When ELI began offering internship programs in New Zealand in 2015, it was the first time we became involved in the Working Holiday Visa Program. We all knew of the existence of the program, but had never really looked into the details. The basics are simple. The program is available in many countries around the world, generally to people under the age of 30. It's usually a reciprocal arrangement between countries - "offer it to our citizens and we'll offer it to yours." Exact details vary from country to country, but basically this visa will allow you to stay in another country for a year or longer and work legally. No need for under-the-table pay, this is all above board. Working in other countries as a non-resident can frequently be very difficult. Not with this visa. Of course, the visa doesn't guarantee you a job. That is still up to you. Our program in New Zealand does not offer paid positions, but some have used it to get a foothold in the country as they explore other options. But hey, we just want people to get out and see the world. The Working Holiday is one great tool for this!

When I decided to write a post about this program, I found that Wikipedia is a great resource. They list all the countries that participate, and then give some of the more important details. Sound interesting? Here's a list of the partipating countries, with links to Wikipedia:

• 1Countries and territories offering working holiday visas
  • 1.1Andorra
  • 1.2Argentina
  • 1.3Australia
  • 1.4Austria
  • 1.5Bangladesh
  • 1.6Belgium
  • 1.7Brazil
  • 1.8Canada
  • 1.9Chile
  • 1.10Colombia
  • 1.11Costa Rica
  • 1.12Croatia
  • 1.13Cyprus
  • 1.14Czech Republic
  • 1.15Denmark
  • 1.16Estonia
  • 1.17Finland
  • 1.18France
  • 1.19Germany
  • 1.20Greece
  • 1.21Hong Kong SAR
  • 1.22Hungary
  • 1.23Iceland
  • 1.24Indonesia
  • 1.25Ireland
  • 1.26Israel
  • 1.27Italy
  • 1.28Japan
  • 1.29Latvia
  • 1.30Lithuania
  • 1.31Malaysia
  • 1.32Malta
  • 1.33Mexico
  • 1.34Monaco
  • 1.35Netherlands
  • 1.36New Zealand
  • 1.37Norway
  • 1.38Peru
  • 1.39Philippines
  • 1.40Poland
  • 1.41Portugal
  • 1.42Romania
  • 1.43Russia
  • 1.44Singapore
  • 1.45Slovakia
  • 1.46Slovenia
  • 1.47South Africa
  • 1.48South Korea
  • 1.49Spain
  • 1.50Sweden
  • 1.51Switzerland
  • 1.52Taiwan
  • 1.53Thailand
  • 1.54Turkey
  • 1.55Ukraine
  • 1.56United Kingdom
  • 1.57United States
  • 1.58Uruguay
  • 1.59Vietnam

By Kevin O'Neill