Second Working Holiday Visa Australia

Latest update on second year places (October 2026)

On 17 September 2026, the government announced that second and third year Working Holiday visas would move to a ballot. The announcement set 45,000 places for the second year and 5,000 for the third. Our news article on the September 2026 migration changes covers the full announcement.

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As at 23 October 2026, the official Home Affairs page for the second Working Holiday visa does not mention a cap or a ballot. The eligibility rules on that page are unchanged.

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Plan as if the 88-day requirement will still come first. We will update this page when Home Affairs publishes implementation dates and ballot rules.

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Second Working Holiday visa requirements at a glance

Home Affairs lists these main requirements for the second subclass 417 visa:

• You held a first Working Holiday visa (subclass 417), entered Australia on it and followed its conditions.

• You completed 3 months (at least 88 calendar days) of paid specified work while on that first visa.

• You hold a passport from an eligible country or jurisdiction.

• You are aged 18 to 30, or up to 35 for passports from Canada, the Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Republic of Ireland, Italy, the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom.

• You apply before your 31st birthday (or 36th, where the higher limit applies).

• If you are in Australia, you hold a substantive visa, or your last one expired less than 28 days ago.

• You meet the health and character requirements.

• You pay the AUD1,000 application charge.

• You apply on your own, with no dependent children.

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Specified work in brief

• Plant and animal cultivation, fishing and pearling, tree farming and felling, mining and construction count in regional Australia.

• Tourism and hospitality count in Northern Australia and Remote or Very Remote Australia.

• Bushfire and natural disaster recovery work in declared areas also counts, and it can be paid or voluntary.

• Paid public holidays and paid sick days count towards the 88 days.

• Unpaid leave, unpaid public holidays and unpaid weather days do not.

• Work on a student visa or any visa other than your first 417 does not count.

UK passport holders who apply on or after 1 July 2024 do not need to complete specified work.

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Who can apply for a second Working Holiday visa

Home Affairs sets these requirements for the second subclass 417 visa:

• You hold, or have held, one Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) and you entered Australia on it. See how to apply for a Working Holiday visa for the first visa.

• You complied with all the conditions on your first visa.

• If you are in Australia, you hold a substantive visa, or your last substantive visa expired less than 28 days ago.

• You hold a passport from an eligible country or jurisdiction.

• You are within the age limit for your passport when you apply.

• You completed 3 months of specified subclass 417 work.

• You meet the health and character requirements.

• You paid, or arranged to pay, any debt you or your family members owe the Australian Government.

• You sign the Australian values statement.

• You apply on your own, with no dependent children.

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Home Affairs also considers your immigration history. A cancelled visa or a refused application can affect your eligibility.

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Age limit

The age limit depends on your passport. It is 18 to 35 for passport holders from Canada, the Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Republic of Ireland, Italy, the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom. It is 18 to 30 for every other eligible country or jurisdiction.

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You must apply before you turn 31 (or 36), counted in Australian Eastern time. Our post on the age limit changes from 1 July 2026 explains the recent update. The deadline is midnight on the day before that birthday, even if you apply from outside Australia. Home Affairs advises against submitting on your birthday.

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You can still be granted the visa if you apply at 30 (or 35) and turn 31 (or 36) before a decision. You must meet all other requirements.

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Funds

You need enough money to support yourself and to leave Australia at the end of your stay. Home Affairs says this is usually about AUD5,000 for your initial stay plus the fare to your next destination.

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If you apply in Australia, you do not need to provide evidence of funds. If you apply from outside Australia and attach no evidence, processing may be delayed.

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UK passport holders

UK passport holders can be granted a second or third subclass 417 visa without meeting the specified work requirement. This applies if they apply on or after 1 July 2024 using a UK passport.

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What counts as specified work

Specified work is paid work in an approved industry in an eligible area. Home Affairs lists these approved industries:

• Plant and animal cultivation in regional Australia

• Fishing and pearling in regional Australia

• Tree farming and felling in regional Australia

• Mining in regional Australia

• Construction in regional Australia

• Tourism and hospitality in Northern Australia or Remote and Very Remote Australia

• Bushfire recovery work in declared areas, for work done after 31 July 2019

• Natural disaster recovery work in declared areas, for work done after 31 December 2021

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Home Affairs is temporarily applying flexibility to this rule. Work that supports the ongoing operations of a specified industry, such as administrative and cleaning support, may be accepted in an eligible postcode.

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Bushfire and natural disaster recovery work can be paid or voluntary. If you apply based on disaster recovery work, you select the flood recovery option (paid or volunteer) under Employment type in your ImmiAccount form.

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Work that does not count

Home Affairs excludes secondary processing of plant and animal products. That includes winemaking, brewing and distillation, milling, manufacturing of small goods, and retail of dairy or butchery products.

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General garden maintenance is not plant cultivation. Pruning counts only when it is your primary task and directly linked to commercial crops such as fruit and nuts.

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All specified work must be paid under the relevant Australian legislation and awards. Read the full Home Affairs specified work page before you accept a job. For job ideas, see our guide to jobs that qualify for the WHV regional work requirement our article on finding regional farm work in Australia and our tips for working in construction on a Working Holiday visa.

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How the 88 days are counted

Home Affairs treats 3 months as the 3 shortest calendar months of the year. That equals at least 88 calendar days, including weekends or equivalent rest days.

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You must complete the same number of normal work days or shifts that a full-time employee in that role and industry would work in that period. You can do this in three ways:

• Work 5 days a week for 3 continuous calendar months.

• Work fewer days a week over a longer period.

• Add together several shorter periods of full-time or part-time work.

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You do not need to finish the work in one go or with one employer. You cannot complete it in less than 3 calendar months.

Here is an example from Home Affairs. Kim worked 2 days a week at a vineyard from 1 February to 30 April. The work was eligible, but she did not work the equivalent of 3 full-time months. She needs a proportionately longer period of part-time work.

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Rules for individual days

• One day of work counts as one day, even if you work double shifts.

• Paid public holidays and paid sick days count.

• Unpaid public holidays and unpaid leave days do not count.

• Unpaid days lost to severe or seasonal weather do not count.

• Variable shift patterns count if they are standard in the industry and you are paid for the whole period.

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Keep your employment contract and payslips. Home Affairs says no exception is made if you fall short because of bad weather or any other reason, so finish your specified work early in your stay.

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Which visa the work must be done on

You must do all the specified work while holding your first Working Holiday visa. One exception covers bridging visas. If you applied for the second visa while the first was still in effect, work done on the bridging visa that follows can count towards a third visa.

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Work done on a student visa or any other visa does not count towards the second visa.

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Which areas are eligible

Eligibility is set by postcode, and not every area outside a capital city qualifies. Home Affairs lists these areas as regional for specified work:

• All of South Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and Norfolk Island

• Listed postcode ranges in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia

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Check your exact postcode on our Australia postcode finder and against the official postcode tables on the Home Affairs specified work page. Check it before you start the job, not after.

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Cost and processing time

The visa application charge for the second Working Holiday visa is AUD1,000. You may also pay for health checks, police certificates or biometrics. Use our visa fees page to compare charges across visas.

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Home Affairs says it is normalising processing timeframes for most Working Holiday Maker applications, with an average of around three months. For recent decisions, use the RACC visa processing times tool.

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Mistakes that cost applicants their second visa

• Leaving the specified work until the end of the visa.

• Counting work in a secondary processing role, such as a winery or brewery.

• Working in an industry that qualifies but in an ineligible postcode.

• Counting unpaid days or unpaid work.

• Counting work done on a student or other visa.

• Applying after the day before your age-limit birthday.

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What comes after the second visa

A third Working Holiday visa needs 6 months of specified work. Home Affairs counts this as at least 179 calendar days, done while holding your second visa on or after 1 July 2019.

 

Read our guide on how to stay 3 years on a working holiday visa for the full pathway. If you want to stay beyond that, see whether you can move from a Working Holiday visa to a 482 visa.

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For first-visa rules by country, see our Working Holiday visa Australia guide, the subclass 417 guide and the subclass 462 guide.

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Frequently asked questions

How many days of work do I need for a second Working Holiday visa?

You need 3 months of specified work, which Home Affairs counts as at least 88 calendar days. That includes weekends or equivalent rest days. You must work the same number of days or shifts as a full-time employee in that role would work in 88 days.

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Can I apply for the second visa while I am in Australia?

Yes. If you are in Australia, you must hold a substantive visa, or your last substantive visa must have expired less than 28 days ago. You can also apply from outside Australia. You must meet the age limit and all other requirements at the time you apply.

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Can I count work done on a student visa?

No. Home Affairs does not count specified work done on a student visa or most other visas. You must do the work while holding your first Working Holiday visa. The only exceptions are certain bridging visa and subclass 408 COVID-19 situations that Home Affairs describes on its specified work page.

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Can my partner or children come on my second Working Holiday visa?

No. You must apply on your own and you cannot include family members. Dependent children cannot accompany you on this visa. Your partner would need to apply for their own visa.

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Do UK passport holders need to do specified work?

No. UK passport holders can be granted a second or third subclass 417 visa without specified work if they apply on or after 1 July 2024 using a UK passport. They must still meet all other eligibility requirements.

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Is the second year capped at 45,000 places?

The government announced a 45,000 place cap and a ballot for second year visas on 17 September 2026. As at 23 October 2026, the official Home Affairs second Working Holiday visa page does not mention a cap or ballot. Check that page before you lodge.