The subclass 417 Working Holiday visa allows certain tourists aged between 18 and 30 years old (or 35 years old, depending on the passport held) to have an extended holiday in Australia, while supplementing their funds with short-term work. The visa is valid for 12 months and allows multiple entries into and exits from Australia. Visa holders can generally work for up to six months with any one employer (unless a concession applies) and can study for up to four months. Work up to 12 months for some types of ‘specified work’ may be possible. A second Working Holiday visa may be granted to those applicants who complete three months of specified work in Australia while holding their first Working Holiday visa. A third Working Holiday visa may be granted where the visa holder meets additional specified work requirements during the second Working Holiday visa period.

Requirements

Note: These are the minimum requirements for an application for this type of visa. Depending upon your particular circumstances, you may need to meet additional requirements.

You must:

• be outside of Australia when you apply for your first Working Holiday Visa
• be aged between 18 and 30 years old (inclusive) at the time of application unless from Canada, Denmark, France, Ireland or Italy; citizens from these countries must be between 18 and 35 years of age (inclusive)
• hold a passport for one of the countries, or regions, listed in the table below

THE SPECIFIED WORK REQUIREMENT FOR A SECOND OR THIRD VISA

Regional Australia

Anywhere in Australia

• critical COVID-19 work in healthcare and medical sectors, carried out after 31 January 2020, while holding a subclass 417 visa (or subclass 408 AGEE COVID-19 Pandemic event visa for subsequent subclass 417 visa applications lodged after 14 November 2020).
• Flood recovery work in declared flood recovery areas undertaken after 1 January 2022

Voluntary work is not accepted as ‘work’ for the purposes of applying for a second or third Working Holiday visa although concessions to this may be provided from time to time for visa holders assisting with certain national emergency volunteer efforts. Please contact us if you would like more information on any volunteer concessions currently available.

The period of specified work (either three months for a second Working Holiday visa, or six months for a third Working Holiday visa) means an evidenced period of paid, full-time equivalent work over a minimum period of 88 calendar days (for three months) or 179 calendar days (for six months). ‘Regional Australia’ is defined by post code. One day of full-time work is taken to be the normal number of hours per day (or shift) that is considered standard for that particular industry and the role in which you are employed. You can complete the work in a variety of ways.

For example, to be eligible for a second Working Holiday visa, an applicant must evidence:

• working full time, 5 days per week for a continuous 3 calendar month period, including on a piecework rate agreement OR
• working less than 5 days per week in any combination of full-time, part-time or piecework rate work which adds up to the equivalent of five days a week over 3 calendar months OR
• working less than five days a week over a longer period than 3 calendar months, including on a piece work rate agreement.

The specified work can be with one employer, or several, and can be spread over the period of your stay in Australia. You can also work longer than the required period in specified work. Paid public holiday leave and sick days are counted as a day of specified work. Unpaid leave or holidays, and unpaid days due to severe or seasonal weather, are not counted.

There are COVID-19 concessions for some visa applicants who held a subclass Skills Assessment visa before 20 March 2020 (for visa application charges and specified work periods). Your particular circumstances need to be assessed to determine if any concessions apply to your application.