Czech Republic’s Working Holiday Visa for Australians

Ever wanted to live in Prague, or elsewhere in the Czech Republic? If you’re an Australian citizen aged between 18 and 26 years old, you can with a Czech Work and Holiday visa!

This visa allows young Australians to live in the Czech Republic for up to 12 months, study for up to 4 months and undertake incidental work to help fund their stay. It’s one of numerous European working holiday visas available to Australians. Working holiday makers in the Czech Republic can also travel within the Schengen Area during their stay.

Under the reciprocal Work and Holiday program agreement between Australia and the Czech Republic, there is a limit of 500 places per year. But if you’re an Australian thinking of moving to the Czech Republic it is unlikely that this cap will be reached (and if it has, you can just apply at the start of the next calendar year).

This page contains information about the Czech Republic Working Holiday Visa for Australian citizens. It was last updated on 2 November 2024.

Key facts about the Czech Republic

Population: Approx. 11 million
Official language: Czech
Capital city: Prague
Largest cities: Prague, Brno, Ostrava, Pilsen
Name of the country in Czech: Česká republika
Currency: Czech koruna/crown (CZK)

Czech Republic Working Holiday Visa requirements for Australians

To apply for a Czech Republic Working Holiday Visa as an Australian citizen, you must meet the following requirements:

Aged between 18-26 years old (inclusive) at the time of application
Have sufficient savings to cover your costs of living in the Czech Republic (at least ~AUD6,500)
Be in good health

You cannot apply for this visa if you:

Will be accompanied by dependent children
Have a criminal record
Have already held a working holiday visa for the Czech Republic

Documents needed to apply for this visa

When applying for a Working Holiday Visa for Czech Republic as an Australian citizen, you will need to provide the following documents:

Completed and signed long-term visa form (answer question 28 (Purpose of stay) by ticking “Other” and writing “Working Holiday – Australia” under “Specify”)
Passport valid until at least 3 months after you intend to leave the Czech Republic
Two identical passport-sized photos
Proof that you have at least approximately CZK101,380 (this amount is subject to change), or around AUD6,500, in savings (e.g. bank statement/s)
A signed statutory declaration that you have not been convicted of a crime in Australia
Proof that you hold adequate travel insurance (there are some very specific requirements for this – see below)
Proof of accommodation in the Czech Republic, e.g. document showing ownership of a house, a rental agreement or written confirmation that you can stay with somebody/in their home

There is a visa fee of CZK2,500 (approx. AUD163, although the exchange rate is updated monthly) which can be paid by bank card, online transfer or cash directly to the Czech Consulate General. After arriving in the Czech Republic, you may need to pay an additional fee for an Employment Permit (see below).

Please see the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Sydney website for more information about the visa requirements.

Czech working holiday visa travel insurance requirement

The Czech government has specific travel insurance requirements, including that your policy provides at least €400,000 worth of coverage for complex medical care.

In addition, your policy may not exclude coverage for injuries you sustain that are caused by your deliberate actions, negligence, alcohol or drug consumption.

Your insurance must cover you for your entire stay in the Czech Republic. It should also provide at least €30,000 of coverage for emergency medical care, medical evacuation and repatriation costs.

Please read the Czech Department for Asylum and Migration Policy website and Ministry of Foreign Affairs website for full details.

How to apply for a Czech Republic Working Holiday Visa

You can apply for a Czech working holiday visa in Australia up to 3 months before your intended departure date. The Czech Consulate General advises that visas generally take a minimum of 15 days and up to 60 days to process, so we recommend applying 2-3 months before you intend to travel to the Czech Republic.

Australians can apply in person for a Czech working holiday visa at the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Sydney. (This is the recommended method.)

Visit the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Sydney website to schedule an appointment.

It may be possible to submit your visa application by mail instead in exceptional circumstances, at the Consulate’s discretion, however the Consulate may still require you to attend in person for an interview.

Working in the Czech Republic

If you would like to work during your stay in the Czech Republic, you may need to separately obtain an Employment Permit after you arrive. However, on 1 July 2024, the Czech government issued a “Work Permit Waiver” that applies to Australian citizens.

If you earn more than approx. CZK15,000 (approx. AUD970) you’ll also need to file a tax return and pay income tax in the Czech Republic.

While best efforts are made to keep this information updated, we do not guarantee its accuracy. If you spot an error, would like to suggest new information to be added or simply have a question, please let us know in the comments and we’ll endeavour to respond or update the article as quickly as possible!