Working holiday visas for Irish citizens

This page lists working holiday visa options for Irish citizens. These programs allow you to live and work temporarily in another country. The data covers key eligibility requirements such as age, length of stay, fees, and required funds. The available destinations include Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, and Hong Kong.

For most programs, you must be between 18 and 30 years old, though Australia and Canada accept applicants up to age 35. Stays are typically for up to 12 months, but Canada allows for up to 24 months. Application fees vary, from free for Hong Kong to AUD840.00 for a first Australian visa. You will also need to show proof of funds, such as CAN$2,500 for Canada or NZD $4,200 for New Zealand.

Passport

Ireland

Programs found

5

Lowest upper age limit

30

Highest upper age limit

35

Programs that list Irish citizens

Country-specific conditions

Australia: Working Holiday visa

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

Canada: IEC Working Holiday

• Fee: CAN$184.75 IEC fee + CAN$100 open work permit holder fee
• Funds: CAN$2,500
• As an Irish citizen, you may participate in the Working Holiday category only once. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you may participate in IEC one more time through the International Co-op (Internship) category. If you participated in IEC before 2013 for a period of up to 12 months, you are eligible for a second participation of up to 24 months in the category of your choice. Those who participated in IEC more than once before 2013 are no longer eligible to apply.
• Other IEC categories for this passport: International Co-op (Internship), Young Professionals.

Hong Kong: Working Holiday Scheme

• Fee: Free of charge
• Funds: At least HK$20,000
• Places: 200 per year
• Work: No more than three months with the same employer.
• Study: Not allowed.

Japan: Working Holiday visa

• Funds: Reasonable funds for the first part of the stay
• Places: 800 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 January 2025: can take part twice in a lifetime (two separate one-year stays).

New Zealand: Working Holiday Visa, Ireland scheme

• Fee: From NZD $770
• Funds: NZD $4,200

What stands out

Several programs for Irish citizens have specific conditions. For Canada, you may only participate in the Working Holiday category once. The Japanese visa has a quota of 800 per year, and you must currently live in Ireland to apply. The Japanese government also notes a potential age limit of 25, which applicants should check. Hong Kong’s scheme is free of charge but has a yearly quota of 200 and limits you to working for no more than three months with the same 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, Ireland scheme (New Zealand)
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC): IEC Working Holiday (Canada)
• 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.