Ecuador’s Work & Holiday Visa for Australians
Australia has signed a reciprocal working holiday visa agreement with Ecuador, which commenced in 2019. If you’re an Australian citizen aged 18-30 years old, speak Spanish and have completed at least two years of university education, you may be able to apply for a working holiday visa to live and work in Ecuador for up to a year!
This page contains information about Ecuador’s Work and Holiday Visa for Australian citizens. It was last updated on 6 October 2022.
Key facts about Ecuador
- Population: Approx. 18 million
- Official language: Spanish
- Capital city: Quito
- Largest cities: Guayaquil, Quito, Cuenca, Santo Domingo, Machala
- Currency: United States Dollar (USD)
Ecuador Work and Holiday Visa requirements for Australians
To apply for an Ecuadorian Work and Holiday Visa as an Australian citizen, you must meet the following requirements:
- Aged between 18-30 years old (inclusive) at the time of application
- Have successfully completed at least two years of full-time university study
- Speak at least a “functional” level of Spanish
- Have enough savings to support yourself financially in Ecuador (at least the equivalent of USD400 for each month of your stay, plus enough money to buy a return ticket back to Australia)
You cannot apply for this visa if you:
- Will be accompanied by dependent children
- Have a criminal record
- Have already participated in the working holiday program in Ecuador
Documents needed to apply for this visa
When applying for a Working Holiday Visa for Ecuador as an Australian citizen, you will need to provide the following documents:
- Australian passport with at least six months of validity
- Bank statement/s or other evidence of sufficient funds (see above for details)
- Proof of health/travel insurance that covers your medical expenses in Ecuador
- Criminal record certificate from the Australian government, apostilled and translated into Spanish
- Apostilled certificate showing proof of an undergraduate degree or completion of at least two years of university education
- “SIELE” Spanish language certificate proving functional Spanish language ability (this can be issued by any qualified institution e.g. Instituto Cervantes in Sydney)
- Letter of Australian government support
For more information about the visa application process, please read these detailed instructions from the Ecuadorian Ministry of External Relations and Human Mobility (this PDF document is in Spanish). For information applicable to Australian citizens travelling to Ecuador for a working holiday, scroll down to section “C” (Requisitos exigidos a postulantes australianos por el Gobierno Ecuatoriano) on pages 5-6 of the document. The other information (sections A & B) is only applicable to Ecuadorian citizens applying for working holiday visas in Australia.
How to apply for an Ecuadorian Work and Holiday Visa in Australia
As an Australian citizen, you would need to apply for this visa while in Australia (before you travel to Ecuador).
The first step is to register with the Ecuadorian “virtual consulate” (consulado virtual) section of the Ecuadorian Ministry of External Relations and Human Mobility website and make an appointment to apply in person for a visa at an Ecuadorian consulate in Australia.
On the day of your appointment at the Ecuadorian consulate, you’ll need to present all of the documents listed above and pay the USD50 (approx. AUD70) visa fee (this amount is subject to change).
For more information, please contact the Ecuadorian embassy or consulate in Australia or refer to section C of this PDF document from the Ecuadorian Ministry of External Relations and Human Mobility
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!
