Expatriates Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for people living abroad on a long-term basis. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this community
I’m an Australian citizen looking to work in America for a working holiday, but I can’t find a visa that applies to me. I don’t have the qualifications for an E-3 or H-B1, and I wouldn’t be working in jobs that would fall under H-B2. Is there an option that would work for me?
Additionally, I work as a freelance developer. Would I be allowed to continue to work in America under the visa waiver program?
No, there isn't. The US and Australia do not have a working holiday visa arrangement, and the VWP explicitly does not permit work.
The closest option would be the E-3 visa, but this is similar to the H-1B visa (minus the tight quotas) and requires a sponsoring employer in the United States that the visa is tied to, so it's not really practical for freelancing.
There are J-1 "exchange visitor" programs that are used for seasonal workers. These require a sponsor who will employ you; before and after the program you have a 30-day "grace period" during which you can travel around the US. Some sponsors have made the news for keeping their employees in rather exploitative conditions, but others are legitimate. I think this kind of program is rather more similar to a working holiday visa than is the E-3 visa.
