Sydney enjoys a temperate climate with a mild winter, and has more than 340 sunny days a year. It can get a bit chilly in the winter with minimum temperatures hitting about 9 degrees. January is peak summer and the city is buzzing!

Life in Australia will probably be more expensive than you are used to at home – but typically the pay is much better. How much you spend will really depend on the activities you choose to do. We recommend you have some savings for emergencies and luxuries. You will be earning but you will be living in the heart of one of the world’s major cities with lots of tourist activities on your doorstep.

Work in Australia for up to a year on your Australian Working Holiday visa. Most people will spend some time travelling the country, which is why being able to access support from our Sydney office in  Australia is so useful. Once you have earned some money, it is the perfect time to dust the backpack off and see what the rest of the country has to offer.  This means you can make the most of your gap year in Australia with enough time to work and travel Australia.

You will be given lots of advice on the different travel options available to you. The experienced staff are experts in booking bespoke trips all over Australia, and you should have no difficulty planning an incredible trip. Please note that this an independent programme following your initial orientation week, the support is there, but what you choose to do with your year abroad is up to you!

To be able to qualify for the Australian Working Holiday visa 417, you must be between the ages of 18 and 35, and hold a passport from one of the eligible countries stated by the Australian Embassy.

To be able to qualify for the Australian Working and Holiday visa 462, you must be between the ages of 18 and 30, and hold a passport from one of the eligible countries stated by the Australian Embassy.

There are options to apply for a second Working Holiday visa.

There are plenty of gap year jobs in Australia … so yes! You and a friend can do the programme together, it is very possible to work at the same job but not guaranteed. You can organise to live together. Don’t worry if you aren’t applying with a friend, 80% of people travel alone and make new friends along the way.

Whilst you are in Sydney you will meet lots of people who are travelling with plans to work. The group sizes for orientation vary but generally they range from between 15-30 pax. Following this there will be other people/some of these people employed at your place of work, so you will never be alone!

Ideally you need to apply a minimum of 2 months before you go to secure your ideal date. Visas can take anywhere between a day and a couple of months to process, so it is best to get prepared early.

After your induction programme comes to an end, you have several options open to you. Many participants have their first job lined up within 2-3 weeks of being in Sydney. For those who plan to stay on in Sydney, you can stay in the hostel or perhaps a house share – many are set up for short term leases and minimal notice needs to be given.

Alternatively, others prefer to leave Sydney and explore more of Australia and settle somewhere else. If you decide to do this, you will be supported from wherever you decide to live.

Don’t forget the option to stay with the surf team who will support your job hunt in the evenings around your surfing experience.

Although a job is not and cannot be guaranteed, our partners will offer you excellent support and training to get you through the interview doors. You will receive plenty of help with interview techniques and the team will ensure that your CV is as ‘Aussie friendly’ as possible. It is down to you to present well and be pro-active. If you are, there will be no problem securing yourself a ‘real’ job.  For most people it takes 2 -3 weeks of arrival into the country in order to get their first job secured.

To some extent this is up to you. Most people choose to work in the city of Sydney which is in the state of New South Wales. You could be living anywhere in the city dependent on where your job is offered to you. Most participants will find work in the centre of the city in either bars, restaurants, shops or offices. There are often jobs a little further afield in farm, construction and factories. You can work anywhere in Australia in, and close to other major cities.

The maximum length of time that you can spend in one job is 12 months (UK). Many participants choose to work for a bit and then travel before possibly getting another job. We encourage people to work for a minimum of 3 months. You will have access to the job finding database and will have full job finding support for up to 12 months.

You should visit your doctor or travel nurse to find out what vaccinations you will need. Typically you will need your routine travel vaccinations to be in date and it is essential that your tetanus is up to date. Australia does not require any additional vaccinations to Europe.

For any more information, please see the Fit for Travel website or the UK government’s travel advice page for Australia.

Sydney is a large city and there are hospitals within easy reaching distance. Australia has a great flying doctors network available to those in more regional areas.

Providing you follow all instructions and training given to you by your employers, you should be as safe working in Australia as you would be at home. Whilst crime levels in Australia are low, it is important, as in any big city, to be aware of your surroundings and to keep your belongings in sight.

• Sydney activities include The Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Bondi Beach, The Blue Mountains, excellent museums, galleries, sports facilities, bars, live music, surf, parks and restaurants.
• Australia itself cannot be fully explored in a lifetime, but make sure you hit some of the hotspots during your year abroad such as Ayers Rock, The Great Barrier Reef, Byron Bay, The Great Ocean Road, The Gold Coast, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane!

You will have access to free wifi in the hostel. There are multiple free wifi options around the city.

Sydney is 10 hours ahead GMT (GMT +10)

Australian electrical appliances operate on 240v at 50hz but the socket outlets are not compatible with the other countries’ plugs. This means you will need a specific Australian adapter.

Take a Gap Year in Australia to one of the most popular destinations in the world for work and travel. Some of the greatest attractions for people wanting to work here include that the English language is spoken, the laid back culture is very appealing, the weather is great and there is a variety of work on offer.

This Gap Year Program gives you the opportunity to embrace life down-under, safe in the knowledge that you have support and a group of young like-minded people around you. Working in Sydney is a once in a lifetime opportunity so don’t think about it, just do it!

Travelling in Australia is safe and easy and by obtaining an Australian Working Holiday visa, you can get a paid job to keep the cost of living down. Start by getting a job in Australia on this gap year program to kick start your Aussie Adventure!

This paid work abroad programme aims to help you hit the ground running once you arrive in Australia. It therefore involves support and advice, rather than supervision. You will have a lot of interaction with our local rep during the first week or so. After that, you will probably feel able to do most things independently. However, you will still be able to to call on them at any time for support or help with job-hunting.

Oyster has responsibility for your safety on all activities directly organised by us. However, during your free time, and after the first week of intensive support, we will not be in control of your activities and you will need to take responsibility for making safe decisions. We will provide plenty of guidance about this. We will also be able to provide help in an emergency for up to 12 months.