More than a month after it suspended its agreement with the Czech Republic, the Australian government has reopened its Work and Holiday Visa program with the European nation.
On 1 March 2026, Australia and the Czech Republic temporarily suspended their reciprocal Work and Holiday visa agreement. The Australian Department of Home Affairs said at the time that this was “to allow the department to make extension arrangements”, but didn’t provide further details.
The good news is that eligible citizens of both countries can once again apply for Work and Holiday visas in the other country. The program has now been extended for at least another two years, and is open for new applications until at least 8 April 2028. After this time, it may be extended or paused again.
For more details on how young Australians can apply for this visa, see our guide to the Czech Work and Holiday Visa.
Our guide to Australia’s Work and Holiday Visa also has full details for Czech citizens.
It’s unusual for the Australian government to suspend its working holiday program with another country. Extensions usually happen seamlessly behind the scenes.
In total, Australia has working holiday agreements with almost 50 countries.
Matt is the founder of Working Holidays for Aussies. Passionate about travel and always looking for great deals, he believes that a gap year is the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in another culture and learn all the things they didn’t teach you in school.
Originally from Australia, Matt has travelled to over 100 countries, lived in 7 countries, and has extensive real-world experience with working holiday visas.
Learn more and connect with Matt Graham on LinkedIn.
