The 4 month program or Work Australia ‘416’ visa, allows participants to work for up to four months and is a perfect option for Gap Year students (between high school and university), or those who only have a short time to spend in Australia.

How the program works

Work and travel around Australia for a few months

The Australian sponsor is BUNAC’s subsidiary, International Exchange Programs (IEP) ). Your host in Australia is Work n Holiday, they have offices in Sydney, Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne. The program is administered in the USA by BUNAC USA Inc. The special ‘416’ Visa gives you a great deal of flexibility. You can take any job anywhere in Australia; you can pre-arrange your job or look after arrival – it’s your choice.

At the end of the four months, you may want to apply to change your status to visitor. This allows you to stay for an additional three months to travel but you are not able to work. The cost of the three month visitor visa is currently A$260.

Program Application

Click here to complete an online application for this program.

Work Australia includes:

  • Free choice of arrival date to enter Australia
  • Special flight deals available through co-operating travel companies. Call BUNAC for information
  • Discounted, comprehensive worldwide travel insurance
  • Free shuttle bus transfer from Sydney, Perth, Brisbane or Melbourne airport to your two nights accommodation, breakfast included
  • Sydney, Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne Resource Centers including advice and assistance from Work n Holiday staff on job and accommodation hunting, 24 hour emergency Work n Holiday assistance and discounted domestic travel options
  • Job support - Help arranging interviews and preparing applications
  • Arrival Orientation including Welcome Pack with handbook, maps and discount coupons
  • Online member’s lounge
  • Phonecard with A$5 credit and SIM card
  • Lonely Planet guidebook to Australia
  • Sydney Arrivals - 1 year YHA membership.

Eligibility

The special 4-month ‘416’ visa is open to anyone who is a US citizen (holding a US passport) aged 18-30 inclusive. Applications from eligible applicants can be submitted from outside the USA, except from Australia.

The 416 visa is ideal if you can only go to Australia for a short period of time. You must show proof of support funds of at least A$1,500 in addition to a notarized letter from your parents confirming they will provide financial support to you, if necessary, while you are in Australia.

Costs

Work and travel around Australia for a few months

The program fee for the ‘416’ four-month program is $849, plus mandatory travel insurance(a four month policy costs $239). This covers administration in both America and Australia, the A$305 (currently) Australian Government visa fee, courier fees, program handbook, Lonely Planet guidebook, two nights’ accommodation, orientation in Sydney, Perth, Brisbane or Melbourne and on-going support services from Work n Holiday for your entire time in Australia.

Arrival in Australia

You specify the date you wish to enter Australia and book your flight accordingly. On the ‘416’ visa the four-month program “clock” starts ticking on your specified entry date and expires exactly four months later. Please note that if, for example, you have to enter a week after the specified date, you will lose a week of your four month’s work authorization. For more information about travel in Australia click here.

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Emily Schmidt

Yes – LOTS!!! Went to Tasmania for a bit, spent Australia Day weekend in Melbourne, rented a car and drove myself from Brisbane to Cairns ( I thought I would enjoy doing that more than taking the Greyhound trip most backpackers do) . I also rented a car and drove the Great Ocean Road from Melblourne to South Australia. Spent 2 months camping around New Zealand.

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