The cheapest legitimate way for an Irish citizen to live and work in Australia is the 417 Working Holiday Visa. Even at its cheapest the actual landed cost is rarely the application fee alone, closer to €6,000–€8,000 once flights, bond, first month and contingency are included.
§01Government fees
- 417 application fee: $670, paid in ImmiAccount.
- Garda Vetting: free (via the National Vetting Bureau).
- Australian Federal Police National Police Check: typically only needed for sponsored visas, not 417.
- Health examination: only if flagged, most healthy 18–35-year-olds skip it.
§02Travel and arrival
- One-way flight Dublin → Sydney/Melbourne/Brisbane (off-peak): €900–€1,400.
- First month accommodation (hostel + Airbnb mix): €1,500–€2,500.
- Initial settling-in costs (SIM, public transport card, basic kit): €200–€400.
§03First permanent rental
Bond is four weeks' rent (held by the state authority, NSW Rental Bond Board, Residential Tenancies Bond Authority in Victoria). Plus the first two weeks of rent in advance. For a Sydney one-bedroom unit at the late-2025 median of A$770 per week, that is A$4,620 upfront for bond plus first fortnight, roughly €2,800.
§04Float requirement
Home Affairs requires evidence of $5,000 on top of the return airfare. In practice the case officer wants to see a recent bank statement showing the balance; freshly-deposited funds raise questions, so build the balance up over the three months before lodgement.