Australian Working Holiday visas

Who can come?

Travellers with one of the below Working Holiday Maker (WHM) visas, available to passport holders from a range of eligible countries, can travel to Australia and work for up to 12 months. They can also study for up to four months, and enter and leaving the country as many times as they wish. 

Visa information

Australian Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417)  

A Working Holiday Maker (WHM) visa is a temporary visa allowing young adults a working holiday in Australia for a stay of up to 12 months from the date of first entry to Australia, regardless of whether or not you spend the whole time in Australia. The Working Holiday Visa is available to the following countries and agegroups:

Age 18-30:

Belgium | Republic of Cyprus | Estonia | Finland | Germany | Japan | Republic of Korea | Malta | Netherlands | Norway | Sweden | Taiwan (other than an official or diplomatic passport) | Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (including British National Overseas passport holders)

Age 18-35:

Canada | Denmark | France | Republic of Ireland | Italy | The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland*

For full details of the Australian Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417), including eligibility criteria, please visit The Department of Home Affairs Australian Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417) page.

*Note: From the 1st of July 2024, UK passport holders will be eligible to be granted Working Holiday visas up to a total of three years without having to meet any specified work requirements. 

Australian Work and Holiday Visa (Subclass 462) 

An Australian Work and Holiday Visa is available for tertiary-educated people from 26 participating countries (now includes Switzerland). The visa provides similar opportunities to the WHM visa scheme but has additional criteria such as specific education requirements and a functional level of english language. The Work and Holiday Visa is available to people between the age of 18-30 only. 

Participating Countries:

Argentina | Austria | Brazil | Chile | China, People’s Republic of | Czech Republic | Ecuador | Greece | Hungary | Indonesia | Israel | Luxembourg | Malaysia | Mongolia | Papua New Guinea (PNG) | Peru | Poland | Portugal | San Marino | Singapore | Slovak Republic | Slovenia | Spain | Switzerland | Thailand | Türkiye | Uruguay | United States of America | Vietnam

To learn about the requirements for the Australian Work and Holiday Visa (Subclass 462) please visit The Department of Home Affairs Australian Work and Holiday Visa (Subclass 462) page.

Second & Third Working Holiday Visa 

Fallen in love with the Australian way of life and wish you could stay longer?

As a previous or existing subclass 417 or subclass 462 visa holder, you may be eligible to apply for a second Working Holiday visa, which will allow you to stay for an extra 12 months, if you have worked in any regional primary industry – for example, farm work or tourism & hospitality in northern, remote or very remote parts of Australia, or in other critical sectors - for three months (88 days). To ensure the work you are undertaking and the regional area of Australia is eligible under the guidelines please visit subclass 417 and subclass 462 pages, depending in your existing visa, for specified work information.

Visa holders may also be able to apply for a third-year visa if 6 months of specified work in specified regional areas during the second year has been completed. Click on your visa for more - Subclass 417 and Subclass 462.

Student visas 

As an alternative to Working Holiday Maker visas, if you plan to undertake study while in Australia, the Department of Home Affairs has a Student Visa available. This can be a good way to spend time in Australia while completing a degree or qualification, and working part time for up to 48 hours per fortnight.

What's next?

You've organised your visa, so what else do you need to do? Check out YHA's tips & advice for getting the boring BUT ESSENTIAL admin in place before you head down under for the experience of a lifetime. If you want to skip to the good stuff and see what work opportunities are out there, Y-Jobs (our dedicated tourism and hospitality jobs board) is a great place to start!

Information last updated 12 July 2023

While every effort has been made to ensure correct information, YHA Australia does not take responsibility for any errors or omissions or any loss or inconvenience suffered by any person resulting from information published on this page.

YHA encourages all travellers to Australia to check the official Australian Government Department of Home Affairs website for the most up-to-date information.