If you’re familiar with Luggage and Life, you know that in addition to travel, one of the main things I talk about is moving abroad. Doing this obviously requires money, and if you’re like me, you can’t afford to stop working and just move abroad and/or travel the world (as lovely as that would be).

It can be difficult to find employment overseas, and in some countries, it’s nearly impossible to get the proper working papers. Luckily for my fellow US citizens, there are five countries that offer working holiday visas for Americans! These visas allow you to work while you see the world.

Read on for all the details on five countries that offer working holiday visas for Americans!

Five countries that offer working holiday visas for Americans

What’s a working holiday visa?

Working holiday visas allow you to move to another country for a certain amount of time to vacation and work while you’re there. You don’t have to secure a job beforehand, you can just get one when you arrive!

Most working holiday arrangements depend on reciprocal agreements between countries. For example, Italy and Australia have a working holiday agreement, but Italy and the US do not. In fact, there’s only one European country that offers working holiday visas for Americans – Ireland. This means that Irish citizens can also apply for a one-year working holiday visa to the US.

All of the working holiday visas for Americans are subject to age/study restrictions as well.

I wasn’t really aware that working holiday visas for American existed until I moved to Australia to get my master’s degree. I met dozens and dozens of people from all over the world who had been granted this type of visa. I looked into it, and found out that US citizens, at the time, were entitled to a one-year working holiday visa (now it’s two, if you do regional work).

After my first year in Australia on a student visa, the working holiday visa allowed me to go back for another year.  Australia’s neighbor, New Zealand, offers a very similar program.

Singapore and South Korea have working holiday visas for Americans, too! The rules for Singapore are a bit more strict than the others – you can only stay for 6 months, and they only accept 2,000 applications.

Below, I’ve compiled a list of all of the basic information regarding working holiday visas for Americans in the five countries mentioned above. Each one has its own stipulations, so be sure to read the details carefully. I’ve also got links to the official page for each one, so you can investigate any that you might be interested in further.

Australia: Work and Holiday Visa (Subclass 462)

This is the only visa I have personal experience with, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Living in Sydney was an amazing opportunity for me, both professionally and personally. I had a great job that I loved, wonderful friends, and I met my sweetheart when I was in Australia on the Work and Holiday visa, too!

The visa that Americans are eligible for is Subclass 462. Citizens of some other countries can apply for Subclass 417, which is slightly different. For details on Subclass 417, click here.

With the Work and Holiday Visa (462) you can be in Australia for 12 months (details on extending for another year are below). During these 12 months, you can work, but you cannot work for longer than six months for one employer.

In addition to teaching for three months at an English school when I first arrived, I was able to teach at one university for four months, then at another one for three, and then go back to the original one for two additional months at the end of my stay. I did this by making sure with my administrators and HR that I was removed as an employee after those first four months. If you have a job that you might be able to return to and haven’t worked there for six full months, you can look into doing the same.

Extending your Work and Holiday Visa in Australia

As I mentioned above, while researching for this post, I noticed that you can now do three months of regional work, and then apply for an additional year of Work and Holiday! When I did mine, only people from certain countries (the 417 people) could do this. Looks like things have changed!

What qualifies as regional work?

There are specific jobs in certain areas that qualify as regional work. For more details, check out the Immigration and Citizenship page of the Department of Home Affairs.

Costs: fees, health insurance, and funds to cover onward travel

The cost of living in Australia is high, and the cost of this visa follows suit. At the time of writing, the fee for a Work and Holiday Visa application is AUD$450.

You also must show that you have a health insurance policy, money to support yourself while you’re getting settled (AUD$5,000 at the time of writing) and enough funds to purchase a ticket to leave the country.

Other important information on Australia’s Work and Holiday Visa for Americans

You must be between the ages of 18 and 30.

You can study for up to four months while you have this visa.

You can leave the country and return as many times as you want.

You must apply for this visa while outside of Australia.

You cannot have a dependent child with you.

You can apply for this visa right out of high school! All you have to do is show proof that you’ve graduated.

More details and application

Full details and application here.

New Zealand: Working Holiday Visa

Americans between 18 and 30 can apply for a Working Holiday Visa to New Zealand that lasts one year.

This visa allows you to work for 12 months, study or train for up to six months, or just vacation for the entire duration of the visa.

Costs: fees, health insurance, and funds to cover onward travel

The visa application is free, and there is no quota, however, you must demonstrate that you have funds to support yourself, which at the time of writing is NZ $4,200. You also must show that you have enough money to buy yourself a ticket to leave the country. You can do this by providing bank statements, credit card statements, bank drafts, or travellers’ checks.

There are also health requirements, and you must have insurance for the length of your stay.

Other important information on New Zealand’s Work and Holiday Visa for Americans

You must be between 18 and 30 years of age.

You cannot bring a dependent child on the visa with you.

You must be of good moral standing in your home country, which means you are not eligible if you’ve had any criminal convictions.

Details and application

For full details and the application, click here.

Ireland: Working Holiday Authorization (WHA)

The Irish Working Holiday Authorization (WHA) allows US citizens who are 18 to older to live and work in Ireland for up to one year. The cool thing about this one is that there’s no upper age limit, provided you meet one of the requirements below.

You have to either be a full-time student (part-time or online students are not excepted) working towards an Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctorate, or you must have graduated from such a program within the previous 12 months before you apply.

I love this! Most working holiday programs are aimed exclusively at young people. In Ireland, even if you go back to school as an older student, you can still have the working holiday experience!

Other important information on Ireland’s WHA for Americans

In order to apply for the WHA, you must demonstrate that you fall into one of the two aforementioned categories related to current or prior study.

You must also send a current CV or résumé with at least two references.

Costs: fees and funds

You also have to provide a bank statement proving that you have at least $4,000.

The base fee for the WHA is $339, but there are also related postage fees to consider, which differ depending on where you apply from.

Details and application

For full details and the application, click here.

Singapore: Work Holiday Pass

US citizens aged 18 – 25 who have an undergraduate degree can apply for a six-month Work Holiday Pass to Singapore. 

Applicants must show that they are or were full-time, resident students at their university.

If you’re interested in applying for a Work Holiday Pass to Singapore, plan carefully – they only accept 2,000 applications at any given time!

Cost

The cost is $150, and there is an additional cost of $30 for something called a “Multiple Journey Visa.” 

Details and application

For more details and the application, check here. 

South Korea: Working Holiday Visa

For this visa, you must be 18 – 30 years old. The main purpose  of your stay must be an extended holiday. Your intention to work should only be short term, just to supplement your vacation.

You can leave and reenter South Korea as many times as you want as a Working Holiday Visa holder.

Costs: fees, health insurance, and funds for onward travel

You must demonstrate that you have health insurance, and no criminal record.

You must also show that you have 3,000,000 Korean won – which is roughly $2,700. You have to have funds to purchase a ticket to leave the country as well.

Other important information on South Korea’s Work and Holiday Visa for Americans

You must submit a travel plan for your stay.

You cannot have dependent children.

You cannot have a criminal record.

Details and application

For more information and the application, click here.

As I mentioned above, I’ve only had personal experience work the Work and Holiday visa to Australia, but if you have questions or comments, feel free to share below and I’ll get you whatever answers I can!