You lived in Sydney? Oh wow I would love to go there some day? Did you get a working holiday Visa for Australia? That is my dream! Constantly I see young people getting excited when this topic pops up, but what is the reality behind the Australian Dream? Is the working holiday visa for Australia really that amazing or can you easily be disappointed?
Getting a Working holiday visa for Australia
In my blog How I ended up working in Australia I explained how easy it was getting a working holiday visa for Australia. It all depends on where you are from, so for me as a Dutchman there were hardly any restrictions. So Dutch people if you really want to go there is hardly anything that is in your way, no excuses! ;) I simply filled out the form online and a couple hours later I received a confirmation email stating that I was granted an Australian Work Permit. I did not have to prove anything! Easy as f*%k! :)
Working holiday visa for Australia
For a lot of young people working Down under is a dream and therefore the working holiday visa for Australia is immense popular. But there are a lot of restrictions for most countries and is it not that easy for everyone to get one. But once you get one it can be a life changer!
Yes there are a ton of opportunities and wages are way higher than in your home country, so those stories of people working a couple months and then travel around the country are true. With wages ranging from $17-$22 per hour after tax, you can imagine that generating an income of $1,000 a week is possible.
Working holiday visa Australia blog
I have often been asked to write about what it is really like to work in Australia, so that is why I created this Working Holiday Visa Australia Blog. Online you will find way more success stories than failures about this popular work permit. But that is obvious of course. First of all people don’t like to openly announced that their Australian dream was not like they had imagined, but most of all because it is an experience that will make you stronger even if you don’t succeed.
Let me tell you about my Australian Dream. I had a lot of expectations about working in Sydney and isn’t it me who always says: ‘people with expectations are the ones who will be disappointed’!? Yes I am guilty, and therefore the first week was a bit of a bummer.
What I would advice everyone is to take in consideration that the beginning of your Australian Dream is probably not going to be that glorious. Australia to me is the easiest country to blend in as long as you speak English. You will be accepted straight away (I can only speak for a European, like myself). But there are a lot of things you have to organize: Australian bank account, tax number and an Australian cell phone number are just the basic things on top of the fact that you are looking for a job and a place to live.
Housing in Sydney is a pain in the ass and expect to pay a shit load for a decent place or accept something less appealing that at least is affordable. I lived very central in Surry Hills in a 10 m2 private room for $250 and I had to share the kitchen and the 3 bathrooms with 21 other people!
Yes, that does not sound like the Australian dream right? But that is reality in Sydney. Most affordable housing options are one of these illegal hostels and therefore most people share rooms with other people but still pay between $160-$220 per week for a central location.
I simply didn’t want to share a room, I am getting too old for that! I was shocked by the prices of living and therefore hated looking around on top of that I found out that for a job in hospitality I needed an RSA, a license that let you sell alcohol. To get an RSA I had to take the most ridiculous 6-hour course I ever took and cost me $130 AUD.
Yes, my first week in Sydney was definitely not that glorious and I asked myself the question, why am I doing this? I just travelled around Asia for 54 weeks and everything was so damn expensive, why am I here in Sydney? Working and living in Sydney?
Read here how I saved money living in one of worlds most expensive cities: Cost Of Living In Sydney.
Conclusion working holiday visa Australia blog
But end good, all good! I got through my first week and my Australian dream started to look more incredible with every week that passed! I arranged all my shit, found a room and finally also found a job. I applied for a job in hospitality at four different places and in the end I could choose between all of them. So for me finding a job in Australia was easy, but don’t take it too lightly. Especially if you are young and don’t have that much life experience. If you struggle finding a job back home, then probably you will struggle here too.
Remember that finding a temporary job for 90% comes down to your personality. Do you fit in the team? Do people like your attitude? Are you enthusiastic enough? Of course your skills are important, but to prove your skills you first gotta be accepted! Keep that in mind… I sound like a dad now! :)
This is where I have been working for 9 weeks: Bar At The End Of The Wharf, Sydney Theatre Company!
Finally I ended up not working that much anymore as I also wanted to concentrate more on my blog and social media. Besides I got used to the high prices and starting going out more and more. In the end I was not saving that much money anymore, but I had an amazing time. Working in Sydney, hiking, going to the gym, meeting inspiring people on social media events, coastal walks and simply relaxing at Bondi Beach felt so fantastic that I found it hard to leave after 10 weeks!
Yeah I totally got affected by the Australian Dream and decided to go back again soon! I will go back for another 8-10 weeks and hope it is going to be my last weeks working for someone as I will then focus full time on blogging and Instagramming. Through sponsoring and promotion I hope to make enough money to keep on traveling the world.
Nothing comes easy with a Working Holiday Visa
My story is one of the many positive ones and you will find a lot of people that fall in love with the Australia (I think it is the lifestyle rather than the country btw) and will all encourage you to take a leap of faith and get your work permit. Of course I will encourage you as well to do it as you will have an amazing experience and at the same time you will learn a lot about life and about yourself!
But keep in mind that not everything is as easy as it seems. I have seen many people struggling finding jobs and therefore had a hard time having a good time. Everything is extremely expensive and especially partying. Expect to work hard, play hard!
Going to Sydney with a couple people and looking for a lovely and affordable place to share for a great weekend getaway then check out Surry Hills boutique hotel The Adge.
How much does a Working holiday visa Australia cost?
In contrary to the application process the price is equal for all countries. So how much does a working permit for Australia cost? There is a flat rate of $440 AUD, which comes down to about $330 USD. If you pay by credit card they charge an extra fee of 1%. On http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa/Fees you can exactly find out how much is an Australian working holiday visa.
I hope you liked reading my Working Holiday Visa Australia Blog. How does your Australian dream look like? Let me know if you have any specific questions and I am more than happy to answer them! Also before you travel to Australia, read my blog 11 Reasons To NOT Love Australia!
If you like this article, please Pin it for me on Pinterest! Thanks a million...
