Why Australia

The American work culture is ingrained in our minds at a young age. It instills some of our most admirable qualities and teaches us to become hard-working go-getters. We’ve seen first hand, however, how the pressure to find a high-powered career leads to misery and burnout, with studies finding that 67% of Americans are either unengaged or actively resentful at work. At Permanent Holiday, we understand that the realities of life often trump one’s personal desires, but we also believe that everyone deserves the shot to chase their personal adventure, whatever it may be. After all, work will always be waiting.

Traveling, however, is more than just pretty Instagrams and Facebook friend requests. You’ll make lifelong friendships with people from all over the world and experience the wonders of our planet firsthand. Although it may sound cheesy, the memories you make will sustain you through long office days awaiting your next adventure. Travel pushes you outside your comfort zone, forcing you to reach beyond your usual friend-type and daily routine. While planning can sometimes save time and money, our favorite memories have been the impulsive decisions we’ve made with a good attitude and little to no plan. In the hyper-structured American society we live in, there’s a lot of good that can come from taking a year (or two) to tumble in the wind.

There are just a few times in life when you can truly take off on your own; post-high school and post-university are two of these rare moments. Although people often complain that they lack the money to travel while in their early 20s, this site will explain the relative ease of both traveling and working. And, while the visa we suggest is available until age 30, it only gets more difficult to get up and leave as you become more established within your career (and maybe find a spouse as well!).

The ability to support oneself at a young age while also traveling is a major reason we recommend obtaining Australia’s Work and Holiday visa. Australia offers an easy to obtain visa, a high minimum wage, three of the world’s top ten most livable cities, some of the planet’s most incredible sights, and a close proximity to both New Zealand's rugged beauty and Asia’s endless wonders.

Australia's massive size and geographic isolation make a long-term stay necessary to discover the full depths of its beauty, one of many reasons we advocate backpacking the country over the course of several months. This makes the Work and Holiday visa a perfect and viable option, as it gives you up to a year (and potentially two) to experience all that Australia has to offer. And the ease of finding a job in Australia's major cities allows each individual to find their perfect balance of work and play, depending on their personal budget and goals. 

Continue on to see how to turn this idea into a reality.