Visa Introduction
The Subclass 462 visa enables young people to holiday and work in Australia and to improve cultural understanding. The visa is only available to citizens of countries with which Australia has a work and holiday arrangement.
From 19 November 2016, people who have undertaken ‘specified Subclass 462 work’ for a minimum of 3 months (that is, specified kinds of work in the agriculture or tourism and hospitality industries in specified areas of Australia), may be eligible for a second Subclass 462 visa. Only work undertaken after 18 November 2016 may be counted towards the 3 months period. The second Work and Holiday visa initiative was introduced to create an incentive for Subclass 462 visa holders to spend time working in high demand industries in northern Australia.
A person can enter Australia on no more than two Subclass 462 visas in their lifetime. If a person is granted a Subclass 462 visa but does not enter Australia within the validity of the travel component of the visa (12 months from date of grant), they are able to apply for and be granted another visa, as long as they continue to meet the visa criteria. The initial visa is not counted towards the maximum of two Subclass 462 visas per person if they did not enter Australia as the holder of that visa.
Feature
- Subject to annual cap
- Holds a working holiday eligible passport
- Age between 18 and 35 or 30 as specified for your country of passport
- Meet the specified education requirements
- Meet functional English Requirement
- First working holiday visa
- Second working holiday visa
- Third working holiday visa
Latest update
From 19 January 2022, Working Holiday Maker visa holders (subclasses 417 and 462) who arrive in Australia before 19 April 2022 can apply for a refund of the visa application charge (VAC). They can also work for more than 6 months with one employer, in any sector, anywhere in Australia.
Annual visa limits
| Country | Number of first Subclass 462 visas each program year |
| Argentina | 700 |
| Bangladesh | 100 |
| Chile | 1 500 |
| China | 5 000 |
| Hungary | 200 |
| Indonesia | 1000 |
| Israel | 500 |
| Luxembourg | 100 |
| Malaysia | 100 |
| Poland | 200 |
| Portugal | 200 |
| San Marino | 100 |
| Slovak Republic | 200 |
| Slovenia | 200 |
| Spain | 600 |
| Thailand | 500 |
| Turkey | 100 |
| United States of America | No annual visa limit |
| Uruguay | 200 |
Visa Application Checklist
Valid Application Criteria
For First working holiday visa
The applicant must be outside Australia and holds a working holiday eligible passport
For Second working holiday visa
The applicant may be in or outside Australia. The applicant has carried out specified Subclass 462 work for a total period of at least 3 months;
For Third working holiday visa
The applicant may be in or outside Australia. The applicant has carried out specified Subclass 462 work for a total period of at least 6 months;
All of that work was carried out on or after 1 July 2019;
Time of Application Criteria
Age
Age between 18 and 35 or 30 as specified for your country of passport
Genuine visitor
The principal purpose of the applicant is to spend a holiday in Australia
Functional English Requirement
Evidence of English language proficiency should be submitted with the first Subclass 462 visa application.
Time of Decision Criteria
For First working holiday visa
The applicant must be outside Australia when the visa is granted
For Second working holiday visa
The applicant may be in or outside Australia.
If the applicants are outside Australia when the application is made, the applicants must be outside Australia when the visa is granted. If the applicants are in Australia when the application is made, the applicants must be in Australia when the visa is granted
For Third working holiday visa
The applicant has carried out specified Subclass 462 work for a total period of at least 6 months;