Oz Gap Year

If you are planning to work in Australia whilst you’re here you’ll need to apply for a Working Holiday Visa. You can choose to book your Oz Gap Year programme with the visa included (only for Working Holiday Visa subclass 417). If you’re eligible for Work and Holiday Visa (subclass 462), Grabatour Travel cannot apply for this visa for you, however, once you obtain this visa it will allow you to participate in the Oz Gap Year programme.

Please note: If you have a criminal record, you are still able to apply for a Working Holiday Visa, but due to the specific information required while filling out the application form we won’t be able to process your visa for you, and this must be applied individually.

This Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417) is available to passport holders who come from:

Belgium
Canada
the Republic of Cyprus
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Hong Kong SAR
the Republic of Ireland
Italy
Japan
the Republic of Korea
Malta
the Netherlands
Norway
Sweden
Taiwan
United Kingdom

Or you’re a citizen of and hold a valid passport from one of these countries:

Argentina
Austria
Chile
China, People’s Republic of
Czech Republic
Hungary
Indonesia
Israel
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Peru
Poland
Portugal
San Marino
Singapore
Slovak Republic
Slovenia
Spain
Thailand
Turkey
Uruguay
United States of America
Vietnam

People hold one of the above passports can still apply for a similar visa called the Work and Holiday Visa (subclass 462). Grabatour Travel cannot apply for this visa for you, however once you obtain this visa it will allow you to participate in the Oz Gap Year programme.

To be eligible for a working holiday visa, applicants need to meet the following requirements:

Hold a passport issued by an eligible country or region
Be aged 18-30 (inclusive) at the time of applying
Not be accompanied by dependent children at any time during their stay in Australia
Meet health, character and financial requirements
Not have previously entered Australia on a Working Holiday visa (unless applying for a second visa)
Be outside Australia when they apply and when their visa is granted
Apply within 12 months of intended travel to Australia.
Have sufficient funds to cover your expected living/trip costs during your stay
Have funds for a return or onward ticket to depart Australia (or an actual ticket)
Have health insurance

How to apply:

You can choose our inclusive visa booking option and we can process the Working Holiday Visa application for you, or you may wish to apply for your own visa via Australian Immigration.

Medicare

You will need to apply for Medicare once you are in Australia and in order to do this please ensure that you can provide TWO forms of ID e.g. passport, driving licence, birth certificate.

– Begin with a week of amazing adventure in Sydney, you’ll meet new gap buddies and get settled in with this brilliant week of fun in the sun.

– Get job hunting with the help of our expert jobs team: We’ll help you find a job and get you set for up to a year of paid work.

– Get advice and assistance organising interviews & arranging accommodation, training course, plus lifetime access to employer database and advice.

– We provide you with all the accommodation, airport shuttle, transfers, an instant group of friends, some meals and drinks and loads of activities during the first week in Oz.

– Australian admin help (bank account, tax number, medical care, etc..) and help with all your onward travels.

You will be travelling with a group of fun, exciting and interesting people from everywhere in the world! And you can easily make new friends along the trip.

Small groups, insider access, and personal freedom to follow the whim of the moment are the order of the day, every day.
Groups sizes are usually between 10 – 18 people with most groups even celebrating reunions years after their trip! Chat with other people from your group before you leave home!

All visitors to Australia (excepting those from New Zealand) will require a visa or e-visa/ETA to enter. These must be applied for before departure, and if you’re planning on working in Australia whilst you’re out here you’ll need a Working Holiday Visa. If you are just heading to Australia for fun however, an ETA will suffice. Both visas can be applied for online. Please feel free to contact us if you need any more information.
Also, check out the general Australian visa requirement here.

Sure! We recommend searching and comparing flight prices using Skyscanner.com.
Travel insurance is highly recommended for all of our trips in Australia. You can get this in the Insurance section of our site.

If your start date is more than 40 days away, you can secure your spot by paying a 10% deposit.
Simply select the ‘deposit’ option when you Check out. We’ll hold you a spot on your chosen start date and send you a link to pay the remaining amount.

The balance must be paid in full at least 40 days prior to your tour start date. If you are booking within 40 days of your start date the deposit option is not available so you need to pay in full.

You should arrange your flights to arrive in Sydney Airport on Sunday, depending on your start date. You will need to go to a pre-set meeting point at Sydney airport and a greeter will direct you to the shuttle bus which will take you directly to your hostel to begin your first week of fun and adventure!

If you want to arrive a few days earlier in Sydney, we will be happy to help you organise any additional accommodation you may need (at extra cost). Please contact us for further details.

Welcome Briefing, Sydney City Tour & Welcome Dinner.

Meet your guides and all your new buddies in the hostel lounge. We then take you to our office, introduce you to the crew and give you an overview of what’s going to happen throughout the week as well as hand out your SIM card etc. Once that’s been sorted, we head out for our walking tour of the city including Circular Quay, Sydney Harbour Bridge, The Opera House and the Botanical Gardens. Later tonight, we meet again for our Welcome Dinner and drinks. (Dinner and 1 drink included).

Information Session and Sydney Harbour Catamaran Cruise

We spend the morning talking about everything you need to know about your adventure in Australia including finding work, writing your CV, seasons and things to see & do. Later today, enjoy a delicious BBQ lunch on our awesome catamaran whilst seeing all the popular sights of Sydney including Darling Harbour, Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House. Spend the day chilling, swimming and sunbaking! (BBQ lunch included)

P/s: What are the additional tours you can do instead of the work related stuff?
The replacement activities we organise are a 1-day guided trip to Blue Mountains NP or a half day guided surf tour (perfect for beginners and intermediates).

Travel to Oz Gap Year Basecamp

We depart Sydney and travel by bus to Oz Gap Year Basecamp in Port Stephens. Basecamp is set within 6 acres of rainforest, just 5 minutes walk to the beach. On arrival, check out the beach and have a swim before we enjoy tasty pizzas for dinner. That night, grab a torch and come possum-spotting or take a moonlit stroll along One Mile Beach. (Pizza dinner included)

Sandboarding & Bush Walk to Tomaree Head Lookout

After breakfast we jump in the 4WDs and head to the top of the sand dunes to try sandboarding! We return to Basecamp for lunch and then take a guided bush walk through Tomaree National Park. Enjoy stunning scenery and breathtaking views and the chance to see koalas in the treetops (all year round) and migrating whales (May – November). Tonight we have an Aussie BBQ and drinks around the campfire. (Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)

Dolphin Cruise & Travel Back to Sydney

We take an amazing dolphin watching cruise and get up close to wild bottlenose dolphins. Relax on deck or ride in the boom net while dolphins swim underneath. Then we hit the beach for a swim before heading back to Sydney. Check back into WakeUp at around 7pm. (Breakfast included)

Party Night in amazing Sydney CBD

Time to explore Sydney’s nightlife! Join our pub crawl to some of Sydney’s best backpacker bars. (Express entry and some free drinks included)

P/s: What are the additional tours you can do instead of the work related stuff?
The replacement activities we organise are a 1-day guided trip to Blue Mountains NP or a half day guided surf tour (perfect for beginners and intermediates).

Bondi Beach to Coogee Beach Walk

It’s been a long week, so we’re taking it easy today. Our guides pick you up at the hostel and we catch the bus to Coogee to start our stroll along the coast line to Bondi. See 5 stunning Sydney beaches, stop for lunch along the way and spend the afternoon chilling on Bondi Beach. Bus tickets need to be bought at own expense (about $7 return).

Planning the gap year

The intro week is over, but that’s only the start of your Aussie adventure! Whether it’s about finding work, finding a flat or exploring Australia our crew is there to help you out.

Earn AUD $800-1000/week in Australia, with a fun intro week, and a guaranteed job

After your Oz Gap Year intro week in Sydney is over, it’s time to kick-start your Oz job search. You can make appointments with our job support team in Sydney who can give you all the help and advice you’ll need in order to secure yourself a paid job. A job coordinator is available in our office in Sydney from Monday – Friday for general chats, CV reviews and job advice. You’ll also have a full 12 months of job support so feel free to contact the jobs team by email to answer any queries while you are travelling in Australia. We’ll get you your first job interview within 1 week of you telling us you are ready to start work.

Your job adventure is fully flexible, meaning you can search for the job that suits you, wherever you want in Australia, and the balance of time spent working and travelling during your year is entirely up to you. It’s tailor-made to fit in with your plans and allow for the maximum independent Aussie experience!

Our Oz job support programme includes:
A 12-months membership to our in-house recruitment agency voted Australia’s best backpacker job service. We connect employers and job seekers making sure every job we post is a genuine position suitable for working holidaymakers.
Get started before you arrive! Write your CV, browse jobs online from anywhere and easily apply even on your phone or tablet. Set up your profile and be found by employers on short notice.
Talk to our recruitment experts to get help with writing your CV, advice on second-year visa jobs or necessary certificates and any other questions you may have.
12 months of access to the online jobs network and vacancies nationwide
A CV review service
An orientation session
Advice about setting up your own Australian bank account before you go
An Aussie SIM card
Tax File Number
Medicare: If eligible, we’ll help you apply for Medicare so you get discounted / free healthcare whilst in Australia.
Access to free Wi-Fi
A 12-month mail holding service
Help and advice about long-term accommodation
TRAINING COURSE DISCOUNTS: For most hospitality work in Australia it’s a legal requirement to have a RSA Certificate (Responsible Service of Alcohol). Oz Gap Year can help you book your RSA and any other training courses you may wish to book including Bar skills, Cocktail skills, White card (construction work) and more. We’re part of a Registered Training Organisation and offer discounts on all other courses.

We’ll pre-arrange your Airport Shuttle and email you a voucher with details instructions and contact number in case you get stuck. Your driver will be waiting at the ‘Meeting Point’ in the Sydney Airport arrivals area, just outside the customs area. You’ll be dropped-off at your hostel in no time.

• Airport pickup arrangement
• Tour around the city, Botanical Garden & Sydney Opera House
• Sydney Harbour Catamaran Cruise
• Enjoy a lunch BBQ at the world famous Sydney Harbour
• Bondi Beach & the scenic Coastal Walk
• Port Stephens trip
• Immerse yourself in nature, get some food and drink/go swimming (the beach is 5 mins walk)
• Sandboarding at Port Stephens
• Dolphin Watching Cruise
• Mt Tomaree Bush Hike & Lookout
• Sydney Party Nightlife (Pub Crawl)
• Return/transfer to/from Bondi
• Farewell Dinner

Your first week is all about fun and adventure in Sydney. Accommodation for the first seven nights of your stay is included:
5-nights at WakeUp Sydney, one of the world’s best hostels and right in the heart of the city. Everything is pre-arranged so your check-in will be quick & easy.
2-nights at Basecamp, 5min walk from the beach.

If you wish to pre-book an extra night’s accommodation on the final Sunday please let your travel advisor/group leader know and they will do this for you.

In your hostel in Sydney, you’ll enjoy modern facilities in shared dorm accommodation with other members of the group. Sharing in hostels is often the best way to meet a lot of new people very quickly, and by the end of the week, you’ll have heaps of new mates to discover the land Down Under with!

The hostel has 24-hour reception, a travel and information desk so you can get all the top city tips and book tours. The hostel has all the facilities on offer you can ask for, including phone booths on every floor, security lockers, laundry facilities, Internet and Wi-Fi, and a postal service.

What do I do about accommodation after the first week?
After the first week, most of our travellers choose to rent an apartment, often sharing with the new friends they have made in the first week. Our team in Sydney will be able to help you explore possible accommodation options either in Sydney or elsewhere in Australia. Please be aware that accommodation costs in Sydney can be high due to the desirability of the city as a location to live and work, but it’s worth it for the experience! Alternatively, you can apply for jobs further afield in Australia.

You can expect to pay at least £100-£150 per week on average for rent in Australia (costs in Sydney can be a little higher than average). The minimum contract is normally 2 – 3 months. Alternatively, you can extend your stay in a hostel – a great option for those that want to travel around. Hostels offer cheaper rates for those that want a long term stay. You can often walk in and get a room that day but we recommend that you make a reservation the night before. Depending on where you stay in Australia, you can expect to pay around £90-£130 per week in a hostel.

Please note that when you are working in Australia, you will earn enough to cover any living expenses such as rent, food and bills. If you would like any more information about costs and accommodation please contact us for more details.

In your first week, some meals are included: Welcome dinner, BBQ lunch on the catamaran cruise, 2 dinners, 2 breakfasts, 1 lunch at Basecamp, Free welcome drink at the pub crawl.

This tour offers Vegetarian and Vegan food options on request. Simply let our Customer Support team know the food option that you prefer.

Group Leader: A private western Group Leader (First aid trained) will be part of your 8 Days Oz Gap Year Experience.
Our leaders are professional, fun, have expert local knowledge & will show you the best time!

All transfers included.

12-Month Job Service with Travellers At Work

Travellers At Work (TAW) is Australia’s leading job network for travellers in Australia. Hundreds of jobs are available nationwide, with new jobs added daily. Customers receive TAW Membership with job offers from all over Australia. Other benefits include:

Access TAW’s online database of jobs all over Australia
Receive daily email updates of new job vacancies
Create online resumes, apply for jobs easily online on your phone, tablet or pc
Make profile available to be found by employers
Resume Review Service

An impressive CV / Resume will greatly increase your chance of finding work fast. The Job Consultants at Travellers At Work will be available to review your CV / Resume and provide recommendations for any essential improvements required.

‘Just Arrived’ Info Session

Our Work & Travel Experts will provide an ‘all you need to know’ overview of living, travelling, working and partying in Australia! We will answer any questions and explain in detail everything you need to know to get the most of your adventure in Oz.

12-Months Mail Service

Every traveller in Australia needs a fixed mailing address. It’s essential to set up your Tax File Number, bank account and Medicare (if eligible) and a great way for family/friends to send you letters and parcels. Oz Gap Year’s Mail Holding Service provides a safe and secure fixed mailing address for your client’s entire stay in Australia. With an Oz Gap Year mail service clients can access their mail from anywhere at anytime. Mail will be uploaded to a secure server and can be viewed online.

Australian Bank Account

We will provide you with the necessary information and instructions on how to set up their Australian Bank Account before you leave home. Once you have submitted the online application form which only takes about 3 minutes, you will receive an email from the Commonwealth Bank with your account details, allowing you to transfer funds into the account online. Upon arrival in Sydney, the staff at Oz Gap Year will direct you to the Commonwealth Bank branch (maps and directions in welcome letter for regional arrivals), where you can collect their ATM card straight away.

Tax File Number

The staff at Oz Gap Year will apply for your Tax File Number. The TFN will be issued within about 2 weeks after arrival and will be uploaded to your Oz Gap Year Mail Service Account. You may work whilst waiting for your TFN.

Mobile Phone SIM Card

Oz Gap Year will reserve your Australian mobile phone SIM card. Upon arrival, Oz Gap Year will help you choose a suitable pre-paid plan and activate the service.

Free Internet

Free unlimited WIFI Internet access during office hours at our Oz Gap Year office.

Responsible Service of Alcohol Course

RSA provides hotel, bar and club staff with the knowledge and awareness required to responsibly sell, serve and supply alcohol within licensed venues. An RSA license is essential for most hospitality work. As there are different regulations in every state, our course is valid for QLD, WA, SA and NT. The course is done online, so whenever you’re ready and wherever you are.

Bar Skills Course

The course provides you with all the skills you need to work in a busy bar. Learn how to pour beer, open and present wine, mix drinks, pour shots, use the post-mix guns, ice machines and much more. This course is offered in the showcase bar of our Sydney training center.

Medicare Assistance

If you’re from the UK, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium or the Republic of Ireland you may be eligible for free healthcare (Medicare) whilst in Australia, although its always advisable to have adequate travel insurance also. We’ll help you arrange Medicare once you arrive in Sydney.

Find Housing

If you plan to stay and work in Sydney for a while, you’ll save money and make great friends in a shared house. We’ll help you beat the rush of thousands of other travellers on our tour of furnished share houses by the beach, inner city and all of Sydney’s top locations.

Tax Refund and Superannuation Advice

We will assist you with any gap year tax queries you may have throughout the year, help you claim a tax refund after working in Australia and help you claim your Superannuation after leaving the country.

There are loads of awesome jobs on offer across Australia. We’ll help you find a job and get you set for up to a year of paid work. Get advice and assistance organising interviews & arranging accommodation, training course, plus lifetime access to employer database and advice.! Some typical areas of employment include:

– Accounts / Banking / Legal
– Au-Pair / Nanny / Childcare
– Bar / Hospitality / Chef
– Credit / Collections Jobs
– Farm / Harvest / Ranch
– Hairdressing / Beauty Jobs
– IT / Web / Design / Media
– Mechanical / Engineering
– Mining Industry Jobs
– Nursing / Health Care Jobs
– Office / Admin Jobs
– Retail / Customer Service
– Sales / Marketing / Fundraising
– Teaching / Coaching Jobs
– Telemarketing / Call Centre
– Trades / Labour Jobs
– Travel / Tourism Jobs

*Under the terms of the working holiday visa, you can work for the same employer for a maximum of six months. You can continue to work for the same employer for a further six months if you switch to another branch of the company.

The following options are available with this tour. Simply select the corresponding add-on during booking at the Check-out page!

Extra Night Sydney
Arrived earlier than the actual Start Date? You can add an extra night in Sydney.

Working Holiday Visa Australia
Coming to Australia for a Working Holiday? Take the hassle out of arranging your Working Holiday Visa and let us do it for you! We’ll arrange everything for you, all you have to do is sit back, relax and get excited for your trip of a lifetime!.

Skydive Australia
Get the Ultimate adrenaline rush and book your Skydive today! Multiple locations available, including the incredible Mission Beach – Jump over the Great Barrier Reef and land on the beach! Excludes $35 levy payable on arrival. (Please note, depending on the Skydive Location you choose, you may need an extra night in Cairns to include this activity in your package).

Dive Course
Gain your PADI diving certification during our 5D/5N trip which includes 2 nights on a live-aboard vessel on the Great Barrier Reef! Includes all your accommodation in one of our favourite hostel in Cairns, all meals whilst on the live-aboard, all equipment and theory/pool lessons! This trip is open-dated so you can travel when it suits you!

International flights not included.
We recommend searching and comparing flight prices using SkyScanner.com or contact us for a great flight deal.

Travel Insurance is NOT included, however it is mandatory for you to have travel insurance for the duration of your tour. If you require travel insurance, Grabatour Travel has partnered up with World Nomads to provide a hassle-free experience. More information can be found here.

Other activities and services not included.

Yes, anyone can book this tour. Depending on your purpose to travel to Australia there are various visa options.

If you are planning to work in Australia, you are probably looking at getting a Working Holiday Visa or a temporary working visa. However, they are limited to certain nationalities and age groups. You must be aged between 18 – 31 years and be a passport holder of the UK, USA, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Vietnam or Sweden. Check your eligibility here.

If you are not a passport holder of any of the above countries, you may still participate in our Oz Gap Year or Oz Adventure program, however, you cannot undertake any paid work whilst in Australia and we would replace the work and mail support components of the tour with additional fun activities for you.

Yes, you need a visa to enter Australia. The visa you choose will depend on the country you are from, how long you’d like to stay in Australia and whether you plan to work here. Here are your options:

3-month Tourist Visa
6-month Tourist Visa
(Up to) 36-month Working Holiday Visa – Ages 18 – 35 years old. Check your eligibility here

For visa options, you can check via the Australian government website here

Travelling to Australia with Grabatour Travel is easy! Here’s what you need to do: Arrange a Working Holiday Visa if you’d like to work in Australia or a tourist visa if you’d like to travel only. Book your  Australia trips (for example Oz Gap Year or Melbourne Gap Year or our Arrival Packages). Book your flights to Australia. Arrange a travel insurance policy by clicking here. Pack your bag, grab your passport & camera and jump on that plane!

You must have access to sufficient funds to support yourself for the initial stage of your holiday in Australia and you may be asked to show evidence of this upon arrival. We suggest arriving in Australia with an equivalent of at least AU$5000. The amount you need will depend upon your travel plans and the length of stay in Australia.

Our Australia Gap Year is designed to help you make friends as soon as you arrive in Australia! Most people doing Oz Gap Year arrive alone and stay in touch with friends from the group for the rest of their trip. You’ll spend your first week having loads of fun and getting to know each other. After the week is up we can advise you on how to find a shared apartment in Sydney/Melbourne or continue travelling Australia together.

We recommend that you book your Australia Gap Year package sooner than later as dates do book out, but no worries if you’re late to make plans, we can help you out with last-minute arrival arrangements.

After booking you’ll be contacted by a Gap Year Travel Expert at Grabatour Travel who you can email with your questions at any time. We’ll email you a confirmation of your booking with accommodation details and an airport shuttle bus voucher. All you have to do is book your flights and we’ll take care of the rest!

Yes, its very important. Travel insurance is not included in your package but can be arranged easily by clicking here.

Medicare is Australia’s governmental public health policy. If you are on a Working Holiday Visa you may be eligible to be covered by Medicare for the duration of your stay in Australia. Medicare is an add on, not a replacement for any other insurances you may have so you still need to have valid travel insurance! Citizens of the UK, Sweden, Finland, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, the Republic of Ireland and New Zealand are covered for the duration of their approved visa time in Australia. Citizens of Malta and Italy are covered by Medicare for a period of 6 months from their date of arrival in Australia. All other countries unfortunately are not eligible for Medicare support but as long as you have travel insurance you’ll be covered!

Our Work & Travel Experts have been everywhere and seen everything in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji & Southeast Asia! We can plan or book everything for you and are happy to give you unbiased travel advice! No matter where you want to go and how you want to get there we’ll be able to help plan out the adventure of a lifetime for you!

We’ll pre-arrange your Airport Shuttle and email you a voucher with details instructions and contact number in case you get stuck. Your driver will be waiting at the ‘Meeting Point’ in the Sydney/Melbourne Airport arrivals area, just outside the customs area. You’ll be dropped-off at your hostel in no time.

No worries if your flights are delayed, just let us know. We will let the hostel know and arrange an adjusted airport pick up!

Plans can change and we’ll try to help as much as we can. Click here to read our full Booking Policy.

Yes. We can help you find a great place to live around the city for the duration of your stay. There are flats, apartments, serviced apartments and houses available for rent in a variety of Sydney/Melbourne suburbs. Stay 4 weeks to 1 year spending an average of $175-$350 per person per week.

If you transfer money through your bank, you could end up losing hundreds of dollars in fees. We recommend TransferWise with some benefits below:

Save money on transfer fees
Get better exchange rates
Free to sign up and compare with your bank
Faster International Payments.

Our Oz Gap Year program includes Australia’s best job service for travellers; Travellers At Work! Upon arrival, our Work & Travel Experts will spend time with you to establish what kind of jobs you’re looking for and where and when you’d like to work. We’ll review your CV and help you adapt it to suit Aussie employers. We’ll provide you with access to the Travellers At Work job database, so you can begin applying for jobs at your earliest convenience. If at any time you need some guidance just swing by and have a one-on-one session with one of our TAW reps who can help you out in your job search!

In Australia, Health and Safety laws require that workers in certain professions (including Hospitality & Construction) undergo compulsory basic training and become certified to be eligible for employment. All hospitality staff must hold certification known as an RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) before being eligible for employment on licensed premises. You will also need RGS (Responsible Gambling Services) certification to work in premises with gambling facilities. To work on a construction site it is a requirement that you hold an OH&S General Induction Certificate or “White Card” as it’s commonly known. Your Australia Gap Year package in Sydney includes an RSA course (valid in QLD, NT, WA & SA), plus a bar skills course.

To obtain a 2nd year visa extension, you must complete three months (or 88 days) of work in a regional part of Australia. Our travel experts can assist you in your 2nd year/3rd year visa jobs search.

As of February 2019, we learned that the Australian Government plans to update the WHV rules to change the age, location, and work requirements, as well as to offer a third-year visa option. These changes are expected to be announced in the next few months. If you’re considering the Working Holiday Visa, be sure to check the Australian Home Office website, check your Working Holiday Visa eligibility or contact Grabatour Travel for the latest information, requirements, and restrictions before you apply.

As a working holidaymaker in Australia you may be eligible to receive a tax refund. Our tax refund experts will help you with everything, so you’ll get the maximum refund possible. When you leave Australia, we can also help you claim your superannuation refund too.