The decade of your twenties is an extremely interesting time. It’s a funny stage of figuring out what you like, who you are and what you represent to the world. Emotions are high and low while new leases of life present themselves. All a person is trying to do is calculate how existence on this earth works. Your twenties are an awkward phase of constantly asking questions like “am I doing this right?”, “should I do this?”, “what am I doing?” I can guarantee, if you have considered packing your bags to move overseas with a Working Holiday Visa (WHV) you have asked these questions more than once. However, if you don’t know what a WHV is, keep reading to find out and be inspired to apply for one.

What is a Working Holiday Visa (WHV)?

It is a temporary visa allowing an applicant to work a certain amount of time in a country and travel with a time span anywhere between six months to two years. A traveller must have a certain amount of funds in the bank upon arrival and the amount varies from country to country. The luxury of this visa is it allows people to have a taste of overseas living without the full commitment of costly expenses of accommodation and work sponsorship for a permanent stay. Before applying, remember, almost every WHV inhibits you to apply if you have a dependent. The average age of an eligible visa holder is 18-30, however, some countries make the visa available to people up to 35 years of age. A person literally has 17 years to travel and work freely almost anywhere in the world. How amazing does that sound? During my time on the road, I can’t tell you the number of men and women over 30 who expressed the perfect time to travel is during your twenties and they wished they did it when they were young. Has this information aroused more curiosity to apply? Keep reading!

Why you should be applying for a WHV

With the outrageous real estate market, a majority of twenty something’s can’t even afford to buy their first home yet. Why wallow with misery for the fact you still have to live with your parents or rent an apartment during the uncertain times of real estate? This is the time to go off and travel because you are young, wild and free.

Why are you limiting yourself by staying in the same place you have grown up in? If you’re feeling stuck and have been living in the same town you were born in, seriously, go online and research your dream destination and see if there is a WHV. Once you realize there is one available, apply! There is no harm in having the visa because most visas give you one year to enter the country to activate the visa.

Whatever stage you are at with your career, moving abroad and working a job will look great on your resume. It is a bigger bonus if you gain employment in your chosen field while abroad. The fact you made the effort to travel across the world to learn a new culture and work in an unfamiliar environment showcases resilience to an employer. May I also add, there are great possibilities to earn and save a lot of cash while working overseas depending on the country and job. Is this not another motive to pack your bag and go?

The fact of the matter is, there is no set way to live your life and you truthfully can do whatever you please. Always remember, you are the pilot of your life and have the choice where to go. Society often tells us we must in this order, go to university, graduate, start work right away, settle down and start a family. If a person doesn’t do this, the feeling of uncertainty rises because life is not going the way it “should.” The reality is, do what feels right for YOU. Each and every one of us has our own calling and we must learn to hear it and act on it. There is no set way to live a life and each person’s story should never be the same.

Another huge reason to go is this is time where we will most likely have the least responsibilities in our life. No mortgage, children and marriage results in no major commitments holding someone back. Take advantage of this precious time! We only live once, meaning, soak in as much experience, culture, learning and adventure as you possibly can. It’s quite evident from this article a WHV can offer this!

What countries have this visa option?

Since you made it this far into my article, I think I have persuaded you enough to apply for one! The passport you hold plays a factor of where you can go. The reason being, some countries have strong political ties allowing easier movement between territories. Regardless of your passport, there is no doubt you will find the best country to experience! Here is a complete list of all countries with a WHV option. If one interests you, please look on the country’s immigration website to see if your passport is valid upon applying.

• Andorra
• Argentina
• Australia
• Austria
• Belgium
• Brazil
• Canada
• Chile
• China
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hong Kong
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Indonesia
• Ireland
• Israel
• Italy
• Japan
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malaysia
• Malta
• Mexico
• Monaco
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Peru
• Philippines
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Russia
• Singapore
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• South Africa
• South Korea
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• Turkey
• Ukraine
• United Kingdom
• Uruguay
• Vietnam

Things to consider before applying

• There is a cost for a visa and it will vary in price depending on the country
• Have a nice chunk of savings in the bank ($5,000 is ideal)
• Many countries prefer to hire foreigners with sought-after skillsets (i.e., nursing, electrician, marketing, etc.)
• Pack the bare minimum (I played victim to over packing my first time living overseas and regretted it! You can buy whatever you need when the time comes.)
• Have all documents in hand upon applying (passport and birth certificate)

Good luck and I hope you apply for a WHV!