FAQ
Australian visa FAQ for Irish citizens
Common questions from Irish citizens applying for Australian visas.
Do Irish citizens need a visa for Australia?
Yes. Irish citizens need a visa before travelling to Australia, even for short holidays. There is no visa-free entry, but the eVisitor for tourism is free of charge.
What is the best visa for a working holiday in Australia?
Irish citizens aged 18 to 35 typically apply for the Working Holiday visa (subclass 417).
What is the age limit for the Working Holiday visa?
Irish citizens can apply up to and including age 35, under an arrangement that extends the usual limit of 30. The visa must be granted before your 36th birthday, not merely applied for, so do not leave it until the last few weeks if you are in your mid-thirties.
Is there a quota or cap for Irish applicants?
No. There is no annual cap on Working Holiday visas for Irish citizens, so you are not competing for a limited number of places and can apply at any time of year. Some other nationalities do face caps on the Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462).
What are the 88 days and do I have to do them?
Specified work, commonly called the 88 days, is three months of paid work in an eligible industry and postcode. Completing it during your first Working Holiday visa qualifies you for a second year, and six months during the second qualifies you for a third. Irish passport holders still have to do it.
Is it true the 88 days requirement has been scrapped?
Only for UK passport holders. Since 1 July 2024, UK passport holders are granted second and third Working Holiday visas without any specified work requirement, and that applies even to people who first entered Australia on an Irish passport. If you hold both an Irish and a British passport you can apply with the UK one and skip the requirement. If you hold only an Irish passport, it does not apply to you.
What can I do if I am over 35?
The Working Holiday visa is closed to you, but employer sponsorship on a Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) has no age limit and is the main route for Irish workers over the cap. It can lead to permanent residency after two years with that employer. Partner and student visas have no upper age limit either.
Can Irish citizens use Medicare in Australia?
Yes. Ireland is one of eleven countries with a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia, so you can enrol in Medicare after arriving and access medically necessary treatment. It does not cover ambulance transport in most states, dental or repatriation, so travel or health insurance is still worth holding. Students must also hold Overseas Student Health Cover regardless.
How much does an Australian visa cost?
It ranges enormously. The eVisitor is free, the Working Holiday visa is relatively modest, and the partner visa is the most expensive application most people lodge at AUD 11,710. Fees are set in Australian dollars by the Department of Home Affairs and are not refunded if your application is refused.
How long does an Australian visa take?
From days for the eVisitor to years for a partner visa. Published processing times describe how long recently decided applications took rather than guaranteeing your own, and no service can speed up a decision once lodged. The main thing you control is how complete your application is when you submit it.
Can I work in Australia on an eVisitor or tourist visa?
No. Visitor visas allow tourism and business visitor activities such as meetings and conferences, but not work for an Australian employer. If you intend to earn money in Australia you need a Working Holiday visa or employer sponsorship.
Do I need a job offer for a skilled visa?
For the employer-sponsored routes, yes, you need an approved Australian employer to nominate you. The points-tested visas do not require a job offer, but they require a skills assessment and enough points to be competitive in your occupation, which is usually well above the 65 point minimum.
Do I need Garda vetting to apply?
Not automatically. The Department requests a police certificate only in some cases, and more often for permanent and longer-stay visas. If you are asked, Irish applicants normally supply Garda vetting plus a certificate from any other country lived in for 12 months or more.
Can you guarantee my visa will be approved?
No. Visa decisions are made by the Department of Home Affairs. We help you prepare a complete and accurate application.
Are you affiliated with the Australian Government?
No. We are a private service based in Ireland and are not affiliated with the Australian Government or Department of Home Affairs.
How much do you charge?
Our service fee depends on the visa type and complexity. We quote after reviewing your case by phone or email.
Can I apply directly without using your service?
Yes. You can apply directly at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au at any time.
Do you help with second year Working Holiday visas?
Yes. We help applicants who have completed specified regional work and want to apply for a second Working Holiday year.
Read more
These are the short answers. Each of the pages below goes into the detail, including the parts that are easy to get wrong.
- Working Holiday visa (417) — eligibility to age 35, conditions and funds evidence
- The 88 days of specified work — eligible industries, postcodes and the evidence to keep
- Skills in Demand visa (482) — the main route if you are over 35
- Medicare for Irish citizens — what the reciprocal agreement does and does not cover
- Visa costs — government charges and what they do not include
- Processing times — what drives them and what you can control