Working behind the bar on an Australian beach is certainly a change from everyday life at school, but so-called work 'n' travel schemes can make this possible. Meanwhile, for those who prefer to go it alone, fixing up a gap year with a series of casual jobs is not too difficult to organise.

Mira Bangel decided to make the most of her first opportunity to experience the big, wide world. Only three days after passing her German school-leaver's exam, she boarded a flight to Australia.

She was desperate for a change of scene and believed that learning to rely on her own resources for a while on the other side of the planet would strengthen her character.

So how did she organize the trip? "Well I did it all myself and so I not only saved the agency fee but learned a great deal from having to research everything myself," said Mira, 24.

Professional help

The question of whether to seek professional help in arranging a working holiday is the first question that people should ask themselves.

Going it alone calls for self-confidence and the ability to plan thoroughly. Once away from home, the traveller will need to feel happy about making contact with people to secure a job and accommodation. Agencies, on the other hand, often maintain an office in the destination country where clients can go for help and job-seeking advice.

"People who tend to be disorganised will have a hard time managing on their own", said Ramon Tissler of the International Centre for Education and Careers in the German city of Muenster. Travellers must be able to rely on themselves and keep cool in difficult situations such as when finding a job proves to be harder than they imagined.

When planning a stay abroad the internet can be a great help. Future work 'n' travellers can find out how to organise a working holiday visa, health insurance while living abroad and how to set up a foreign bank account and apply for a credit card.

"Organising these things is really very straightforward", said Sabine Hopf from Berlin. The 52-year-old runs the German-language "Reisebine" website which specialises in working holidays for young people visiting Australia.

Information on booking flights, looking for jobs, accommodation and even on what luggage to take is backed up with feedback from travellers who recount their experiences and give useful tips.

Mira found these contributions very useful: "Before my trip I quizzed a lot of people who were able to tell me how they got on", she said. Now she is happy to pass on her experiences to others.

No job

Sabine Hopf knows, from the many preparation seminars she has attended, what frightens most beginners before they even set off. They are worried about ending up in the Outback with no job.

To alleviate such pressure from the outset, she suggests taking along sufficient cash.

Mira takes a relaxed view of job-finding, "Australia is a country used to an influx of travellers looking for casual work."

Vacancies are posted all over the place and work 'n' travellers are allowed to work for a single employer for up to six months at a stretch. The pay averages out at between 6 and 9 euros an hour (9 to 13 US dollars) but can vary widely.

Backpackers

The best accommodation is likely to be the local hostel for backpackers, which tends to be similar to a typical youth hostel, with reasonable prices to match.

"This is also the best place to hear about any jobs going," said Mira. "Just hang around in the laundrette and tell as many people as possible that you are looking for a job," she said.

Sabine Hopf points out that Australia is particularly welcoming to casual workers who quickly manage to integrate themselves. "This gives you enough energy to tackle the next stage of the adventure and you can collect job tips and other advice."

She also warns against trying to plan things ahead too minutely. "A lot of opportunities just turn up along the way and if you have booked everything six months in advance you will deny yourself the chance to react flexibly."

Spontaneously

This also applies to the length of person's stay. Whether a traveller chooses to remain away from home for three months, six months or even a year can be decided more or less spontaneously.

"A fellow traveller friend of mine went home after six months," said Mira. "It was the right decision for her in the same way that it was the right thing for me to stay on another six months".

Internet: Details on entry requirements for casual workers can be found on the government websites of Australia, New Zealand and Canada: http://www.australia.gov.au/; http://newzealand.govt.nz/; http://canada.gc.ca/home.html

INFOBOX: A valid visa is the entry ticket

Australia is the most popular country for work 'n' travel candidates followed by New Zealand and Canada. All three require temporary immigrants to hold a special kind of visa which can usually be applied for by post or online.

European and Asian candidates should get in touch with the appropriate embassies in their own countries.

It is worth noting however that the visa contingent for Canada is very limited. The valid visa doubles up as a work permit and will usually only be issued to people aged between 18 and 35 years provided they have no children.

In some cases applicants will have to prove that they have start-up capital or financial reserves equivalent to 4,600 US dollars. Visas are issued to an applicant only once and generally cost around 153 US dollars.

9th April 2008

DPA with Expatica