How to apply for a Work and Holiday visa

On this page, we’ll give you all the details you need to apply for Work and Holiday visa (WHV) subclass 462, which is available to visitors who are aged 18 to 30 (inclusive) and hold a valid passport for any of the following countries: Argentina; Austria; Chile; The People's Republic of China; Czech Republic; Hungary; Indonesia; Israel; Luxembourg; Malaysia; Peru; Poland; Portugal; San Marino; Singapore; Slovak Republic; Slovenia; Spain; Switzerland; Thailand; Turkey; USA; Uruguay; and Vietnam.

You may also be required to demonstrate a level of "functional English". For the full list of eligibility requirements, visit the Department of Home Affairs website.

If you hold a passport from 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) or the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, you’ll need to apply for a Working Holiday visa (subclass 417). All the details for that can be found here.

When applying for your Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462), you need to be aged between 18 and 30. If you apply for the visa when you’re still 30, but turn 31 before the application has been approved, the visa may still be granted. 

To apply for WHV 462, you need to go online, create an ImmiAccount and fill out the details.

You may be asked for a number of documents during your application process, such as:

• the pages of your passport showing your name, personal details and passport issue and expiry dates
• a copy of your birth certificate showing both your parents’ names
• evidence of funds (usually AUD $5,000)

Depending on your country of citizenship, you may also be required to provide:

• character documents
• proof of English language proficiency

Document requirements can change, so check the Department of Home Affairs' website for the most up to date document requirements.

The online application form for a WHV 462 is not difficult to fill out, but it may take a couple of hours to complete it and add all the documentation required.

You’ll first need to create an ImmiAccount and confirm your email address. Once you’ve started your application, you can save it and go back to it later to finish filling it in.

Before you begin your application, check to make sure that applications are still open for your country of passport. The Department of Home Affairs website gives up to date information on the status of country caps.

All documents you attach to your application must be in English. Those that aren’t have to be supplied with a translation.

You’ll need clear, colour scans or photographs of each of these documents. If a document has more than one page, it should be saved as a single file.

Your only other obligation is to sign the Australian Values Statement. This is a document that confirms you agree to respect the Australian way of life, and obey Australian laws while you’re in the country.

Most applications are processed within 79 days, but it can take longer in some cases, especially if you don’t fill out the form correctly or forget to attach the right documents.

Visa processing times may vary. For the most up to date information, visit the Department of Home Affairs website.

When you apply for your Working and Holiday Visa, you’ll have to pay AUD $635. You may also have to pay for extras like health checks, police certificates or biometrics (facial photograph and finger prints). Be sure to check the Department of Home Affairs for the latest information.

If you’re applying for a WHV from a country with a high risk of tuberculosis, you may need to undergo a medical examination and chest X-ray.

You should also note that you are responsible for any health debts you run up while you’re visiting Australia. You should ensure you take out sufficient travel or health insurance to cover illness and accidents during your stay.

You should have savings equivalent of AUD $5,000 – be prepared to show proof of the funds in your bank account . On top of your savings, you need a return air ticket or enough funds to pay for a flight home.

The WHV allows you to stay in Australia for 12 months from the day you enter the country. During that time you can leave and re-enter Australia as many times as you like, but once the visa is activated it can’t be extended. All that really means is that if you spend a month somewhere else that time won’t be added to the length of time for which your visa is valid.

The idea of the WHV is to allow you to take on short-term and casual jobs to fund your travels and help you pay for your holiday. For the most part, you can stay in one job for a maximum of six months, although this can be extended with special permission in some cases.

If you fall in love with life in Australia (and who could blame you?) it is possible to extend your time here. If you do at least three months of specified work in eligible northern and regional areas of the country you can apply for a Second Work and Holiday visa that will give you another year to explore and top up your funds. To find out how to do it, head to our information page here.