Pacific Engagement Visa (Subclass 192)
Ballot closedThe 2025–26 ballot ran from June 2025 and is now closed. The next ballot is expected to open around June 2026 for the 2026–27 program year.
Across 9 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 (2025–26)
DoHA allocates the 3,000 PEV places across participating Pacific countries. Quotas are reviewed each program year.
| Country | Places (2025–26) | Min. age | Notes |
|---|
Ballot history & next window
Every PEV ballot round since the program launched in 2024, plus the projected next opening.
2026–27 PEV ballot
Based on the past two cycles, the next ballot is expected to open in mid-2026 for the 2026–27 program year. Allocations may be adjusted by DoHA.
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: You must be a citizen of, and ordinarily resident in, an eligible Pacific country (Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, or Vanuatu).
- Age: Between 18 and 45 at the time you register for the ballot.
- 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.
Work and Holiday (Subclass 462) — Country ballots
Variable by countryThe Subclass 462 visa is open to citizens of partner countries. Several partner countries run an annual pre-application ballot due to high demand. Each country has its own opening date and quota.
China, Vietnam, and India currently run pre-application ballots due to quota pressure.
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 (2025–26) |
|---|
Recent ballot windows
When recent 462 ballots opened and closed. Dates are based on DoHA announcements at the time.
India 462 ballot — second round
India's 462 ballot is expected to open again. The first ballot (early 2024) was Australia's first WHV ballot for India and was heavily oversubscribed.
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 (50+ countries — see DoHA list).
- Age: Between 18 and 30 (inclusive) at time of application. Some countries (e.g. Canada, France, Ireland, Italy) have age caps raised to 35 via bilateral arrangement.
- 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.
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.