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Not Luxe ☼ Travel
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"australia"

    The money you'll need for a Working Holiday Visa in Australia

    How Much Money Do You Need? Working Holiday Visa Australia

    by Nick & Raychel September 6, 2019

    The unexpected costs of a Working Holiday Visa in Australia: The money you’ll need

    How much money do you need for your Working Holiday Visa in Australia?

    Earlier this year, we moved to Australia on a Working Holiday Visa (WHV). We were so excited for our new adventure, and chances are if you’re reading this blog, you’re thinking about moving to Australia too! 

    Aside from the cost of the visa application (in our case, $450 CAD), there were some other unexpected costs of the Working Holiday Visa. We had just come from a big trip all through South East Asia, so we had – um – just about nothing.

    Below you’ll find some things to budget for when planning your move to Australia so that you don’t make the same mistakes that we did.


    You can also find our video about the unexpected costs of a Working Holiday Visa on our Youtube channel.

    Ability to show $5,000 AUD or equivalent

    You have probably already read this while applying for your Australia Working Holiday Visa. You must be able to show $5,000 AUD (or equivalent) upon entering the country.

    To prove that you have it, you can show a printed bank statement or pull it up on your phone. They did not ask us for this, but we have many friends that were asked to prove it. 

    So don’t risk it. Have $5,000 AUD (or equivalent) ready to show before making your move.

    Medical Examinations

    Yep, we were asked for these. 

    After applying for our WHV, we waited two weeks and received an email that we must get medical exams done. This included a chest x-ray, a urine test, an eye test, and some other things on the list. 

    You do not have to do this unless you are asked.

    We were in the Philippines at the time and the Australian Government had provided us a list of eligible clinics, none of which even remotely close to where we were. So there we were – making our way to Cebu city to do our medical exams.

    We didn’t know exactly what we needed, but the clinic did. All eligible clinics will have the list of requirements for what you need to be done. Then, they will send your results over to the Australian Government.

    The major pain in the ass? $250.00 each and an extra week of processing time.

    Certifications to work

    Upon arrival, something that shocked us about working in Australia is that there’s a certificate for pretty much anything. We don’t know what it’s like in some countries, but… wait – here, I’ll give an example.

    I’ve worked in administrative roles for the past seven years and was not finding myself eligible for most entry-level office positions as I didn’t have my Business I, II, or III certificate.

    To obtain a Business I certificate, you’d have to take a full-blown course. In the end, I ended up being placed in an office through a recruitment agency without it, but I wasn’t getting paid the highest rate, and it took longer for me to find a job.

    • If you want to work in a restaurant, you’ll need your RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) certificate. If you’re planning of moving around Australia, decide where you will go first, because you will need different certificates for different regions.

      The RSA prices at this time are:
      Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and Northern Territory: $24.00 AUD online
      Victoria: $60.00 in-class
      New South Wales: $124.000 online

      These certificates won’t transfer over when you change regions. So if you move to a different region, you’ll have to pay and go through the course again.

    • If you want to work in a restaurant, you may also need your RCG (Responsible Gambling Services). This is because many bars / hotels / restaurants have slot machines or other gambling services inside. That means, if you want to work there, you’ve gotta be eligible to be around them.

      Obtaining an RCG costs around $60.00 AUD.

      Usually, you can tack on the RCG course to your RSA payment and get a deal on both.

    • If you are interested in working in labour (construction industry), you will need your White Card.

      A White Card can cost anywhere from $40-$150 AUD depending on if you buy a package.

      The most common price for a White Card is $59.00 AUD.

    • Many expats also work as construction flaggers in Australia. The course to do construction flagging is roughly $600 AUD. 

    There are courses for pretty much everything in Australia. Some of them are compulsory, some of them are not.

    In a competitive city like Sydney (where we were living), people may even ask for Barista certification in a busy cafe, or other types of certificates (like the Business I) for common office jobs.

    Do your research, budget, and come prepared. Many of the courses can be done online before your arrival.

    Work clothes

    This should be obvious, but we didn’t even think about it. Nick originally got a construction job, which required you to have your own PPE. Your steel toe boots alone could really rack up a bill. The estimated cost of buying your own PPE upon arrival is roughly $300-$400 AUD.

    For my job interview at a recruitment agency alone, I had to come dressed in full corporate wear. That meant I had to go out and buy a ladies suit with tights and heels, which was around $150.00 AUD (on a budget). Luckily, because of my experience, I was placed in a media-based position where full corporate wear wasn’t necessary every day.

    If you’re planning on working a corporate gig and need to wear this stuff every day, you could easily spend $300.00 AUD for your look alone. 

    Some cafes will just have you wear black bottoms, so if you’re planning on working in one, bring your own from home so you don’t have to buy them upon arrival!

    Winter clothes 

    Winter clothes for Working Holiday Visa in Australia

    Nope, Australia is not hot all of the time. We should’ve had everything (you know, being Canadian and all) but we had been living in Cambodia for the entirety of last year. Winter rolled around and guess what, we were cold. We spent about $200.00 AUD each on winter clothes.

    Bring your winter stuff from back home if you want to save a coin. 

    Research where you’ll be going and see how far the temperatures drop. 

    If you’re coming from a hot climate, be prepared to invest in some winter gear.

    Apartment rental bond

    Of course, you’re going to have to pay rent – but have you budgeted for a security deposit (bond)? You will need money during your Working Holiday Visa in Australia for your bond alone.

    Most, if not all, landlords in Australia will ask for a bond which is fully refundable at the end of your lease. The bonds can vary. Bonds can range from a two week rent deposit to a three month’s rent deposit, so be prepared with some extra cash that you can pay up front.

    Our bond was the equivalent of two week’s rent, so we had to pay $700.00 AUD up front for our apartment, which we got back once we moved out of it.

    SIM Card + Phone Plan

    You should probably have a number where employers can reach you, right? 

    One of the first things we spent money on in Australia during our Working Holiday Visa was a SIM card. This way, we had phone numbers for employers to call us, and GPS to guide us around.

    The cost of an average plan in New South Wales is $40-$50 AUD/month. 

    Transit

    Ahhh – of course. You need to pay to get around.

    Nope, there was no way we were going to afford a car.

    To get around Sydney, we bought Opal cards and loaded them with $100 AUD each. 

    We roughly spent $30 AUD/week on transit for the duration that we lived there.

    You will need money to get yourself started

    You’ve probably already thought of this, but our advice is to write down everything you’ve been spending money in the past week. If you can’t remember, start next week.

    Chances are, when you move to Australia on your Working Holiday Visa, you will still want & need all of those things. What are they? Groceries, new socks, beer, a phone charger because your last one crapped out? You will still need money to live your life. 

    Lastly, emergencies can happen. Always make sure you have enough money to cover yourself if you get into one.

    Travel Insurance

    Speaking of emergencies, make sure you have yourself covered. We recommend World Nomads travel insurance to ensure you’re covered on any trip you take – including moving abroad. You can get a quote for World Nomads right here.

     

     


    Now it probably makes sense why the Australian government asks you to have $5,000 AUD to show when you enter the country. It makes sense. You will need money for your Working Holiday Visa in Australia. Come prepared, and have the time of your life.

    As always, you can reach out to us on Instagram @notluxxe if you have any questions.

    Good luck!


    Planning your trip to Australia? Read our article: Working Holiday in Australia (The Nitty Gritty Stuff)

    Can you sell everything you own and travel when you have pretty much, um, nothing valuable? We’ll cut to it – the answer is yes, but you’ll have to get creative. Read about it in this blog.

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  • Working Holiday Visa in Australia: The Nitty Gritty Stuff

    by Nick & Raychel July 25, 2019

    Everything we wish we knew before doing our Working Holiday Visa in Australia. We talk money, location, and the nitty gritty stuff.

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  • Things Worth Buying as Minimalist Nomads

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  • Working Abroad | 7 Reasons Why It’s The Best Way To Travel

    by Nick & Raychel March 30, 2020

    Living & working abroad changed our lives. Here, we outline the reasons why you should work overseas to inspire you to change yours too.

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Nick & Raychel
Nick & Raychel

In 2018, we sold everything we owned and moved to Cambodia to teach English.

Let’s make this clear: this journey didn’t start with money. This journey started with a desire to see the world and to do something different for a change.

We’re not going to fool you with photos of floating breakfasts and private jets. We know what it’s like to be on a budget. Although we like to take pretty pictures, we aren’t going to wake up at an ungodly hour to give you unachievable travel jealousy. We aren’t going to censor ourselves or lie to you.

What we are going to do is stay in cheap hostels, find ways to make money, give the advice that we would want to hear, and share our experiences with you honestly.

Are you in?

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ABOUT NICK & RAYCHEL

About Us Hi! We’re Nick & Raychel, the Canadian travel couple behind the brand ‘Not Luxe’. Far before we were married (and on a mission to see the world), we were working…

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  • We worked the whole time, we just left the desk. 

And turns out there was world out there full of opportunity, friendship, and love we had never quite experienced before. 

We know this lifestyle isn’t for everyone, but it’s for us - and we’re so glad we went for it. 🫶🏼

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 

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  • How much does van life in Mexico cost?
The truth is, it’s going to be different for everybody.

But here is a breakdown of our budget for 4 months of van livin’ on the beach this winter. 

**Please note that this DOESN’T include our trip to Mexico City which was $497 USD. Full breakdown of that air travel trip can be found on our profile!**

Any questions?

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 

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  • Van life: Las Vegas ✨🫶🏼

I don’t even have to words to tell you how fun this evening was. We were almost not going to make it to Vegas this trip, but didn’t it was @cakin_bakes birthday - we couldn’t say no. 

This is what it’s like stealth camping on the Las Vegas strip. 🥂 

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 

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  • Crossing the Mexico/US border: the end of van life Mexico 🇲🇽 

We have crossed a lot of borders in our lives, but only 2 in our ambulance conversion. 

The added stress of having your entire home with you, a stranger walking through your van, etc. isn’t the best feeling, but as you can tell watching this video - we were just fine. 

Anyone else get unnecessarily nervous at border crossings?

(thanks @geneandshay for the inspo to film the live interaction on our phones)

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 

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  • Van life in Mexico: driving up the Baja Peninsula. 

We spent a few days in La Paz, Mulegé & Guerrero Negro before crossing the border from Mexico into California. This is what it was like. 

A moment of appreciation for Bahía Concepción - shall we? 

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  • It’s official: we are leaving Mexico. 

The past four months in this beautiful country have been nothing but a dream come true. We’ve met amazing people, ate incredible food, and drank probably 500 shots of tequila. 

But as you know, Nick and I work seasonal / temp jobs and it’s officially time for us to find work again. 

So come with us up the west coast, it’s time for a new adventure!

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 

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