A working holiday in Australia runs on the subclass 417 visa. According to Home Affairs, Germans can apply from age 18 up to the day before their 36th birthday since 1 July 2026. Until then the upper limit was 30. This guide separates what is officially confirmed from what you should check yourself before you apply.
Short answer: For the Working Holiday visa for Australia (subclass 417), Germans aged 18 to 35 can apply since 1 July 2026, at the latest on the day before their 36th birthday. According to Home Affairs, the program allows a twelve-month holiday with work, and processing usually takes about three months. A visa service lists a fee of 840 Australian dollars, but there is no official confirmation of this amount. Last updated: October 2026.
The Most Important Points at a Glance
- The age limit for Germans is 18 to 35 years since 1 July 2026. Before that it was 18 to 30 years.
- The visa covers a stay of twelve months with travel, work and limited study.
- Home Affairs states that processing usually takes about three months. This is a guide value, not a promise.
- The fee of 840 Australian dollars comes from a private source and is not officially confirmed. Check the amount with Home Affairs.
- The pages we consulted do not name an insurance requirement for the visa itself, but cover for illness and repatriation is still advisable.
Who Can Apply for a Working Holiday Visa in Australia?
Germany is one of the countries with which Australia has a working holiday agreement and issues the subclass 417 visa. In its program report dated 30 June 2025, Home Affairs lists Germany with effect from 1 July 2000 and an age range of 18 to 30. The page on the latest changes now states that passport holders from Cyprus, Finland, Germany and the Republic of Korea may be 18 to 35 years old from 1 July 2026, and may lodge their application until 23:59 (AEST) on the day before their 36th birthday.
Older guides, university pages and government overviews therefore still mention 30 years. The sources do not contradict each other. They come from different periods. For your application, what counts is the position on the day you apply.
| Point | Information | Status and source |
|---|---|---|
| Age limit Germany | 18 to 35 years, application by the day before the 36th birthday | Home Affairs, valid from 1 July 2026 |
| Earlier limit | 18 to 30 years | Home Affairs, program report 30 June 2025 |
| Stay | Twelve months of holiday with short work and study | Home Affairs, page dated 24 September 2026 |
| Processing time | Usually about three months, guide value only | Home Affairs, retrieved October 2026 |
| Visa fee | 840 Australian dollars for the first application, from 1 July 2026 | Private visa service dated 3 July 2026, not officially confirmed |
| Health insurance | No requirement named on the overview pages we retrieved | Check the subclass 417 visa page at Home Affairs |
How Long Can You Stay, and What Can You Work?
Home Affairs describes the program as a twelve-month holiday in which young adults may take short-term jobs and study. There are two visa classes: subclass 417 for the working holiday and subclass 462 for work and holiday. Germans use subclass 417. The rules on how long you may work for one employer, the rules for study, and the conditions for a second or third year are set out on the subclass 417 visa page. We do not repeat figures here because they change. Read them before you apply, because they shape your job planning.
What Does a Working Holiday in Australia Cost?
Australia raised the visa fee on 1 July 2026. A private visa service names 840 Australian dollars for the first application and refers to a general fee increase of 25 percent. We have no official confirmation of this amount from Home Affairs. Plan with this figure, but check it on the day you apply. The following calculation is an assumption and does not replace your own planning.
| Item | Assumption | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food | 12 months at 900 euros | 10,800 euros |
| Flight | Return flight | 1,400 euros |
| Visa fee | 840 AUD at an assumed rate of 0.55 euros per AUD, rate freely chosen | about 460 euros |
| Travel health insurance | Assumed for 12 months | 1,200 euros |
| Total | about 13,860 euros |
Also plan a buffer for job hunting and for an unexpected return trip. The total shows the order of magnitude and is not a market analysis.
Which Health Insurance Do You Need in Australia?
The Home Affairs overview pages we consulted do not name an insurance requirement for the working holiday visa. That does not mean you should travel without cover. Your statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung) reimburses treatment outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland only in the cases the law provides for. Cost reimbursement abroad under section 13 (4) of the Social Code Book V (SGB V) is limited to those countries. Travel health insurance should therefore cover treatment, hospital stays and repatriation for the entire stay. Pay attention to pre-existing conditions, waiting periods and deductibles. You will find guide values in travel health insurance per month.
How Does a Working Holiday Affect Your Studies and Insurance?
A working holiday runs independently of your studies. Whether your enrollment continues, is suspended, or you need a leave semester is decided by your university. Ask your health insurer in writing how a longer stay abroad affects your membership, and clarify BAföG questions before you leave. More on the leave semester is in Leave of Absence Insurance: What Applies to You. If you are looking for an internship with learning goals in Australia, read internships abroad in Australia, because different visa categories apply there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the age limit of 30 still apply to me?
Not according to the Home Affairs page on the latest changes. For Germans, the range of 18 to 35 has applied since 1 July 2026. Older texts still name 30 years, and they are outdated. What matters is your age when you apply.
How long does processing take?
Home Affairs gives about three months as a guide value for most working holiday applications. Book flights and accommodation only once the visa has been granted.
Do I have to prove that I have health insurance?
The overview pages we consulted do not state a requirement. The conditions on the subclass 417 visa page are decisive. Regardless of that, cover that includes repatriation makes sense.
Can I do an internship during a working holiday?
The visa is not an internship visa. An internship with learning goals may require another category, such as a training visa. Clarify this with Home Affairs before you accept an offer.
What happens if I turn 36 before I finish?
The limit applies to the application, not to the length of the stay. Your application must be lodged by the day before your 36th birthday.
What to Do Now
- Check the age limit, the fee and the work conditions for subclass 417 on the Home Affairs website.
- Clarify with your university whether you need a leave semester, and with your health insurer what the stay means for your membership.
- Compare travel health insurance by repatriation, pre-existing conditions and deductible.
- Apply, wait for the decision, and only then book flights and accommodation.
If you want to go through your cover in a personal conversation, you will find the route to a consultation at academycon.de/so-arbeiten-wir/.
Related Articles
- Internship abroad in Australia: visa, insurance and funding
- Travel health insurance per month: guide values by region
- Health Insurance Abroad: What Applies to Long Stays
- Health insurance during a leave semester: what applies to you (in German)
- Funding Study Abroad: BAföG, Erasmus and Scholarships
Sources: Home Affairs, Working Holiday Maker program: latest news (retrieved October 2026); Home Affairs, Working Holiday Maker (WHM) program (page dated 24 September 2026); Home Affairs, Working Holiday Maker visa program report, 30 June 2025; buch-dein-visum.de, fee increase to 840 AUD (private visa service, 3 July 2026, secondary source); SGB V, section 13 cost reimbursement (status October 2026)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information and not individual advice.
