Work and travel: basics

In short: Work and travel refers to a form of travel where young people live abroad for an extended period and finance their stay through casual jobs. Popular destination countries often include Australia, New Zealand, and Canada with special visa programmes.

In more detail: The right visa varies greatly depending on the destination country and largely determines how long you may stay and work.

In detail

• Working holiday visa: Many countries offer special visas for young adults that combine temporary work with tourist stays.
• Age limits: Most working holiday programmes are restricted to people between 18 and 30 or 35, depending on the country.
• Typical jobs: Seasonal work in agriculture, hospitality, tourism, or on farms are among the most common types of employment for work-and-travel visitors.
• Financial preparation: Despite the ability to work on site, a financial starting buffer for the first few weeks is usually recommended.
• Insurance coverage: Travel health insurance is essential for the entire trip, since public healthcare systems often don’t cover visitors.
• Cultural and personal development: Extended stays abroad often significantly boost language skills, intercultural competence, and personal independence.
• Planning effort: Visa applications, flight bookings, and initial accommodation should ideally be organised several months before the planned departure (visum-und-einreisegenehmigung, reiseversicherungen-ueberblick).