Australia-UK Working Holiday Visa Improvements Coming by 2024
Update: The changes to the UK Youth Mobility Scheme visa for Australian citizens will take effect from 31 January 2024.
In June 2021, the Australian and UK governments announced upcoming improvements to their reciprocal working holiday visa agreement as part of a new Free Trade Agreement between the two nations.
Once the changes to the UK Youth Mobility Scheme (T5) visa are implemented, Australian citizens will be able to enjoy working holidays in the UK for up to 3 years. The UK working holiday scheme will also become available to Australians aged 18-35 years old, as is currently the case for the working holiday visas offered by Ireland, France and Canada.
Currently, only Australians aged 18-30 years old can apply for a UK Youth Mobility Scheme visa to live and work in the UK for up to two years.
Australia is also set to improve its own working holiday visa for UK citizens, offering the visa to Brits aged 18-35 and removing requirements to work in regional areas to access visa extensions.
While this agreement was struck in-principle in June 2021, it hasn’t yet been implemented. This means Australians can’t yet access the improved working holiday arrangements in the UK.
The question now on everyone’s lips is… when will the UK working holiday visa changes actually happen?
Don’t hold your breath for a quick implementation…
Back in June 2021, there were some suggestions the new visa arrangements could be implemented by around the middle of 2022. But at that time, the Australian government itself said it “is anticipated that these changes will be made within five years”.
Unfortunately, the latest information from the Australian Department of Home Affairs suggests that we could be waiting until as late as mid-2024.
So, what exactly are we waiting for?
On 17 December 2021, Australia and the UK virtually signed their new Free Trade Agreement. This means it is no longer just an “in-principle” agreement, which is a good step in the right direction. But there are still more steps…
Next, the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement needs to be passed by Australia’s parliament. A National Interest Analysis will also take place and it will be considered by Australia’s Joint Standing Committee on Treaties.
The FTA was tabled in the Australian parliament on 8 February 2022, so this process has already begun. There is no reason to believe the agreement won’t be approved. But given the federal government will soon break for an election, this process could take a few more months. Similar procedures also need to take place on the UK’s end.
Once the necessary internal processes are completed by both countries, the Free Trade Agreement will take effect either 30 days later or on another mutually agreed date.
Some media outlets have reported that the FTA is expected to come into force on 1 July 2022. This would seem like a realistic timeline. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean the changes to UK working holiday visas would be implemented from the same date.
Working holiday visa changes to be implemented within 2 years of FTA launching
According to a recent update from the Department of Home Affairs:
Within two years of the FTA entering into force, new arrangements for Working Holiday Makers are expected to be implemented.
Yes, that’s right. The improvements to UK working holiday visas for Australians, and vice versa, will still take up to two years to be implemented from the time that the Free Trade Agreement enters into force. Which hasn’t happened yet and will probably happen in mid-2022.
Based on this timeline, the changes to the UK Youth Mobility Scheme visa could realistically be implemented any time between late 2022 and mid-2024.
The old rules continue to apply for now
If you don’t feel like waiting an unspecified period of time – potentially more than two years – it is still possible to apply for a UK Youth Mobility Scheme (T5) visa under the current rules. But this means you’ll have to be aged 18-30 (inclusive) and your visa will only remain valid for two years.
If you have already held a Youth Mobility Scheme visa, it is not yet clear whether you will be able to re-apply for this visa in the future under the new conditions (e.g. apply for a third year if you already held this visa for two years and have since left the UK). There are signs that this may be possible, with the Australian government indicating it will allow this for UK citizens coming to Australia. But there is no information available yet from the UK government.
So if you want to take advantage of the full 3-year Youth Mobility visa validity, or you want to apply for a UK working holiday visa as an Australian over 30, for now you might unfortunately just have to wait…
We’ll continue providing updates, so keep an eye on Working Holidays for Aussies in the meantime! To stay informed, you can also sign up for our newsletter.
Are you saying forner whv holders will miss out?
There has been no official guidance yet from any government about this, so it is too early to say for sure. However, one of the requirements to get a Youth Mobility Scheme visa (or a working holiday visa from most other countries) is that you haven’t already had the visa. I don’t see any reason why it would be different in this instance, unless the UK government decides to make an exception.
I’m sure we’ll find out more over the coming months, but for now there is nothing that indicates to me that previous UK Youth Mobility scheme visa holders would be able to reapply (other than wishful thinking from some Australians, which is perfectly understandable!).
No we won’t miss out. On 4th April this was updated on the Home Affairs Website:
“If you have already spent one or two years in Australia on a Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa before the new arrangements commence, you will be able to apply for the remaining visas under the new arrangements. This will enable you to access the maximum of three years in Australia.
Scenarios for the new arrangements
Example 1: Amanda came to Australia on her first Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa in 2015. She was 25 years old. Amanda returned to the UK in 2016. Amanda is now 32 years old. She cannot apply for another Working Holiday visa as the age limit for applicants is 30 years.
When the new arrangements commence, Amanda will be able to apply for second and third Working Holiday visas. She can apply from in or outside Australia, up to the age of 35 years. She will not need to meet any specified work requirements”
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/what-we-do/whm-program/latest-news/arrangements-uk-passport-holders
That’s good to hear! Hopefully the UK will reciprocate.
Is this artical from the government?
It seems former whv holders will not be able to apply,
Theres been no offical updates about this.
Can you explain?
No, this article is not from any government. I wrote it based on the best available information we have at this time, but more information will become available with time. Please see my response above.
Does this mean we will have to pay addition money for the NHS?
There haven’t been any announcements about this, but I don’t see any reason at this stage why there would be any changes here.
Talia – the NHS fee paid when you apply for your visa should cover you and this isn’t going up. It’s about £500 for the year (I’m not sure how that works out in dollars) BUT if you work for the NHS when you come, you don’t have to pay the fee 🙂 I’m pretty sure if your visa is over 6 months then you HAVE to pay the NHS fee (unless of course your employer is the NHS).
I’ve been told that we can’t apply for these youth mobility visas within the uk if you’re on a tourist visa. Is there a way around this? Such as applying in another country like south Ireland.
Have a look at: https://www.gov.uk/youth-mobility/apply and https://workingholiday.au/uk-youth-mobility-scheme/
You cannot apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa while already in the UK, but you can apply from anywhere outside the UK. You don’t have to be in Australia.
After applying online from the UK, you can visit any visa application centre to get your fingerprints and photograph taken. There is one available in Dublin, as well as many other places. See https://www.gov.uk/find-a-visa-application-centre
If I used a WHV in 2018 and didn’t complete my 88 regional days, am I eligible to apply for a 2nd WHV?
I’m assuming you’re referring to the working holiday visa offered by Australia to citizens of other countries (e.g. UK citizens)?
If so, a condition to apply for a second year visa is that you need to have completed at least 88 days of specified work during the first year of holding the WHV. See https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/work-holiday-417
There may be some exceptions for people whose stays were interrupted by COVID-19 (see https://workingholiday.au/australia-reopens-to-working-holiday-makers/), but I don’t think this would apply to you if you were in Australia in 2018.
Yes, correct I am a U.K. citizen.
I have read recently that under new trade agreements I will be able to apply for a 2nd and 3rd year without having to complete 88 days regional work.
Do you think this will be the case?
Thanks for your help!
Ah. Yes, once the new arrangements come into force this may indeed be possible. It hasn’t happened yet, but will by 2024 at the latest. There’s more info available here – https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/what-we-do/whm-program/latest-news/arrangements-uk-passport-holders
I’ve currently got a youth mobility visa in process. I applied right before my 31st birthday. It’s taking a long time but I wasn’t aware this new rule was coming into play so I applied before I was no longer eligible.
They’ve had my passport in process for nearly 2 months. I’m wondering whether I should withdraw my application and wait? But then there’s no guarantee this is going to go through is there? I’m 31 now and live in Canada but I want to spend some time in the UK eventually. I didn’t want to miss my last opportunity.
Only you can really decide what to do in your situation. It is guaranteed that the increased age limit will happen by mid-2024, although the exact date is not yet known.
Once the new agreement comes into effect, it’s not clear whether Australians who previously have held or applied for a Youth Mobility Visa will be able to re-apply and/or get a third year, but current indications are that it could be possible as Australia has said it will do this for UK citizens.
Hi there !
Thanks for this information, it is very useful. Still no updates on this?
There’s still no start date, unfortunately, but there has been a bit of movement in the meantime. Here’s the latest info: https://workingholiday.au/uk-nz-working-holiday-visas-june-2023/
I really hope this means Australia’s is next (and quickly!) in the pipeline. I turn 36 in January so all fingers and toes crossed!
🤞🤞
The start date has now been announced as 31 January 2024: https://workingholiday.au/uk-youth-mobility-visa-improvements-january-2024/
I applied for the UK YMS right before my 31st birthday in May 2022 as I was afraid I’d miss out. I activated it in November 2022 (I went over on holiday and came home). I’m hoping I’ll be eligible for a 3rd year as I’m not ready to move my life over until the end of 2023 so I’ll only have one year there. I applied because of FOMO and didn’t know the specifics of the new rules coming into place and didn’t want to risk not being eligible at all.