Information about Working Holiday Visas In Australia

There are two visa sub-classes for Working Holiday Visas In Australia for Working Holiday Makers (WHM):

• Sub-class 417 for citizens of countries who had entered into Working Holiday partner agreements prior to 2006;
• Sub-class 462 for citizens of countries who have entered into Working Holiday partner agreements since 2006

Difference between 417 and 462 visas

The 417 and 462 visas are almost identical, with the 462 having a few extra requirements:

• must have functional level English (except US citizens);
• tertiary qualifications; and
• a letter of support from their home government (although applicants from China and Israel are exempt from providing a letter of support)

Requirements & Countries eligible for Working Holiday Visas in Australia

To be eligible for a Working Holiday Maker visa for Australia (subclass 417 or subclass 462), you:

> must not have held Working Holiday Maker visa for Australia before;

> pay off any debts you or your family owes to the Australian Government;

> must not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused; and

> hold a passport from one of the following countries:

Sub-Class 417 – Working Holiday Visa

• Belgium
• Canada
• Republic of Cyprus
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (including British National Overseas passport holders)
• Republic of Ireland
• Italy
• Japan
• Republic of Korea
• Malta
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Sweden
• Taiwan (other than an official or diplomatic passport)
• The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Sub-class 462 – Work and Holiday Visa

• Argentina
• Austria
• Chile
• China
• Czech Republic
• Greece
• Hungary
• Indonesia
• Israel
• Luxembourg
• Malaysia
• Mongolia
• Peru
• Poland
• Portugal
• San Marino
• Singapore
• Slovak Republic
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Switzerland
• Thailand
• Turkey
• Uruguay
• United States

Note, for most countries, there is an annual limit on the number of these 462 visas granted by country (noting the cap has been increased by 30% recently): Status Caps By Country

Age at time of application for Australian Working Holiday Visas

You can apply for Working Holiday Visas In Australia if you fall within the following age groups by country:

417 Visas:

• Belgium – 18 to 30 years
• Canada – 18 to 35 years
• Republic of Cyprus – 18 to 30 years
• Denmark – 18 to 35 years (from July 1 2022)
• Estonia – 18 to 30 years
• Finland – 18 to 30 years
• France – 18 to 35 years
• Germany – 18 to 30 years
• Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (including British National Overseas passport holders) – 18 to 30 years
• Republic of Ireland – 18 to 35 years
• Italy – 18 to 35 years (from July 1 2022)
• Japan – 18 to 30 years
• Republic of Korea – 18 to 30 years
• Malta – 18 to 30 years
• Netherlands – 18 to 30 years
• Norway – 18 to 30 years
• Sweden – 18 to 30 years
• Taiwan (other than an official or diplomatic passport) – 18 to 30 years
• The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland – 18 to 30 years (this will change to 18-35 with the impending implementation of the Free Trade Agreement between UK and Australia).

462 Visa countries are all 18 to 30 years.

All that matters is you age at the date you apply for the visa NOT how old you are when you are granted the visa OR enter Australia.

For example, if you are from Ireland, you can apply up until the day before your 36th birthday. Someone from The Netherlands, can apply up until the day before their 31st birthday.

You Require Sufficient Money In Your Bank Account

In order to get a Working Holiday Visas In Australia, you must have enough money to:

• support yourself while you are in Australia
• leave Australia at the end of your stay

This is usually about AUD5,000 for your initial stay, plus the fare to where you are going after leaving Australia.

Meet The Health Requirements

Australia has a health requirement for each application, as specified here.

In short, to meet the health requirement you must be free from any disease or condition that is:

• a significant healthcare and community service cost to the Australian community
• likely to limit the access of Australian citizens and permanent residents to healthcare and community services that are in short supply by placing demand on those services. This is called “prejudicing access”

You might have to have health examinations to prove you meet the health requirement. The results of your examinations will be assessed by a Medical Officer of the Commonwealth (M​OC). If you have a significant medical condition, the MOC will advise us whether the condition is likely to:

• threaten public health
• result in significant healthcare and community service costs
• place a demand on healthcare or community services that are in short supply

Pass the character test

The character requirements are set out under section 501 of the Migration Act 1958. They help us decide if you are of good character.

You may not pass the character requirements in some circumstances. These include if:

• you have a substantial criminal record
• you have been convicted of escaping from immigration detention, or convicted for an offence that you committed:
• while you were in immigration detention
• during an escape from immigration detention
• after an escape, but before you were taken into immigration detention again
• you are or have been a member of a group or organisation, or had or have an association with a person, group or organisation that the Minister reasonably suspects of being involved in criminal conduct
• the Minister reasonably suspects that you have been involved in people smuggling, people trafficking, genocide, a war crime, a crime against humanity, a crime involving torture or slavery, or a crime that is of serious international concern, whether or not you have been convicted of such an offence
• your past and present criminal or general conduct shows that you are not of good character
• there is a risk that while you are in Australia you would:
• engage in criminal conduct
• harass, molest, intimidate or stalk another person
• vilify a segment of the Australian community
• incite discord in the Australian community or in a part of it
• be a danger to the Australian community or a part of it
• you have been convicted, found guilty or had a charge proven for, one or more sexually based offences involving a child
• you are subject to an adverse security assessment by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
• you are subject to an Interpol notice, from which it is reasonable to infer that you are a direct or indirect risk to the Australian community, or a segment of the Australian community
• you are or have been convicted of a domestic violence offence or have ever been subject to a domestic violence order

Sign the Australian values statement

Through your application, you will be asked to acknowledge the Australian Values Statement.​

All relevant temporary and provisional visa applicants must agree to the following Australian Values Statement as part of their application:

I confirm that I have read, or had explained to me, information provided by the Australian Government on Australian society and values.

I understand that Australian society values:

• respect for the freedom and dignity of the individual;
• freedom of religion (including the freedom not to follow a particular religion), freedom of speech, and freedom of association;
• commitment to the rule of law, which means that all people are subject to the law and should obey it;
• parliamentary democracy whereby our laws are determined by parliaments elected by the people, those laws being paramount and overriding any other inconsistent religious or secular “laws”;
• equality of opportunity for all people, regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, race, or national or ethnic origin;
• a ‘fair go’ for all that embraces:
• mutual respect;
• tolerance;
• compassion for those in need;
• equality of opportunity for all;
• the English language as the national language, and as an important unifying element of Australian society.

I undertake to conduct myself in accordance with these values of Australian society during my stay in Australia and to obey the laws of Australia.

Cost

AUD $510 – this is not included in the Work In Australia Package pricing.

Processing times for Working Holiday Visas in Australia

417 Working Holiday Visas

• 25% of applications: Less than 1 Day
• 50% of applications: Less than 1 Day
• 75% of applications: 17 Days
• 90% of applications: 4 Months

462 Work and Holiday Visas

• 25% of applications: 9 Days
• 50% of applications: 26 Days
• 75% of applications: 3 Months
• 90% of applications: 4 Months

Factsheet

For more information, please download the following factsheet from our Partners at Gilton Valeo:

WorkingHolidayMakerFactsheetGV_WIADownload

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