Do you need $5000 AUD in a bank account to get a working holiday visa for Australia?

Question

Asking on behalf of a South Korean.

She wants to apply for a working holiday visa for Australia. She'll apply online from Thailand. She meets all other requirements (character, age) but she doesn't have $5000 in her bank account.

However her parents are happy to support her while she is here. She's already been in Australia for 9 months or so on a student visa, supported by her parents. (She is in Australia now, but her visa will expire soon, so she'll apply for the new visa from there). Can she just show her mother is willing to keep supporting her somehow?

Or can her mum just put $5000 in her bank account until the visa is granted and she arrives here again?

I had a Japanese friend who came to Australia on a working holiday visa a few years ago and I know for sure she didn't have $5000 in her bank account.

Thanks for any help. If I find answers else where I'll post them here, as I'm sure others may want this information.

Answer 1

Yes, you do need AU$5,000 in order to apply for a working holiday visa.

"You must have sufficient funds (generally deemed to be at least- AU$5,000) to support your trip and purchase a return airfare"

You can check out the requirements here http://www.nationalvisas.com.au/working/...  and even take an online visa assessment to know if your friend is eligible to apply for an Australian visa.

Answer 2

I just applied for my 1 year visa, and I remember seeing that it is recommended to have 5000 in the bank, but it's not like a law... Nobody actually checks... My visa was approved within hours.