Working Holiday Visa 417 vs 462: 2026 Guide

Australia's Working Holiday Maker program lets young people holiday here for up to a year and work to help pay for the trip. It runs as two visas: the Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) and the Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462). This guide covers who can get each one, what it costs in the 2026-27 program year, and how to earn a second and third year. Every figure below was checked against the Department of Home Affairs website on 30 September 2026.

417 or 462: which one is yours?

You do not choose. Your passport decides. Every eligible passport appears on one list only. The two visas give you almost the same things:

up to 12 months in Australia from the day you first enter, with as many trips in and out as you like during that time
the right to do any kind of work, usually for no more than 6 months with the same employer
up to 4 months (17 weeks) of study
a path to a second and third visa if you meet the rules

The difference is the entry bar. The 462 adds an education requirement, a minimum English level and, for some countries, a letter of support from your government. First 462 visas are also capped each year for every country except the United States.

Eligible passports

Subclass 417 is for citizens of Belgium, Canada, Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan (not official or diplomatic passports) and the United Kingdom (British National Overseas passports included).

Subclass 462 is for citizens of 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, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Türkiye, Uruguay, the United States and Vietnam.

Age limits

You must be within the age limit when you apply, not when you arrive:

18 to 35 for 417 applicants from Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Korea and the UK.
18 to 30 for 417 applicants from Belgium, Estonia, Hong Kong, Japan, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Taiwan.
18 to 30 for all 462 applicants.

Watch the clock: the deadline is midnight Australian Eastern time on the day before your 31st (or 36th) birthday, even if you are applying from overseas. Home Affairs advises against applying on your birthday. If you apply at 30 (or 35) and turn 31 (or 36) before a decision, the visa can still be granted.

Money, education and English

Both visas require enough money to support yourself and to leave Australia. Home Affairs says this is usually about AUD5,000 for your initial stay, plus the fare onwards. Attach evidence when you apply: leaving it out can slow things down.

The 462 adds three hurdles:

Education. It varies by country. Many 462 countries need a tertiary qualification or two years of undergraduate study. India and Brazil need at least two years of post-secondary study. The United States needs a senior secondary certificate or equivalent. Check your country's line on the official page.
Functional English. Citizens of the UK, US, Canada, New Zealand or Ireland meet it automatically. Everyone else needs a qualifying course or an approved test taken within 12 months before applying.
Letter of support from your government if you hold a passport from Ecuador, Greece, Indonesia, Malaysia (a Good Conduct Certificate), Mongolia, Peru, Poland, San Marino, Slovenia, Thailand or Türkiye.

For both visas you cannot bring dependent children, not even for a day, and you must meet the health and character requirements.

2026-27 fees

The Home Affairs visa pricing table (last updated 1 July 2026) lists these base charges:

First 417 or 462: AUD840
Second 417 or 462: AUD1,000
Third 417 or 462: AUD1,000
462 ballot registration (China, India, Vietnam only): AUD25, not refunded if you are not selected

You might also pay for health checks, police certificates and biometrics. From 1 July 2026 a lower first-462 charge applies to eligible Papua New Guinea passport holders; ImmiAccount applies it automatically.

The 462 ballot and country caps

Every program year (1 July to 30 June), Australia caps the number of first 462 visas for each country except the United States. Second and third 462 visas have no cap. Capped countries open for applications on 2 July, and a country can move from "open" to "paused" or "closed" at any time. A closed cap does not reopen until the next program year.

China, India and Vietnam passport holders cannot apply straight away. They must first register in a ballot in ImmiAccount and be randomly selected. You need to be 18 to 30 when you register, and hold your country's national ID card. Indian applicants need a PAN card, not an Aadhaar card. Vietnamese applicants need the 12-digit ID card.

Where the 2026-27 ballot stands

Home Affairs says registrations for China, India and Vietnam for 2026-27 have closed. Selections will keep happening through the year until every registration expires on 30 April 2027. If you are selected, you get an email and have 28 days to lodge your visa application. If you are not selected, you will not be told.

Visaify's Ballot Visa Tracker keeps the ballot countries and dates in one place.

Specified work for a 2nd and 3rd year

To get a second visa you must have done 3 months of "specified work" on your first visa. To get a third you need 6 months on your second visa, done on or after 1 July 2019. Home Affairs measures these as calendar periods:

3 months = at least 88 calendar days (the three shortest calendar months), weekends and rest days included.
6 months = at least 179 calendar days.

The number of days alone is not enough. Within that period you must work the same number of normal days or shifts as a full-time employee in that role would. You can split it across several employers and part-time jobs if the total adds up. One long day still counts as only one day. And there are no exceptions if bad weather cancels shifts, so start early.

What counts depends on your visa and the postcode:

417: plant and animal cultivation, fishing and pearling, tree farming and felling, mining and construction in regional Australia. Tourism and hospitality in Northern or Remote and Very Remote Australia also counts.
462: narrower. Plant and animal cultivation and construction count in Northern Australia and other specified regional areas. Fishing, pearling, tree farming and felling count in Northern Australia only. Tourism and hospitality counts in Northern or Remote and Very Remote Australia.
Both: paid or volunteer recovery work in declared bushfire areas (after 31 July 2019) or declared flood, cyclone and severe-weather areas (after 31 December 2021). Critical COVID-19 health work done after 31 January 2020 also counts.

For now, Home Affairs is giving extra weight to the industry. That means support roles like admin or cleaning inside a specified industry, in an eligible postcode, may be accepted. All specified work must be paid at the legal award rate. Keep payslips and Australian bank statements covering every period, because you will need them as proof.

The UK exemption

Under the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement, UK passport holders who apply for a second or third 417 visa on or after 1 July 2024 do not need any specified work. The UK age limit has also been 18 to 35 since 1 July 2023. Both apply only when you apply with a UK passport, including a British National (Overseas) passport. Dual nationals who used a different passport for an earlier visa can switch to their UK passport for the next one.

UK holders can take their three years at any time while they are still within the age limit. The years do not have to run back to back, and the 6-month employer limit and 4-month study limit still apply.

The 6-month employer limit

Condition 8547 normally stops you working for the same employer for more than 6 months. The 6 months starts on your first day at work and runs by calendar time, not hours worked. It resets when a new Working Holiday visa is granted. Since 1 January 2024, you can stay longer without asking permission if you work:

in different locations, with no more than 6 months in any one location
in plant and animal cultivation anywhere in Australia
in natural disaster recovery work anywhere in Australia
in critical sectors (agriculture, food processing, health, aged and disability care, childcare, and tourism and hospitality) anywhere in Australia
in fishing and pearling, tree farming and felling, construction or mining in Northern Australia

In any other case you must ask Home Affairs for permission before you pass 6 months. Using a labour-hire agency does not get around the rule if you stay in the same job at the same place.

Other rules while you are here

You must apply for a first visa from outside Australia, and be outside when it is decided. You can apply for a second 417 in or outside Australia.
You must enter within 12 months of the grant, and your 12 months start on arrival, whatever the reason for the trip, even a transit.
Do not apply for an eVisitor after your Working Holiday visa is granted. A new eVisitor grant ends your Working Holiday visa and its work rights. An ETA does not. See ETA vs eVisitor vs Visitor 600.
Home Affairs says it is normalising processing times for most applications, with an average of around three months. Do not book flights until you have the grant.

Common mistakes

Counting 88 working days instead of 88 calendar days of full-time-equivalent work. Part-time work stretched over three months falls short.
Doing 462 specified work in a 417-only area. Fishing or forestry outside Northern Australia does not count for a 462.
Doing third-year work on your first visa. Work for a third visa must be done while you hold your second.
Leaving it until just before your birthday. Time zones catch people out, and there is no grace period.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the 417 and 462 visa?

Both let you holiday and work in Australia for up to 12 months. Which one you apply for depends only on your passport. The 462 adds an education requirement, a Functional English requirement and, for some countries, a government letter of support, and first 462 visas are capped each program year for every country except the United States.

How much does a Working Holiday visa cost in 2026-27?

The Home Affairs visa pricing table lists AUD840 for a first 417 or 462 visa and AUD1,000 for a second or third. China, India and Vietnam passport holders also pay a non-refundable AUD25 to enter the 462 ballot. Health checks, police certificates and biometrics can cost extra.

Is 88 days of specified work the same as 88 days of work?

No. 88 calendar days is the minimum period, and within it you must work the same number of normal days or shifts as a full-time employee in that role would. Working two days a week for three months does not meet the requirement.

Do UK citizens need to do specified work for a second or third year?

No. UK passport holders who apply for a second or third 417 visa on or after 1 July 2024, using their UK passport, do not need to meet the specified work requirement. They can apply up to the day before their 36th birthday.

Can I work for one employer for more than six months?

Usually no, under condition 8547. Since 1 January 2024 there are exemptions, including work in different locations (no more than six months in any one location), plant and animal cultivation, natural disaster recovery, and critical sectors such as agriculture, food processing, health, aged and disability care, childcare, and tourism and hospitality. Otherwise you must ask Home Affairs for permission.

Sources

All checked 30 September 2026:

Disclaimer

This article is for general information purposes only. Australian visa rules, fees and country caps change, sometimes mid-year. This guide was accurate when it was written (30 September 2026) but may not reflect the current law. Nothing in this article is legal advice or migration advice. Always check the official Department of Home Affairs website at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before you apply. For advice about your situation, speak to a Registered Migration Agent (MARA) or a qualified migration lawyer.