Work Abroad FAQ for Parents
What is living and working abroad all about?
The United Kingdom has partnerships with countries all over the world to offer reciprocal Working Holiday Visas to young adults to allow them to visit and work in their country for up to a year. Every year, hundreds of thousands of young people participate in worldwide work abroad programs, and we’re thrilled that your child is interested in working in another country. It's a fantastic, once in a lifetime opportunity where your child will get the opportunity to gain real world experience that will directly benefit their CV, whilst they are paid to work abroad to help cover the costs.
Where can my child work abroad?
The Working Holiday Visa currently allows UK citizens to work in Australia and New Zealand. There are similar schemes available to enable you to work in Ireland, South Korea and Singapore, although StudentUniverse does not offer these programs just yet (stay tuned!)
What are the requirements to live and work abroad?
For all programs you must be:
- between 18-30 in age
- a UK citizen
- of good character
Are flights included?
Flights are not included in the standard cost of your childswork abroad program, but a StudentUniverse travel services team member can provide you with a competitively priced youth and student discounted flight quote to make it super simple for you to get everything booked.
For those young people planning to explore the world, we provide student and youth travellers with access to specially discounted flights, hotels and tours worlwide. By signing up as a StudentUniverse member (for free) you'll get instant access to deals from our global network of suppliers enabling you to travel more whilst spending less.
How long do the student work visas last?
The student work visa lasts one year for Australia and New Zealand, but there are additional opportunities to stay a second year dependent on the industry you work within.
Can my child interview for the job before they leave the UK?
Definitely! We've built our own Work Abroad Pro package that is perfect for those that want to secure jobs whilst they're still in the UK. We are able to offer this scheme for those interested in working in: hospitality, customer service, labor/construction and gardening/landscaping.
However, if your child chooses to take a Work Abroad or Work Abroad Plus package, they'll need to meet their potential future employers once they've arrived in the country. Choosing to move overseas with no guaranteed offer of employment may seem frightening, but the realirty is that every single year hundreds of thousands of students participate in Work Abroad programs and businesses build in positions that rely on these travellers.
What work abroad jobs are available?
Jobs are plentiful in Australia and are very similar to what would be considered “casual jobs” in the UK. Work Abroad participants can work in all thinkable industries including: sales and marketing, hospitality, accounting, carpentry and labor, customer service, retail, landscaping and gardening, office support – the visa doesn’t limit the areas they can work in.
What is the pay like?
Your child will be covered by all local labor laws. For example, they will benefit from Australia’s generous minimum wage – currently AUD$16.87/hr. Most participants in Australia earn between AUD$20-AUD$23/hr – as a result this program is very popular with parents!
What if they can't find a job overseas?
Our dedicated work abroad job teams will work tirelessly to do everything they can to help you find the right job. As long as you're willing to put in the effort to arrange and attend interviews, and are relatively flexible with the type of work you're willing to do, you'll find employment in no time at all.
Where will my child live while working abroad?
All of our programs include either five or seven nights accommodation in a centrally located hostel. After this, our in-country teams will advise and assist you with securing somewhere to live longer term.
What happens to taxes while they are away?
Our job teams will work with your student to obtain a tax consultation before their return home. The vast majority of people end up with a sizable tax refund - a nice way to do some traveling on the way back home!