Working holiday visas for Canadian citizens

This page is for Canadian citizens looking for working holiday visa programs. It lists the main requirements for visas in several countries, including Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland, Japan, and Hong Kong. Most programs are open to you if you are aged 18 to 35, although for Japan and Hong Kong the upper age limit is 30. The length of stay varies from 12 months up to two years, with some options for extension.

The cost and required funds differ by country. For example, the UK Youth Mobility Scheme visa requires you to have £2,530, while Australia’s program requires about AUD5,000. The New Zealand scheme asks for NZD $4,200 in funds. Application fees range from CAD $150.00 for Ireland to AUD840.00 for a first Australian visa. Some programs also have additional costs, like the UK’s Immigration Health Surcharge of £776 per year.

Passport

Canada

Programs found

6

Lowest upper age limit

30

Highest upper age limit

35

Programs that list Canadian citizens

Country-specific conditions

Australia: Working Holiday visa

• Fee: AUD840.00 (first visa)
• Funds: About AUD5,000 plus your fare out

Hong Kong: Working Holiday Scheme

• Funds: At least HK$15,000
• Places: 193 per year
• Work: No more than three months with the same employer.
• Study: Any number, up to six months in total.

Ireland: Working Holiday Authorisation

• Fee: CAD $150.00 (Working Holiday Authorisation)
• Apply through the Embassy of Ireland in Ottawa. Canadians living inside or outside Canada can apply.
• No maximum time with any one employer. Passport must be valid for 30 months from entry. A separate International Co-op Internship Authorisation (one year, CAD $100.00) exists for post-secondary students.

Japan: Working Holiday visa

• Funds: Reasonable funds for the first part of the stay
• Places: 6,283 visas per year
• Must currently live in the country of nationality.
• MOFA says applicants from this country should be 18 to 25 unless the two governments agree to extend the limit to 30; check the Japanese embassy page.
• Since 1 December 2024: can take part twice in a lifetime (two consecutive years or two separate one-year stays).

New Zealand: Working Holiday Visa, Canada scheme

• Fee: From NZD $770
• Funds: NZD $4,200
• A 12-month visa can be extended to 23 months with a Subsequent Work Visa.

UK: Youth Mobility Scheme visa

• Fee: £340 + Immigration Health Surcharge (usually £776 per year)
• Funds: £2,530 held for 28 days
• Can extend the visa by one year after the 2-year period ends.

What stands out

Several programs for Canadian citizens have specific conditions. The schemes for Japan and Hong Kong have annual quotas of 6,283 and 193 visas, respectively. For Japan, you must currently live in Canada to apply. The Hong Kong visa limits you to no more than three months of work with the same employer.

The UK and New Zealand visas offer the longest initial stays. The UK’s Youth Mobility Scheme is for up to 24 months, with a possible one-year extension. New Zealand offers a 12-month visa that can be extended to 23 months. In contrast, Ireland’s Working Holiday Authorisation is valid for two years with no maximum time specified for any one employer.

This page covers the destinations in this directory only: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Japan, Germany, Hong Kong, South Korea. Singapore’s Work Holiday Programme is left out here because it depends on where your university is, not on your passport; see the Singapore sheet. A destination missing here may still run a program for your passport; check its official immigration site.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from these official government pages:

• Australian Department of Home Affairs: Working Holiday visa (subclass 417)
• Immigration New Zealand: Working Holiday Visa, Canada scheme (New Zealand)
• GOV.UK (UK Visas and Immigration): Youth Mobility Scheme visa (UK)
• Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland: Working Holiday Authorisation (Ireland)
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan: Working Holiday visa (Japan)
• Hong Kong Immigration Department: Working Holiday Scheme (Hong Kong)

Last checked October 21, 2026 (Oct 2026). Rules, fees and quotas can change after this date.