Work & Holiday Visa (Subclass 462)

You might be able to get this visa if you:

1. Are at least 18 but have not turned 31 years of age at the time you lodge your application.
2. Have a passport from a country involved in the Work and Holiday program with Australia (see below).
3. Will not have a dependent child with you while you are in Australia.
4. Have enough money to support yourself on a working holiday.
5. Have enough money to buy a return or onward travel ticket at the end of your stay.
6. Have not previously entered Australia on a Working Holiday visa (Subclass 417).
7. Meet character and health requirements.
8. Are a genuine visitor.
9. Meet certain educational requirements (see below).
10. Have functional English (see below).
11. Have a letter of support from your government (except applicants from Israel, China and the USA) (see below).

List of Eligible Passports

You can apply for this visa if you hold a passport from:

1. Argentina
2. Austria
3. Brazil
4. Chile
5. China, People's Republic of
6. Czech Republic
7. Ecuador
8. Greece
9. Hungary
10. Indonesia
11. Israel
12. Luxembourg
13. Malaysia
14. Mongolia
15. Papua New Guinea (PNG)
16. Peru
17. Poland
18. Portugal
19. San Marino
20. Singapore
21. Slovak Republic
22. Slovenia
23. Spain
24. Switzerland
25. Thailand
26. Türkiye
27. Uruguay
28. United States of America
29. Vietnam

Educational Requirements

If you are from:

1. Argentina, Bangladesh, the People’s Republic of China, Hungary, Indonesia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Türkiye, Uruguay or Vietnam, you must hold a tertiary qualification or have satisfactorily completed at least two years of undergraduate university study.
2. Chile, you must hold a tertiary qualification or have satisfactorily completed or have been approved to do a third year of undergraduate university study.
3. Israel, you must hold a secondary school (high school) qualification and have completed mandatory military service or be legally exempt from military service.
4. Thailand, you must hold a diploma or degree qualification.
5. United States of America, you must hold a secondary school (high school) qualification.

Functional English

If you are applying for a first Work and Holiday visa, you must provide evidence that you have at least functional English. This is most commonly evidenced by providing an IELTS Test Result with a score of at least 4.5 in the four test components.

There are a range of other English language tests you can take to prove functional English which we can advise you of.

If you are a citizen of the USA your passport serves as evidence of your English language ability and you do not have to sit any English language tests.

Letter of Government Support

If you are applying for a first Work and Holiday visa, you must include a letter of support from your home government with your application. We can advise you of the relevant agency in your home country which you must obtain this letter from.

If you are from Israel, the People’s Republic of China or the United States of America, you do not have to provide a letter of government support.

In addition to the criteria for a first Work and Holiday Visa, you must have:

1. Complied with all the conditions on your first Work and Holiday visa.
2. Not previously held more than one Work and Holiday visa.
3. Completed three months of “specified work” (see below) in “Northern Australia” (see below) whilst on your first Work and Holiday visa.
4. Have not yet turned 31 years of age.

Specified Work

To apply for a second Work and Holiday visa, you must have completed three months of specified work. This work must have been completed while on your first Work and Holiday Visa.

Approved industries for specified work include:

1. Plant and animal cultivation
2. Fishing and pearling
3. Tree farming and felling
4. Tourism and hospitality

There are many subcategories of work that fall under the five industry sectors mentioned above.

Some notable examples of specified work include:

1. Picking fruits on an orchard
2. Feeding and herding cattle on a farm
3. Horse breeding and stud farming
4. Conservation and environmental reforestation work
5. Zoo work involving plant or animal cultivation
6. Working as bar attendant
7. Working as a barista
8. Working as a cook
9. Working in a café

Northern Australia

Your specified work must be in Northern Australia. This includes all of the Northern Territory and all areas north of the Tropic of Capricorn in Queensland and Western Australia.

Three Months Work

Three months of specified work means three ‘calendar’ months or 88 days. It can be work from one employer or accumulated work from various employers. You will have to submit verifiable evidence of your specified work, such as:

1. Pay slips
2. Group certificates
3. Payment summaries
4. Tax returns
5. Employer references
6. A completed employment verification form signed by the applicants employer
7. Original Australian bank statement covering the period of declared specified work

Our experienced immigration lawyers have handled many successful Work and Holiday Visa applications. We will ensure your application is given the best prospects of success.

We offer all our prospective clients an initial meeting, during which we will thoroughly explain the law surrounding this visa to you and inform you of the process moving forward.

To organise an initial consultation with us, please contact one of our experienced immigration lawyers on (02) 9590 3987.