabroad.com
  • Email your Program Coordinator, or if you don’t have one yet, email [email protected]
  • Call the API main line at (512) 600-8900