Thinking of heading Down Under with USIT? Here’s all you need to know

Has there ever been a better time for Irish men to work on their farmer tans Down Under? With the Eurovision just weeks away, we reckon now is the time to hop to it.

Working holiday experiences are a chance to break away from home, gain independence, have some major fun and rack up those adventure tales.

USIT, Ireland’s specialist when it comes to organising once in a lifetime trips are an old hand at sending people Down Under, as almost all of their staff have holidayed and lived in Australia or New Zealand at some point.

So who better to speak with when thinking of heading off on your adventure? Whether it’s your first or second working holiday visa they have a wealth of knowledge that any budding backpacker will make use of.

Kangaroos, crocodiles, swagmen, stubbies and barbies all spring to mind when thinking of Australia. These days it seems that nearly every Irish person has either been there, intending to go or already living it up there. This is because it is so easy to get yourself out there. With the visa process taking less than two weeks, you can be working on the other side of the world in a flash.

Aside from the wealth of knowledge you get from talking to their agents, USIT can assist you in the starting up of your new life in Australia and take out some of the strain. The essential package they have includes:

• 1 year Working Holiday Visa
• 12 months Worldwide Travel Insurance
• Australian SIM Card with AU$10 Credit
• Australian Bank Account
• Tax File Number

They also have an Australian Jobs Database that you can access and apply to live jobs before you go or if you plan on traveling the sunshine coast before working it’ll give you peace of mind that when you arrive at your destination you’ll have several interviews already set up.

With the option of the second year visa, Australia has one up on other working holiday destinations. Extending your stay has never been so easy with USIT’s new Harvest Hopper membership. This is designed to focus on finding jobs that qualify for the second year working holiday visa with secure accommodation and fair pay.

For some Australia can seem worn and over populated with Irish, with the tiniest bit more travel down you will be rewarded with the green coast of New Zealand, the 'Land of the Long White Cloud'.

Rich with flora and fauna, fresh landscapes, culturally forward and some may argue more ahead socially than their bigger neighbours, New Zealand has plenty to offer in terms of adventure and work opportunities. Be warned though that once you fall in love with this country it is very difficult to leave knowing that you may never set foot on those shores again.

With similar start up packages for both New Zealand and Australia, it’s all in hand when talking to USIT.