Working holiday visas for British citizens

Every working holiday visa British citizens can apply for, in one place. Compare the age limit, cost, and how long you can stay, then go straight to the route that fits. Every option is checked against the issuing government’s own pages.

Compare your options

Where British citizens can go

Sort by any column to find the route that fits. Each row is verified against its government source and links through to the full requirements.

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Destination	Age limit	Visa cost	Maximum stay	Funds required	Quota or cap
Australia	18-35	A$840	36 months	ApproxAUD 5,000 for initial stay + onward fare	Uncapped
Work rights Any kind of work; usually max 6 months with the same employer (per 'When you have this visa'). Tax + superannuation apply. Medical requirements Must meet health requirements. May need to undergo a medical examination depending on country of origin Reciprocal healthcare Yes. RHCA: Medicare cover while visiting (Services Australia) Funds required in full Approx. AUD 5,000 for initial stay + onward fare Application notes Previous-entry ban on 417/462 applies per person - a second passport does not reset eligibility. Full Australia visa details →Government source →
Canada	18-35	C$184.75	24 months	CAD 2,500 (bank statement issued within 1 week of departure; covers first 3 months) + round-trip ticket or funds for departure ticket	Capped2026 allocation: 9,330 places (pool-based, regular invitation rounds; often oversubscribed)
Work rights Open work permit: work for most employers anywhere in Canada (jobs in health services, child care, primary/secondary education, eldercare require a medical exam). Medical requirements Must meet Canadian health requirements Reciprocal healthcare No. You will need your own health cover. Funds required in full CAD 2,500 (bank statement issued within 1 week of departure; covers first 3 months) + round-trip ticket or funds for departure ticket Application notes Pool entered under your passport's country agreement - dual nationals can choose the more favourable citizenship (different quota/length/participation rules). Full Canada visa details →Government source →
Japan	18-30	Check official page	12 months from entry	GBP 2,500 in cleared fundsor GBP 1,500 plus a return or onward ticket (Consulate-General of Japan in Edinburgh).	Capped6,000 per fiscal year
Work rights Paid work is allowed to support your holiday. Work in bars, cabarets, nightclubs, gambling venues and other businesses that affect public morals (the Entertainment Business Act) is not allowed. The visa is single entry, so you need a re-entry permit to leave and come back. Medical requirements Must meet Japanese health requirements Reciprocal healthcare No. You will need your own health cover. Funds required in full GBP 2,500 in cleared funds, or GBP 1,500 plus a return or onward ticket (Consulate-General of Japan in Edinburgh). Full Japan visa details →Government source →
New Zealand	18-35	NZ$770	36 months	NZD 350 per month of stay	Capped15,000/year; 2026 intake opens 25 June 2026 (currently open)
Work rights Any job, but: no permanent job; must work for an employer under an employment contract or contract for services; cannot operate a business as an owner (wording rolled out from 20 Apr 2026; France/Germany pages still show older wording). No per-employer time limit stated. Medical requirements Must meet New Zealand health requirements Reciprocal healthcare Yes. NZ-UK reciprocal health agreement (UK citizens only, ordinarily resident in UK); travel insurance still advised Funds required in full NZD 350 per month of stay Application notes One NZ WHV per person per lifetime (even if unused) - a second passport does NOT grant another NZ WHV. Full New Zealand visa details →Government source →

Australia

Age limit: 18-35
Visa cost: A$840
Maximum stay: 36 months
Funds required: ApproxAUD 5,000 for initial stay + onward fare
Quota or cap: Uncapped

Canada

Age limit: 18-35
Visa cost: C$184.75
Maximum stay: 24 months
Funds required: CAD 2,500 (bank statement issued within 1 week of departure; covers first 3 months) + round-trip ticket or funds for departure ticket
Quota or cap: Capped2026 allocation: 9,330 places (pool-based, regular invitation rounds; often oversubscribed)

Japan

Age limit: 18-30
Visa cost: Check official page
Maximum stay: 12 months from entry
Funds required: GBP 2,500 in cleared fundsor GBP 1,500 plus a return or onward ticket (Consulate-General of Japan in Edinburgh).
Quota or cap: Capped6,000 per fiscal year

New Zealand

Age limit: 18-35
Visa cost: NZ$770
Maximum stay: 36 months
Funds required: NZD 350 per month of stay
Quota or cap: Capped15,000/year; 2026 intake opens 25 June 2026 (currently open)

Once you've chosen

Get set up, wherever you land

Banking, SIM, tax, and a first-week checklist for the destinations you're weighing up.

Australia

Living guide →First-week checklist →

Canada

Living guide →First-week checklist →

Japan

Living guide →First-week checklist →

New Zealand

Living guide →First-week checklist →

Questions

Working holidays for British citizens

Which working holiday visa is easiest for British citizens?

There is no single easiest option. It depends on what matters to you: whether there is an annual cap, how much money you need to show, how long you can stay, and the work conditions. Compare every verified destination side by side in the table above.

Where can British citizens do a working holiday?

British citizens can currently apply for verified working holiday visas in Australia, Canada, Japan and New Zealand. Compare them side by side above, then open the route that fits for the full requirements and how to apply.

How many countries can British citizens do a working holiday in?

We currently list 4 verified working holiday destinations for British citizens. We add more as each route is checked against its official government source.

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