FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
I just want to see as much of Australia as possible on a three month tourist visa...
Your two basic options are to buy a simple return ticket or to include Australia as part of a round the world trip. There’s surprisingly little difference in price between the two. It depends on when you want to go, and what you want to do, but it’s definitely worth looking into a round the world ticket and seeing some other countries on the way. Even if you’re on a simple return ticket, you’ll probably be able to stop over for a few days in Kuala Lumpur or Singapore. If you’re looking for something a little bit different then look into flights via Seoul in South Korea - it is a place where east meets west, offering the best of both.
I want to spend as much time in Australia as I possibly can...
Australia has a working holiday visa programme with a number of countries to encourage cultural exchange. This means you can live and work in Australia for up to 12 months! Most travellers stay anywhere between one month to a year, mixing travelling and working.
It has recently become possible to spend up to two years in Australia with two working holiday visas (you have to earn your second working holiday visa). That's all well and good, but you're not going to find a return flight which allows you to do that. Instead, you'll need to get yourself there on a one way ticket and have enough cash in reserve for a flight home again.
I want to extend my round the world trip by working for a bit...
It varies on how much use you want to get out of your working holiday visa. The key problem is that round the world tickets are valid for a maximum of 12 months, as is your working holiday visa. If you only want to work for six months or so then this is not a problem, but if you're planning on working for much longer then you will need to look for alternative flights.
A working holiday visa will allow you to work in Australia for up to a year. These visas are well-suited to backpackers looking for casual work to supplement their adventures. Hospitality work in bars and hostels are a popular choice, but office temping and especially seasonal fruit-picking are the main jobs available to backpackers.
If you want to live in Australia for a year then it is best to get a one-way ticket direct to Sydney, Melbourne or Perth. Then you can work and travel for as long as you're allowed without the time constraints and pressures of catching a flight to the next destination.
Whatever you choose, remember, if you don't earn a second working holiday visa then you will only be allowed to stay in Australia for a year - don't waste it!
