A Working Holiday Visa (WHV) is a visa that allows travelers, who hold certain passports, to be able to legally work while on holiday in Australia.
Why is it relevant to Rugby Recruitment?
A WHV is relevant to rugby recruitment due to the visa restrictions in Australia. Clubs look for players who hold a specific passport, as they qualify to work and play rugby with a WHV. An ordinary tourist visa does not make a player eligible to work in Australia
Australian club rugby is considered amateur/semi-pro, which means clubs do not provide players with full-time contracts. Clubs usually help players with the initial move to Australia, help finding a job, as well as sourcing accommodation.
Am I eligible for this visa?
There are two types of working holiday visas:
Here is a list of all passports that qualify for the relevant working holiday visas:
- Australian WHV (417): Belgium, Canada ,Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan (other than an official or diplomatic passport), The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (including British National Overseas passport holders)
- Australian WHV (462): Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Chile, People’s Republic of China, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Peru, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Türkiye, Uruguay, United States of America, Vietnam
Are there opportunities to work and play in Australia?
Yes! Australia has some of the highest standard of club rugby globally.
Competitions such as the prestigious Shute Shield (Sydney), RugbyWA Premier Grade (Perth), John I Dent Cup (Canberra), and Hospital Cup (Queensland), frequently feature top rugby talent from Australia as well as players from Super Rugby sides.
For those who want to travel and play rugby, other competitions can give you the full Australian experience such as Hunter Premier, Dewar Shield, and Southern Inland Rugby.
Oval15 is in contact with clubs from all these competitions, giving you the best chance of playing rugby down under!
For more information, head to Oval15.com, or click here to find out more.
Source: Australian Working Holiday Visa (417) and Australian Working Holiday Visa (462)
