Australia has the highest upfront working holiday application fee

by Sharyn McCullum | Last updated Aug 18, 2026 | News

If you are thinking about going on a working holiday, the cost of the working holiday visa may become a factor in your decision as to which country to choose.

After the 1 July 2026, Australia has the highest upfront application fee of any major working holiday visa. Yep, the first Working Holiday visa (subclass 417/462) rose to AU$840, up from AU$670. And if you want to apply for the second and third working holiday visa to extend your stay, applications now cost AU$1,000 each.

Wow. Will this cost make you choose a cheaper working holiday destination? The most popular working holiday destinations include Australia, the UK, New Zealand, Canada, Republic of Ireland and Japan. Here’s what they cost.

Country Base Working Holiday Visa Fee

Australia AU$840 $840 for (Sub-classes 417/462)

New Zealand NZD $770 + NZD $100 Levy

United Kingdom (Youth Mobility) 340 pounds

Canada IEC CAD$370 all in

Republic of Ireland (For Australians) AUD95 + 300 Residence Permit in-country

Japan 15,000 Yen (free for some other nationalities)

Which Working Holiday Visa Will You Choose?

Read our working holiday guides to get the details on accommodation available, what to do when you arrive, work you can get and how you will spend your down-time.

UK Working Holiday Visa Travel Guide
Australia Working Holiday Maker Visa Guide
New Zealand Working Holiday Visa Travel Guide
Canada Working Holiday Visa Guide
Republic of Ireland Working Holiday Visa Travel Guide
Japan Working Holiday Visa Guide

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My Essential Live and Work Abroad (and Play) Resources

🏠 Where Will You Be Sleeping Tonight? – For a bed in a hostel or a hotel room I check out Booking.com. For longer-term accommodation I get free accommodation house and pet sitting through Trusted Housesitters – this has saved me thousands on accommodation, no joke!

✈️ Need a cheap and flexible airfare – head to Skyscanner.

🚙 Car Rental – search and compare vehicles at DiscoverCars.

🚆 Train Travel: I love riding the rails. For a rail pass in Europe head to Raileurope. And Japan has a great one too – JapanRail Pass.

🚌 Travelling by bus is often the cheapest way to travel. Compare and get a ticket or a pass at Busbud.

🏃🏻‍♀️ Jump-the-queue entrance tickets and day tours: I book these through GetYourGuide.

👕 For travel clothing and gear I get a lot of stuff from Amazon, North Face and Anaconda.

🚑 Should you buy travel insurance? Absolutely Yes! SafetyWing is great digital nomads and long-term travellers and World Normads has policies for general and adventure travel.

Hi, I’m Sharyn. Travel addict. Lover of ’80s music. Chocolate, coffee and Mexican food connoisseur. Travel Writing Digital Nomad specialising in living and working abroad (and playing abroad too). Currently living, working and playing in Australia.