Working Holiday Visa
(Subclass 462)
For those between 18 and 30 years old, the Subclass 462 visa offers an extended holiday in Australia, complemented by short-term work to supplement funds. This 12-month visa allows multiple entries and exits, enabling a flexible stay. Visa holders can engage in studies for up to four months and work for a maximum of six months with a single employer. Opportunities for up to 12 months of specified work in regional areas may be possible. It’s important to note that there’s an annual limit quota on the number of initial Work and Holiday visas granted to each specified country, and this limit resets on 1 July each visa program year or as advised by the Department of Home Affairs.
Visa Requirements:
These are the fundamental prerequisites for a visa application of this type, but additional conditions may apply based on your individual circumstances. To qualify, you must:
- Be aged between 18 and 30 (inclusive).
- Apply from outside Australia.
- Travel without dependent children.
- Have not previously entered Australia on a subclass 462 or 417 visa; for previous subclass 462 visa holders, you may be eligible for the second Work & Holiday visa.
- Hold a passport from one of the listed countries or regions, including but not limited to: Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Uruguay, United States of America, Vietnam.
Depending on your country of origin, you must also fulfill other specific requirements, such as:
- Completion of a certain level of education (e.g., secondary school, tertiary study/qualification).
- Demonstrate English language Functional competence (e.g., IELTS overall band score of 4.5 or met the other requirements of Functional English).
- Provide a Letter of Support from your home government. This applies for the countries of Ecuador, Greece, Indonesia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mongolia, Peru, Philippines, Poland, San Marino, Slovenia, Thailand, Turkey.
For those applying for a second Work and Holiday visa, an additional requirement is:
Completion of 3 months of specified work in regional Australia during your first Work and Holiday visa.
For eligibility for a third Work and Holiday visa after 1 July 2019, you must:
On or after 1 July 2019, complete 6 months of specified work in regional Australia during your second Work and Holiday visa.
New pre-application process will introduce ballots for first Work and Holiday Visa
For 2024-2025, the Department will introduce a new pre-application ballot process for first Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa applicants from China, Vietnam and India only. The Department will provide further details, including ballot opening dates, once they finalise the arrangements.
Specified Work Mandates for Second or Third Work and Holiday Visa
Approved industries and regions for specified work, necessary for obtaining a second or third Work and Holiday visa, include:
- Plant and animal cultivation in northern Australia and other specified regional areas
- Fishing and pearling in Northern Australia only
- Tree farming and felling in Northern Australia only
- Tourism and hospitality in Northern Australia only
- Construction in Northern Australia and other specified areas of regional Australia
- bushfire recovery work in declared bushfire affected areas carried out after 31 July 2019
- recovery work in natural disaster affected areas carried out after 31 December 2021
- critical COVID-19 work in the healthcare and medical sectors anywhere in Australia, after 31 January 2020.
Specified work encompasses any work described above that serves as the primary role, function, or activity during your employment.
Period Of Time Specified 3/6 Months
The period of specified work, whether 3 months for a second Work and Holiday visa or 6 months for a third, requires an evidenced period of paid, full-time equivalent work over a minimum of 88 calendar days (for three months) or 179 calendar days (for six months) in regional Australia, defined by post code. One day of full-time work is equivalent to the standard number of hours per day (or shift) considered typical for the industry and role. The work can be completed in various ways.
For instance, to qualify for a second Work and Holiday visa, an applicant must provide evidence of:
- Working full-time, 5 days per week, continuously for a 3-calendar month period, including on a piecework rate agreement.
- Working less than 5 days per week in any combination of full-time, part-time, or piecework rate work, totaling the equivalent of five days a week over 3 calendar months.
- Working less than five days a week over a longer period than 3 calendar months, including on a piecework rate agreement.
Work may be with one or multiple employers, spread over the stay in Australia. Additionally, working longer than the required period in regional Australia in specified work is acceptable. Paid public holiday leave and sick days are counted as days of specified work, while unpaid leave or holidays and unpaid days due to severe or seasonal weather are not counted.
Specified Work Criteria:
- For Subclass 417, specified work is typically required in regional Australia, covering areas like plant and animal cultivation, fishing and pearling, tree farming and felling, mining, and construction.
- For Subclass 462, specified work includes plant and animal cultivation in northern Australia and specific regional areas, fishing and pearling in Northern Australia, tree farming and felling in Northern Australia, and tourism and hospitality in Northern Australia. Construction is applicable in both Northern Australia and other specified regional areas.
Notably, work in the healthcare and medical sectors should involve activities such as medical treatment, nursing, contact tracing, testing, and research. Support services, including cleaning of medical and health care facilities, are also considered eligible. Administrative work and selling personal protective equipment are excluded from healthcare-related work.
Specified Work Updates (Effective from April 22, 2022):
Recent amendments have been introduced by the government concerning the type and locations of specified work for working holiday maker visas (subclass 417 and 462). Key changes include:
Flood Recovery Work:
This applies to paid or voluntary recovery work carried out from 31 December 2021 in areas that have been declared affected by flood, cyclone or other severe weather events. It applies to visa applications lodged on or after 2 February 2024, or applications lodged but not decided by this date.
Bushfire Recovery Work:
This applies to paid or voluntary work carried out after 31 July 2019 in selected bushfire affected postcode areas.
Critical COVID-19 Healthcare Work:
Applies to specified work carried out after 31 January 2020, anywhere in Australia. Applicants need to demonstrate how their work supported Australia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Exemptions to 6 month work limitation:
From 1 January 2024 you can work for the same employer in Australia for more than 6 months without asking permission if you work in any of the following:
- different locations for the same employer, as long as work in any one location does not exceed 6 months
- plant and animal cultivation anywhere in Australia
- natural disaster recovery work anywhere in Australia
- critical sectors, including agriculture, food processing, health, aged and disability care and childcare, tourism and hospitality, anywhere in Australia
- certain industries, including, fishing and pearling, tree farming and felling, construction and mining, in northern Australia only
Visa Application Journey:
Embarking on the journey of obtaining your visa involves submitting your application and accompanying documents to the Department of Home Affairs (DOHA) through the ImmiAccount. Ensuring alignment with the stipulated requirements is paramount. Equally critical is having sufficient funds to support yourself during the initial phase of your holiday. Health and character requirements must be met, and you might be asked to provide evidence of health and/or travel insurance.
Once your visa is granted, your entry into Australia must occur within 12 months. The land Down Under becomes your workplace, allowing you to explore employment opportunities across the nation, with the caveat of not exceeding six months with a single employer, unless a specific exemption applies. Additionally, the pursuit of education should be limited to a four-month duration.
It’s worth noting that your subclass 462 visa could be subject to a ‘No Further Stay’ condition, potentially impacting your ability to apply for additional visas while in Australia. Even without this condition, your eligibility to apply for visas during your stay is confined to a specific range.
The processing time for your application is influenced by DOHA’s service standards and can fluctuate based on factors like case complexity, perceived risks, and processing priorities. For the latest insights into anticipated processing timeframes, feel free to get in touch with us.