Do you love to travel? Are you open to the idea of living abroad? A working holiday might be the perfect opportunity for you. This allows you to go to a country for much more than just sightseeing and earn money to fund further travels.

A working holiday abroad is the perfect opportunity to experience the world and can also refer to a specific type of visa needed to partake in this experience. You can immerse yourself in other countries, learning more about the country, culture, history, people and working environment.

You’ll get to meet people from all over the world, get paid and also see amazing new places in your free time. This is a great way to build experience, boost your future job prospects and potentially find a new home overseas. Working holidays really can be a life-changing experience.

You can go to so many countries but these are some of the most popular countries to take a working holiday:

• Australia• New Zealand• USA• Canada• UK• Ireland• France

Most working holiday visas allow for short term work in certain industries. A lot of participants find work in areas like:

• Hospitality• Tourism• Agriculture• Summer camps• Ski resorts• Hotels• Sales• Customer service

You can plan and arrange a trip independently, researching destinations, visas, transport and accommodation, or you can apply through an international sending agency who can help you to arrange the whole trip hassle free.

These companies charge a fee which includes help with visas, booking flights and places to stay, airport transfers, orientations, social events and most importantly they have staff in-country who can assist you in getting interviews and connect you with local companies who hire international staff.

Each country has different criteria when applying for a working holiday visa, but generally you will need to: 

• Be aged between 18-30 years• Come from an eligible country• Have no criminal convictions

If working holidays appeal, you might like to view gap year jobs or summer work abroad.