The Australian Working Holiday Maker program has two visas: the Subclass 417 (Working Holiday) for 19 mostly European and East Asian passports, and the Subclass 462 (Work and Holiday) for 30 other countries including the US, China, and India. Both allow up to 12 months of work and travel, with second and third-year extensions available after completing specified regional work.
Two visa subclasses: 417 (Working Holiday) for 19 countries including UK, Germany, Japan; 462 (Work and Holiday) for 30 countries including USA, China, India
Age limits: 18-30 for most countries; 18-35 for 10 countries (Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, South Korea, and the UK)
Country caps affect 462 only: Some countries have annual limits that can close or pause; China, India, and Vietnam use a ballot system
Work limits: Maximum 6 months with the same employer; up to 4 months of study allowed
Second and third year visas: Complete 88 days (3 months) of specified regional work for a second year; 179 days (6 months) for a third year
Financial requirement: You must demonstrate AUD 5,000+ in available funds plus enough for a return flight
First visa must be applied for offshore: You cannot be in Australia when you apply for or are granted your first Working Holiday visa
Australia's Working Holiday visa gives you something few countries offer: the legal right to work while you travel. You can pick fruit in Queensland, pour drinks in Melbourne, teach skiing in the Snowy Mountains, and fund the whole trip as you go.
But the system has quirks that catch people off guard. Country caps that can pause within a day of the program year opening. Ballot systems that feel like lotteries. Age limits that vary by passport. Specified work requirements that determine whether you get a second or third year.
This guide covers everything: the difference between the 417 and 462, how country caps and ballots work, what you can and cannot do while working in Australia, and how to qualify for extended stays.
What is the difference between the 417 and 462 visas?
Both visas give you up to 12 months of work and travel in Australia. Your passport decides which one you can use. The 417 covers 19 mostly European and East Asian countries, with no caps and no English test. The 462 covers 30 others, including the US, China, and India, and it adds annual caps, a ballot for some, and a functional English requirement.
What is the Subclass 417 Working Holiday visa?
The Subclass 417 Working Holiday visa is open to passport holders from 19 countries that have a reciprocal "working holiday" deal with Australia. Most are European or East Asian. There are no annual caps, no ballots, and no English-language evidence to gather.
Eligible countries: Belgium, Canada, Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea (South Korea), Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom
Key features:
Cost: AUD $840
Age limit: 18-30 (18-35 for Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, South Korea, and the UK)
No country caps: Applications always open
No English requirement or government support letter
No biometrics required
What is the Subclass 462 Work and Holiday visa?
The Subclass 462 Work and Holiday visa is for passport holders from 30 countries that have a "work and holiday" deal with Australia. These deals come with strings the 417 doesn't have: functional English, a government support letter for some countries, annual country caps, and, for China, India, and Vietnam, a ballot.
Eligible countries: Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey (Turkiye), United States, Uruguay, Vietnam
Key features:
Cost: AUD $840
Age limit: 18-30 for all countries (no exceptions)
Country caps apply: Many countries have annual limits
Functional English required
Government support letter: Required for some countries (Ecuador, Greece, Indonesia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mongolia, Peru, Poland, San Marino, Slovenia, Thailand, Turkey)
Biometrics: Required for some nationalities
How do the 417 and 462 visas compare side by side?
Tern Tip
Not sure which visa you qualify for? Your passport determines it automatically. When you start an application with Tern, we'll identify your visa subclass based on your nationality and tell you exactly what documents you need.
What if you're approaching the age cut-off?
Your age at the date the application is submitted is what counts. Say you're 30 (or 35 for eligible countries) at submission. You'll still be granted the visa even if your 31st (or 36th) birthday passes during processing. You can also enter Australia after turning 31, as long as the visa was granted in time.
Here's the trap. The deadline runs on midnight Australian Eastern Time (AEST or AEDT) the day before your birthday. Your own local clock is irrelevant. If you're in Los Angeles, Australian Eastern Time is 18-19 hours ahead, so your real cut-off falls several hours before midnight on your last eligible local day. Convert the deadline to your own timezone and submit at least 24 hours early. The Department itself recommends against applying on your birthday, because a system glitch or a timezone mix-up can sink a last-minute application.
The ballot countries (China, India, Vietnam) have a second catch. The age limit is checked twice: once when you register for the ballot (you must be 18 to 30), and again when the visa application goes in after you're selected. You get just 28 days from selection to apply. So if you register close to your 31st birthday and that birthday lands inside the 28-day window, the selection is worthless. For the full ballot mechanics, see our guide to the 462 ballot for China, India, and Vietnam.
How do Working Holiday country caps and ballots work?
Subclass 462 applicants face annual country caps and, for China, India, and Vietnam, a ballot system that randomly selects who can apply. Subclass 417 applicants face no caps or ballots. Caps reset at the start of each new program year, in early July (2 July for 2026-27). For a focused walkthrough of how the ballot works, when to enter, and what evidence to have ready, see our guide to the 462 ballot for China, India, and Vietnam.
What are Working Holiday country caps?
Country caps are annual limits on how many first-time Working Holiday visas Australia will grant from specific 462 countries. A cap can be paused or closed. A closed cap stays shut until the new program year in early July (2 July for 2026-27), but a paused cap can reopen within the same year, and Home Affairs says it will. So a country that is not open today has not necessarily run out of places until July.
Key points:
Only affect Subclass 462 countries
Only apply to first Working Holiday visas (second and third year visas are uncapped)
Subclass 417 countries have no caps
What do the Working Holiday cap statuses mean?
The Department publishes a current status for each capped country (Open, Paused, Closed, or Ballot) on its WHM country cap status page, and your status determines whether you can apply today.
Open: Apply when ready
Paused: Not open right now, usually because Home Affairs is deliberately spreading applications across the year, or watching a country as it nears its cap. Paused caps can reopen the same year
Closed: Annual cap reached; wait until the new program year in early July (2 July for 2026-27)
Ballot: Lottery system. You cannot apply directly
One catch worth knowing: that official page can be up to 48 hours out of date, so a cap can reopen while it still shows closed. For what each status means in practice, when closed caps reopen, and a live status table for every 462 country, see our deep dive on 462 country caps.
How does the Working Holiday ballot system work?
The Working Holiday ballot is a randomised selection system used for three 462 countries (China, India, and Vietnam) where you cannot apply directly: you register during a designated window, the Department draws names at random, and selected applicants get an invitation to apply (typically within 14 days).
Register during specific windows through the Department's online system
Wait for random selection
If selected, receive an invitation to apply (typically 14 days to submit)
If your country uses the ballot system, you cannot apply directly. You must be selected first.
How do I apply when my country's cap is closed or in ballot?
If your cap is closed:
Set a reminder for early July (Australian Eastern time), when caps reset (2 July for 2026-27)
Have all documents ready to apply immediately
If your country uses the ballot:
Register for every eligible ballot window
Ensure your details are accurate. There's no correction process
Have documents ready to apply quickly if selected
Tern Tip
Never miss a cap reopening again. If your country's cap is paused or closed, Tern will automatically submit your application the moment it reopens. Our systems monitor cap status around the clock, so you don't need to set alarms for 12:01am Australian time.
What are the Working Holiday work rights and limitations?
Working Holiday visas grant genuine work rights across almost any industry, but with strict conditions: a 6-month limit per employer, a 4-month study cap, and no access to Medicare. Breaching these can lead to cancellation or refusal of future visas.
What kind of work can I do on a Working Holiday visa?
You can do almost any kind of paid work on a Working Holiday visa. Common jobs include hospitality, agriculture, retail, labour, tourism, and professional roles. The law caps how long you can stay with one employer. It doesn't care what industry you work in.
How does the 6-month same-employer rule work?
You can work for the same employer for a maximum of 6 months on a Working Holiday visa, unless you get explicit permission to continue. This rule covers related companies and different locations under the same employer. You can apply for an exemption in some cases.
Exemptions may be granted for:
Critical skills shortages
Work in Northern Australia
Aged care or agriculture
Can I use an ABN on a Working Holiday visa?
Yes. You can use an Australian Business Number (ABN) on a Working Holiday visa to work as a sole trader, which suits gig-economy or freelance work. A few things to keep in mind:
The 6-month rule still applies to ongoing client relationships
You're responsible for your own tax and superannuation
Beware of "sham contracting". If someone controls your hours and provides your tools, you may actually be an employee
How much tax and superannuation do I pay on a Working Holiday visa?
Most working holiday makers pay 15% tax on the first AUD 45,000 of income, then standard resident-equivalent rates above that. You get the 15% rate once you have a Tax File Number (TFN).
Even on a WHV, employers must pay superannuation if you earn over AUD 450 per month. When you permanently leave Australia, you can claim this back as a Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP), though it's taxed at 65%.
How do I qualify for a second or third year Working Holiday visa?
To qualify for a second-year Working Holiday visa, complete 88 days of specified regional work; for a third year, complete 179 days. The work must be done during your previous Working Holiday visa, in eligible postcodes, and in a qualifying industry.
What are the second and third-year visa requirements?
Work must be completed during your previous Working Holiday visa.
What counts as "specified work" for a Working Holiday extension?
Specified work for a Working Holiday extension covers plant and animal cultivation, fishing and pearling, tree farming and felling, mining, and construction anywhere in regional Australia. Tourism and hospitality only count in Northern, Remote, or Very Remote Australia.
In regional Australia:
Plant and animal cultivation (fruit picking, farm work, dairy)
Fishing and pearling
Tree farming and felling
Mining
Construction
In Northern, Remote, or Very Remote Australia only:
Tourism and hospitality (hotels, restaurants, tour guides)
Bushfire recovery work (in designated areas)
Tourism and hospitality has stricter location requirements. Unlike agriculture and construction which count anywhere in regional Australia, hospitality work only qualifies in Northern Australia or areas classified as Remote/Very Remote. A cafe job in regional Victoria won't count, but the same work in Cairns or Darwin will.
What counts as "regional Australia" for Working Holiday work?
"Regional Australia" for Working Holiday purposes is set by postcode. It excludes Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Perth metro, and Canberra. Everything else qualifies for agriculture, construction, and mining work:
All of Northern Territory, South Australia (including Adelaide), and Tasmania
Regional Queensland, NSW, Victoria, and WA
Because eligibility comes down to the exact postcode rather than how regional a town feels, the quickest way to check a specific location is our free 88 days postcode map, which lights up every eligible postcode for your subclass and industry.
Adelaide counts as regional for agriculture, construction, and mining, but tourism and hospitality work in Adelaide does not qualify.
How are the 88 days of specified work counted?
The 88 days are counted differently depending on how you're employed. Full-time work counts each calendar day. Part-time and casual work is counted by hours, where a "day" is typically 7.6 hours.
Full-time work: Each calendar day employed counts, including weekends, sick days, and public holidays during continuous employment.
Part-time or casual: Calculate based on actual hours. A "day" is typically 7.6 hours, so 38 hours/week = 5 days.
Piece rate work: Hours calculated based on a "typical worker" performing the same task. Keep detailed records.
You can accumulate days across multiple employers and time periods. They don't need to be consecutive.
Tern Tip
If you're trying to qualify for a second year, full-time work is much more efficient. Three months full-time gets you to 88 days. Three months part-time often won't: 12 weeks at 20 hours/week only equals about 32 days.
How do I prove my specified work for a second or third-year visa?
To prove specified work for a second or third-year Working Holiday visa, you need clear records of where you worked, when, and for how long. Gather these:
Payslips showing employer, dates, hours, and location
Employment references on company letterhead
Bank statements showing payments from employers
Tax documents
Piece rate agreements (for agriculture)
Keep meticulous records. Lost documentation is the number one reason people fail to qualify.
If you fall short of your days, never pay someone to manufacture the evidence. Fake payslips, or a farm "putting you on their books", are fraud. The Department verifies employment on every application, and this kind of thing gets caught. A normal refusal you can recover from. This one triggers a three-year ban on most further visas under PIC 4020.
An applicant with only 28 real days of work paid an agent to invent a vineyard job for his third-year visa. The refusal stood, the waiver was denied, and a three-year exclusion followed.
Tern Tip
Don't waste AUD $1,000 on work that doesn't qualify. The fee is not refundable, and the most common way people lose it is applying alone and assuming a rural cafe job counted when it didn't. When you apply with Tern, we check your evidence before submission: postcode eligibility, work type, hours calculation, and documentation completeness. A job that never qualified gets caught before you pay, not after a refusal.
Why are UK passport holders exempt from specified work?
UK passport holders are exempt from specified work requirements under the bilateral arrangement between Australia and the UK, so they can apply for second and third-year Working Holiday visas without completing any regional work. This exemption is unique to UK nationals.
How does timing, duration, and travel work on a Working Holiday visa?
Your 12-month Working Holiday clock starts on first entry to Australia (not the grant date), and time spent overseas does not pause the visa. The first Working Holiday visa must be applied for and granted while you're outside Australia.
When does my Working Holiday visa start?
Your 12-month Working Holiday period begins the day you first enter Australia. The grant date doesn't start the clock. You have 12 months from grant to make that first entry, and the countdown only begins once you land.
Example: Granted 1 March, enter 15 June. Your visa runs from 15 June to 14 June the following year.
Why must my first Working Holiday visa be applied for offshore?
The first Working Holiday visa is built as a pre-arrival visa, so you have to be physically outside Australia at two moments. You must be outside Australia when you:
Apply for your first Working Holiday visa
Are granted the visa
For second and third year visas, you can apply from inside or outside Australia.
Does my Working Holiday clock pause when I leave Australia?
No, your 12-month Working Holiday period does not pause when you leave Australia. The visa still expires on the same date regardless of time spent overseas, so a three-month trip abroad effectively shortens your in-country time.
Working Holiday visas are multiple entry, so you can travel in and out freely. But time outside Australia doesn't count towards your 88 days of specified work either.
What health and insurance arrangements do I need on a Working Holiday visa?
Working Holiday visa holders can't use Medicare. Depending on your nationality, you may also need a health examination. Private health insurance isn't legally required, but we strongly recommend it.
Is health insurance required for a Working Holiday visa?
Health insurance is not technically required for a Working Holiday visa, but we strongly recommend it because you are not eligible for Medicare. You pay full private rates, so a single uninsured emergency can wipe out your savings:
Ambulance: AUD 1,000+
Hospital overnight: AUD 2,000+
Surgery: tens of thousands
Look for policies covering hospital/medical expenses (minimum AUD 1 million), emergency evacuation, and repatriation.
Do I need a health examination for a Working Holiday visa?
Health examinations are common for Working Holiday visa applicants from certain nationalities. The Department will tell you if you need one. If you do, the process runs like this:
Register through the Department's health portal (eMedical)
Book with an approved panel physician
Complete chest x-ray and possibly medical examination
Don't undertake examinations before applying. Wait until requested.
Can I transition from a Working Holiday visa to another Australian visa?
Yes. Plenty of people use their Working Holiday time as a stepping stone to a partner, employer-sponsored, skilled, or student visa. Each pathway has its own eligibility rules, and applying from inside Australia usually triggers a Bridging Visa A.
Partner visa (820): If you enter a genuine relationship with an Australian citizen or permanent resident
Employer-sponsored (482, 494): If an employer wants to sponsor you
Skilled visas (189, 190, 491): If you have skills on occupation lists and meet points requirements
Student visa (500): For courses longer than 4 months
How do bridging visas work after a Working Holiday visa?
If you apply for another visa while your Working Holiday visa is still valid, you'll typically be granted a Bridging Visa A (BVA) that activates when your WHV expires. The BVA cancels the moment you leave Australia, so apply for a Bridging Visa B (AUD $575) before any international travel.
Critical: You cannot travel on a BVA. If you leave, it cancels. Apply for a Bridging Visa B (AUD $575) before departure if you need to travel while waiting.
Tern Tip
If you're applying for a partner or skilled visa, plan travel carefully. Leaving without a Bridging Visa B could mean you can't return until your visa is decided, potentially months or years.
How long does a Working Holiday visa take to process?
Working Holiday visa processing depends on subclass: the 417 has a median of 1 day and a 90th percentile of 39 days, while the 462 has a median of 34 days and a 90th percentile of 78 days. The 462 is slower because of additional evidence requirements, cap management, and more manual processing.
What causes Working Holiday visa delays?
Working Holiday visa delays usually come down to five things:
Incomplete applications triggering information requests
Pending health examination results
Character concerns requiring additional checks
Specified work verification (for second/third year visas)
Peak periods (July cap resets, holidays)
How can I speed up my Working Holiday visa application?
To speed up a Working Holiday visa application, get the basics right from day one:
Apply with complete documents from the start
Respond immediately to any requests
Complete health examinations quickly if requested
For 462: have English evidence and government letter ready before applying
Frequently asked questions
What can and cannot I do on a Working Holiday visa?
You can work in any industry (with the 6-month per-employer cap), study for up to 4 months, travel in and out, and apply for other visas onshore. You cannot bring dependent children, study for more than 4 months, work for the same employer beyond 6 months without permission, apply for your first WHV onshore, travel on a Bridging Visa A, or access Medicare.
You CAN:
Work for any employer in any industry (with 6-month limit)
Work as a sole trader using an ABN
Study for up to 4 months
Travel in and out multiple times
Apply for other visas from inside Australia
Do specified regional work for second/third year visas
You CANNOT:
Work for the same employer beyond 6 months (without permission)
Bring dependent children
Study for more than 4 months
Apply for your first WHV from inside Australia
Travel on a Bridging Visa A (it cancels if you leave)
Access Medicare
Final thoughts
The Australian Working Holiday visa is one of the best opportunities for young travellers: three years of legal work and travel in a developed country. But the system rewards preparation.
417 country passport holders have it easier: no caps, no ballots, no English requirements. Apply when ready.
462 country passport holders need more planning. Check your cap status, gather English evidence and government letters if required, and be ready to apply quickly when caps reset or you're selected in a ballot.
If you want a second or third year, treat your specified work documentation like gold. Keep every payslip, reference, and bank statement.
Before you apply:
Check our Visa Time Checker for realistic processing times
Understand your country's specific requirements and cap status
When you're ready: Start your application with Tern. We automatically identify your visa subclass, flag country cap issues, and guide you through exactly what evidence you need. Every application is reviewed before submission, and complex cases are escalated for lawyer review.
