A working holiday visa lets young adults live in another country for up to a year, travel, and work locally to help pay for the trip. There is no single program: each country decides which nationalities are eligible, the age range, the quotas and the cost. This means the options for a US citizen and for a UK citizen are not the same, and this guide separates what the official sites say for each. If your main goal is to learn a language rather than to work, a language stay is a shorter, structured alternative. To be housed and fed in exchange for a few hours of farm help, read our guide to WWOOFing.
The guide covers the main schemes that appear in the official sources we could read, the conditions typically attached to them, and the application steps for the three most requested destinations: Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It relies on canada.ca (IRCC, page dated 21 October 2026), Immigration New Zealand, and the Australian Department of Home Affairs (as consulted on 14 October 2026), checked on 12 November 2026 unless stated otherwise. Always confirm the eligible-nationality list of the country you want before planning anything.
Working holiday visas: the essentials
- Eligibility depends on your passport: each country signs agreements with a set list of nationalities.
- Age: generally 18 to 30; canada.ca says 18 to 35, or 18 to 30 in some countries; New Zealand’s USA scheme is 18 to 30.
- Length: up to 12 months; New Zealand’s USA scheme allows up to 12 months, with study limited to 6 months in total.
- Canada: the UK is on the list of participating countries; the United States is not (canada.ca, page dated 2026-10-21).
- New Zealand: a USA Working Holiday Visa exists, from NZD $770, with at least NZD $4,200 in funds (Immigration New Zealand).
- Insurance: New Zealand requires full medical insurance for the whole stay.
Where can US and UK citizens go?
The table shows what the official pages we read say for the three most requested destinations. Other countries (for example Japan, South Korea or Hong Kong) run their own schemes with their own nationality lists: check the immigration authority of the country you want.
| Destination | UK citizens | US citizens | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada (International Experience Canada) | Listed as a participating country, with three categories: Working Holiday, Young Professionals and International Co-op (Internship). Age range and stay are on the country eligibility page | Not on the list of participating countries (the page does not explicitly address US citizens) | canada.ca (IRCC), page dated 2026-10-21 and eligibility page dated 2026-08-07 |
| New Zealand | Check the Immigration New Zealand site for the UK scheme (not covered by the page we read) | USA Working Holiday Visa: age 18 to 30, up to 12 months, from NZD $770, at least NZD $4,200 in funds, 80% of applications processed within 2.5 weeks | Immigration New Zealand |
| Australia | Check the eligible passports for the Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) | Check the eligible passports for the Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) | Australian Department of Home Affairs |
Common conditions
Exact conditions are set by each scheme. Immigration New Zealand gives a good example of what a scheme asks for its USA Working Holiday Visa:
- hold a valid US passport and normally live in the United States;
- be aged 18 to 30;
- be in good health and of good character, with a genuine reason to visit;
- never have held a New Zealand working holiday visa before, and plan to leave at the end of the stay;
- hold at least NZD $4,200 in funds, with money for an onward ticket kept separate;
- hold full medical insurance for the whole stay, which may need to include hospital cover;
- work only in temporary jobs: you cannot take a permanent job or operate a business as an owner.
Other schemes ask for similar conditions: age at the time of application, minimum funds, insurance, sometimes a CV, medical certificate or police certificate. Switching to another visa status once you are in the country is generally not possible. Insurance is a visa condition in several countries: check that your policy covers the whole stay, work abroad and repatriation. Our travel insurance guide details the cover to compare.
Canada: International Experience Canada (IEC)
In Canada, the working holiday is part of the government’s canada.ca (IRCC) program International Experience Canada (IEC). It works in three steps: create an IEC profile to enter the pool, receive an invitation to apply (ITA), then submit a work permit application. Applicants are generally 18 to 35, or 18 to 30 in some countries, and the page links to a country-by-country eligibility page. As of the page dated 21 October 2026, the 2026 season pools had closed.
| Item | Official information (canada.ca) |
|---|---|
| Processing fee | CAD $184.75 (additional fees may apply), as shown when we consulted the page on 14 October 2026 |
| Processing time shown | 6 weeks, once all documents and biometrics are submitted (consulted 14 October 2026) |
| 2026 season | Last round of invitations the week of 19 October 2026; profile to be submitted before 9 a.m. Eastern time on 19 October 2026 (consulted 14 October 2026) |
| Next season | 2027 rules will be published by IRCC |
To prepare your stay, see our Canada guide, when to go to Canada (winters are harsh, which matters for your arrival date), and our pages on Quebec and Vancouver. Visitors without a work permit use the Canada eTA instead.
Australia: Working Holiday visa (subclass 417)
For Australia, the application is made online, from outside the country, on the Department of Home Affairs website. Whether you can apply depends on your passport: the Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) and the Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) have different eligible countries, so check the list on the Home Affairs site first.
| Visa | Stay | Cost (official site) | Main condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Working Holiday visa | 12 months | AUD 840 | Meet the age requirement and hold an eligible passport |
| 2nd Working Holiday visa | 12 months | AUD 1,000 | 3 months of « specified » work during the 1st visa |
| 3rd Working Holiday visa | 12 months | AUD 1,000 | 6 months of « specified » work during the 2nd visa |
The Australian department gave an average processing time of about three months and asked applicants not to book flights or make commitments before the visa is granted (as consulted on 14 October 2026). To choose your arrival season, see when to go to Australia and our Australia guide.
Other destinations
New Zealand offers a working holiday scheme for US citizens (see above); see also when to go to New Zealand. In Asia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong run limited schemes for certain nationalities. In Latin America, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Colombia and Ecuador have partnerships with some countries. Whether your nationality is covered must be checked with each country’s embassy or immigration authority.
Preparing to leave: checklist
- Check opening dates and quotas on the country’s official site (some seasons fill quickly).
- Renew your passport if its validity does not cover the whole stay.
- Gather supporting documents: bank statements for funds, police certificate and medical certificate if requested.
- Buy the insurance required for the whole stay.
- Plan your money abroad: a card that works overseas, withdrawal fees; see our currency exchange guide.
- Check how your health and social coverage works abroad with your insurer or national health service before you leave.
For a long trip without working, see also our guide to a round-the-world trip. Amounts and procedures are authoritative only on government sites.
Frequently asked questions
What is the age limit for a working holiday visa?
It depends on the country and your nationality. canada.ca says IEC applicants are generally 18 to 35, or 18 to 30 in some countries; New Zealand’s USA Working Holiday Visa is for ages 18 to 30.
Which countries can US citizens do a working holiday in?
Immigration New Zealand offers a USA Working Holiday Visa (ages 18 to 30). Canada’s IEC page does not list the United States among participating countries. For Australia, check whether the United States is eligible for the Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) on the Home Affairs site.
Can UK citizens do a working holiday in Canada?
Yes: the United Kingdom is listed as a participating country in International Experience Canada, with Working Holiday, Young Professionals and International Co-op categories (canada.ca).
How much does a Canada working holiday cost?
canada.ca showed a processing fee of CAD $184.75 when we consulted it on 14 October 2026, with possible additional fees. Check the current fee list.
How much does an Australia working holiday cost?
AUD 840 for a first Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) and AUD 1,000 for a second or third, according to the Home Affairs site as consulted on 14 October 2026.
Can I do two working holidays?
Yes in different countries, subject to each scheme’s rules. In Australia, a 2nd and 3rd year are possible after 3 and then 6 months of specified work during the previous visa.
Do I need insurance for a working holiday?
Often: New Zealand requires full medical insurance for the whole stay on its USA Working Holiday Visa, and several other schemes make insurance a condition.
Our sources
- Canada.ca (IRCC), « Work and travel in Canada with International Experience Canada » (page dated October 21, 2026) and IEC eligibility (page dated August 7, 2026), checked 12 November 2026; fee, processing time and 2026 dates consulted 14 October 2026.
- Immigration New Zealand, « USA Working Holiday Visa », checked 12 November 2026.
- Australian Government, Department of Home Affairs, « Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) », consulted 14 October 2026.
- Our methodology
Updated November 2026.