Pacific Engagement Visa (Subclass 192)
Closed — next expected mid-2027The 2026–27 Pacific Engagement stream ballot ran from 1 July 2026 to 29 July 2026; random selections run 5 August 2026 – 26 February 2027. A separate Treaty stream ballot for Tuvalu (280 places) ran 1 May – 1 June 2026.
Across 11 Pacific nations + Timor-Leste, with country-by-country quotas.
PR from day one. Right to work, study, and access Medicare in Australia.
Country-by-country places (2026–27)
Up to 3,000 PEV places a year (including partners and children) are shared across the participating countries. Allocations are reviewed each program year — the figures below are DFAT's published 2026–27 allocations.
| Country | Places (2026–27) | Min. age | Notes |
|---|
Ballot history & next window
Every PEV ballot round since the program launched in 2024, plus the projected next opening.
2027–28 PEV ballot
Not yet announced. Recent ballots opened in June or July, so the next one is expected around mid-2027 — check the Home Affairs ballot status page before then.
2026–27 PEV ballot (Pacific Engagement stream)
Registration ran 1–29 July 2026 and is now closed. Random selections run 5 August 2026 – 26 February 2027; if selected you have 120 days to lodge. A separate Treaty stream ballot for Tuvalu (280 places) ran 1 May – 1 June 2026.
2025–26 PEV ballot
3,000 places. Ballot closed; randomly selected entrants invited to apply for the visa. Visa grants run through the program year.
2024–25 PEV ballot — inaugural round
First-ever PEV ballot opened. 3,000 places. Australia's first random-allocation permanent visa.
Legislation passed
Pacific Engagement Visa established in Australian migration law via the Migration Amendment (Pacific Engagement Visa) Bill 2023.
Quick eligibility check
High-level criteria. Always verify against the current DoHA requirements before registering.
- Citizenship: Hold a valid passport from a participating country (Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu or Vanuatu), and have been born in — or have a parent born in — an eligible country.
- Age: Between 18 and 45 (inclusive) on the date the ballot opens for your country.
- Job offer requirement: If selected from the ballot, you'll need a genuine ongoing job offer in Australia to lodge a full visa application.
- Health & character: Standard DoHA health checks and a Public Interest Criterion 4001 character requirement.
- English: Functional English required for the primary applicant. Family members may pay for English language training if their level is lower.
How to apply — step by step
The full Pacific Engagement stream path, from ballot registration to permanent residence. Confirm each requirement on the DoHA PEV page before you start.
Check you're eligible
Hold a passport from a participating country (and be born in, or have a parent born in, an eligible country); be aged 18–45 when the ballot opens; and meet the functional-English, health and character requirements.
Register in the PEV ballot — your expression of interest
During the ballot window (the 2026–27 window ran 1–29 July 2026; the next is expected mid-2027) register in the official PEV ballot and pay the AUD $25 registration fee. You can include your partner. This is your expression of interest — not a visa application.
Ballot draw — random selection
Registrations are selected at random. If you're drawn, you're invited to apply. Being drawn is a pre-condition to apply — it does not guarantee a visa.
Secure a qualifying job offer
Selected applicants must obtain a genuine, ongoing job offer from an Australian employer that meets the minimum-hours and pay requirements before lodging.
Lodge the subclass 192 visa application
Lodge within 120 days of being selected, with your job offer, identity, health, character and English evidence. Visa charge AUD $345 (from 1 July 2026), plus charges for any family members included.
Grant — permanent residence from day one
On approval you and your included family receive permanent residence: the right to live, work and study anywhere in Australia, access to Medicare, and a pathway to citizenship.
Work and Holiday (Subclass 462) — Country ballots
Closed — next expected mid-2027The Subclass 462 visa is open to citizens of partner countries. China, India, and Vietnam must enter a pre-application ballot: registration for the 2026–27 program year ran 4–25 June 2026 via ImmiAccount and is closed, with random selections running until registrations expire on 30 April 2027.
China, Vietnam, and India run pre-application ballots due to demand. Indonesia moves to a ballot later in 2026.
Initial 12 months. Eligible for 2nd & 3rd year extensions with specified regional work.
Country ballot quotas & windows
Countries that run pre-application ballots before granting access to the visa application. Many other partner countries grant the 462 visa without a ballot.
| Country | Annual places | Typical window | Status |
|---|
Recent ballot windows
When recent 462 ballots opened and closed. Dates are based on DoHA announcements at the time.
Indonesia 462 ballot — first round
Home Affairs says first Work and Holiday applications from Indonesian passport holders will move to a ballot, with registration expected to open later in 2026. The opening date has not been announced yet.
2026–27 combined 462 ballot — China, India & Vietnam
For the first time the three countries ran a single combined pre-application ballot. Registration via ImmiAccount 4–25 June 2026 (AUD $25 registration fee), now closed; random selections run until registrations expire on 30 April 2027. Caps: China 5,000, Vietnam 1,500, India 1,000.
Vietnam 462 — annual cycle
Vietnam ran its pre-application process for the 2025 program year. ~1,500 places allocated by ballot.
China 462 — annual cycle
China's annual ballot for ~5,000 places. Pre-application opens, applicants randomly selected, then invited to apply for the visa.
First India 462 ballot
Australia's first 462 ballot for Indian citizens — 1,000 places, opened under the Australia–India Migration and Mobility Partnership Arrangement (MMPA).
Quick eligibility check
Core criteria for the 462 visa. Country-specific extras (education, English level) vary — check the DoHA page for your country.
- Passport: Hold a passport from an eligible partner country (30 countries — see DoHA list).
- Age: Between 18 and 30 (inclusive) at time of application (and at ballot registration for China, India and Vietnam). A few partner countries allow up to 35 under their arrangement — check the DoHA page for your country.
- Education: Typically requires post-secondary qualifications (e.g. 2+ years of university or equivalent) — varies by country.
- English: Functional English — generally IELTS 4.5 overall (or equivalent), or evidence of English-medium education.
- Funds: AUD $5,000+ (or equivalent) in accessible funds, plus an outbound ticket or sufficient funds for one.
- No accompanying children: You can't bring dependent children on this visa.
How to apply — step by step
The full path for the China / India / Vietnam ballot. Citizens of the other partner countries skip the ballot and apply directly (start at Step 5) while their country's cap is open. Confirm every detail on the DoHA 462 page before each step.
Check you're eligible
Hold an eligible passport, be 18–30 (up to 35 for some countries), and meet the education, functional-English and ~AUD $5,000 funds requirements, with no accompanying dependent children.
Create an ImmiAccount
Set up a free account at online.immi.gov.au — you need it to enter the ballot and, later, to lodge the visa.
Register in the ballot — your expression of interest
During the registration window (the 2026–27 window ran 4–25 June 2026; the next is expected mid-2027) submit one ballot registration in ImmiAccount and pay the AUD $25 registration fee. This is your expression of interest to be considered — not a visa application. One entry per person, per program year.
Wait for the random selection
Computer-run random selections take place through the program year — for 2026–27, until registrations expire on 30 April 2027. You'll be notified in ImmiAccount if you're selected. Being selected lets you apply — it is not a grant.
Lodge the 462 visa application
If selected, you have 28 days to lodge a complete application and pay the visa charge (AUD $840 from 1 July 2026). Provide your passport, evidence of funds, English and education evidence, and complete the declarations.
Health, character & decision
Complete any health examination and police/character checks DoHA requests. Once granted, you can work and travel in Australia for 12 months, with possible 2nd- and 3rd-year extensions through specified regional work.
Looking for the SkillSelect Expression of Interest for skilled visas (189 / 190 / 491)? That's a separate process — start with our Points Test calculator.
Official sources
Verify every detail directly with DoHA before lodging or registering. Visaify aggregates from these pages but cannot guarantee real-time accuracy.
This is general information, not migration advice
Ballot dates, country quotas, fees, and eligibility rules are subject to change at any time by the Department of Home Affairs. Visaify pulls from publicly available DoHA sources and is updated when material changes are announced — but cannot guarantee real-time accuracy. Always verify with the Department of Home Affairs or a MARA-registered migration agent before acting on this information.