Working holiday for Brazilians: what actually exists

Search 'working holiday Brasil' and you'll find animated listicles promising ten, fifteen destinations. The problem: most of them offer no working-holiday visa actually available to Brazilian passport holders — or the agreement exists in theory but is not in force. This guide works from what is verifiable in official 2026 sources and explicitly names what does not exist. The goal isn't to discourage, but to save you time: planning for months based on wrong information is far more painful than knowing the truth upfront.

What a working holiday visa is — and why Brazilians have fewer options

A working holiday visa is a bilateral agreement between two countries that lets a young citizen of one country live and work freely in the other for up to 12 months, without needing a job offer in advance. Most English-speaking countries built these programmes decades ago, but the equivalent agreements with Brazil came much later — and some never came at all.

Canada has no working-holiday bilateral agreement with Brazil. Canada's programme is called IEC (International Experience Canada) and Brazil is not among the eligible countries in 2026. Japan does not have a working-holiday agreement with Brazil either — Japan's list of 32 partner countries does not include Brazil. Portugal has no active youth mobility working-holiday agreement with Brazil. Ireland does not include Brazil in its Working Holiday Authorisation scheme. Any blog listing these as destinations for Brazilians is simply wrong.

• Canada IEC: Brazil is NOT eligible in 2026
• Japan Working Holiday: Brazil is NOT among the 32 partner countries
• Portugal Mobilidade Jovem: Brazil has NO active agreement for this visa
• Ireland Working Holiday Authorisation: Brazil is NOT included
• Australia 417 (Working Holiday): open only for specific passports such as UK, Ireland, Canada — Brazil is NOT included

New Zealand: the most competitive destination — and why timing is everything

New Zealand has had a working-holiday programme with Brazil since 2014, managed by Immigration New Zealand. It is the most sought-after working-holiday destination for Brazilians — and also the most restricted: the annual quota is just 300 places for Brazilian applicants. In 2025, those 300 spots ran out in under eight minutes after opening.

For 2026, Immigration New Zealand confirmed the Brazilian quota will open on 8 October 2026 at 10:00 NZDT (New Zealand Daylight Time), which is approximately 23:00 on 7 October in Brasília time. Being logged into your online.immigration.govt.nz account before the opening time is not optional — it is the difference between getting a place and missing out.

The main requirements are: be aged 18 to 30 at the time of application, hold a valid Brazilian passport, show at least NZD 4,200 in available funds, hold valid medical insurance for the length of the stay, and — since Brazil is considered a tuberculosis-risk country — provide a chest X-ray certificate if you have lived there for six months or more. The visa allows work for any employer and living in New Zealand for up to 12 months.

• 2026 quota: 300 places for Brazilians — 2025 spots sold out in under 8 minutes
• 2026 opening date: 8 October at 10:00 NZDT (≈ 23:00 on 7 October, Brasília time)
• Age: 18 to 30 years old at the time of application
• Minimum funds: NZD 4,200 (plus a return ticket or funds to purchase one)
• Chest X-ray: required if you have lived 6+ months in a tuberculosis-risk country
• Medical insurance: required for the full duration of the stay
• Duration: up to 12 months, one time only

France, Germany, and Australia 462: the other verified destinations

France — Visto Férias-Trabalho (PVT): the bilateral agreement between Brazil and France is in force and has an active campaign for 2026. The programme is administered by French Consulates-General in Brazil (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Recife, and Porto Alegre), each with its own regional quota. Applications open on a rolling basis by consulate jurisdiction — the Nordeste campaign opened in January 2026. Requirements include being aged 18 to 30, showing at least €2,500 in available funds, and holding health insurance. Spots fill quickly, especially in São Paulo. The visa allows legal work for up to 12 months.

Germany — Working Holiday Visa: Germany has an active bilateral working-holiday agreement with Brazil. Brazilians aged 18 to 30 can apply directly at German diplomatic missions in Brazil (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, and Recife). The visa allows a stay of up to 12 months, with the right to work to fund the stay. One restriction applies: you may not work for the same employer for more than six months.

Australia — Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462): Brazil is among the eligible countries for the 462 visa — distinct from the 417 visa, which is reserved for other passports. The annual quota for Brazilians is 500 places. Requirements include being aged 18 to 30, showing at least AUD 5,000 in funds, completing at least two years of tertiary education, and demonstrating English proficiency (typically IELTS or PTE). In 2026 the process involves a pre-registration ballot — check the current quota status on the Department of Home Affairs website before planning, as the quota can be closed or paused depending on the period of the year.

• France: 18–30 years, €2,500 in funds, health insurance, quota per consulate — active in 2026
• Germany: 18–30 years, apply at German missions in Brazil, up to 12 months, max 6 months with the same employer
• Australia 462: 18–30 years, AUD 5,000, 2 years of tertiary education, proven English, annual quota of 500 — check quota status before planning

The route many Brazilians use instead: study plus work in Ireland

Since Ireland has no working-holiday agreement with Brazil, the most common route for those who want to live and work there is a student visa with a part-time work permit. English-language courses in Ireland allow students to work up to 20 hours per week during term and 40 hours per week during school holidays — enough to offset a significant portion of costs. It is not a working holiday in the strict sense, but in practice it works similarly for those seeking international experience in an English-speaking country. Worth noting: as of 2026 Ireland is now visa-free for Brazilian tourists, making it easier to visit and scope out the country before committing.

How Tern helps

Whatever destination you choose, Tern solves two practical problems that appear early: opening a bank account before you arrive and sending money from Brazil at a fair exchange rate.

With Tern you open a multi-currency account from your phone before you board — all you need is your passport and visa approval. Arrive in New Zealand, France, or Germany with an account number ready to hand to your employer on day one. Transfers from Brazil to your Tern account use the real mid-market exchange rate with no hidden margin — the same rate you see on Google. And ATM withdrawals locally come with no fee. For anyone watching the NZ quota open and knowing every dollar counts, that is not a small detail.