Working holiday in Australia
Australia has two working holiday visas, the Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) and the Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462), each with its own list of countries. Both give 12 months to travel and work, and specified work in certain areas and sectors makes you eligible for a second and third visa.
Working Holiday visa (subclass 417)
- Stay
- 12 months
- Fee
- 840 AUD
- Funds
- 5,000 AUDThis is the Department of Home Affairs guide figure, plus the fare to leave the country.
- Health insurance
- Recommended, not required
Common requirements
- Apply online and be outside Australia when you apply and when it is decided.
- Not be accompanied by dependent children.
- Not have entered Australia before on a 417 or 462 visa.
- You can study for up to 4 months and usually work for up to 6 months with the same employer.
Eligible passports (19)
| Passport | Age | Country-specific conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium | 18 to 30 | Common requirements only |
| Canada | 18 to 35 | Common requirements only |
| Cyprus | 18 to 35 | Common requirements only |
| Denmark | 18 to 35 | Common requirements only |
| Estonia | 18 to 30 | Common requirements only |
| Finland | 18 to 35 | Common requirements only |
| France | 18 to 35 | Common requirements only |
| Germany | 18 to 35 | Common requirements only |
| Hong Kong | 18 to 30 | Common requirements only |
| Ireland | 18 to 35 | Common requirements only |
| Italy | 18 to 35 | Common requirements only |
| Japan | 18 to 30 | Common requirements only |
| Malta | 18 to 30 | Common requirements only |
| Netherlands | 18 to 30 | Common requirements only |
| Norway | 18 to 30 | Common requirements only |
| South Korea | 18 to 35 | Common requirements only |
| Sweden | 18 to 30 | Common requirements only |
| Taiwan | 18 to 30 | Common requirements only |
| United Kingdom | 18 to 35 | Common requirements only |
Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462)
- Stay
- 12 months
- Fee
- 840 AUD
- Funds
- 5,000 AUDThis is the Department of Home Affairs guide figure, plus the fare to leave the country.
- Health insurance
- Recommended, not required
Common requirements
- Apply online and be outside Australia when you apply and when it is decided.
- Not be accompanied by dependent children.
- Not have entered Australia before on a 417 or 462 visa.
- Functional English, shown with a test taken in the last 12 months or with study in English.
- Except where the table says otherwise, a tertiary qualification or two years of undergraduate study.
- Each country has an annual cap that resets on 1 July; Home Affairs publishes the status of each cap.
Eligible passports (30)
| Passport | Age | Country-specific conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 18 to 30 | Common requirements only |
| Austria | 18 to 30 | Common requirements only |
| Brazil | 18 to 30 | Two years of post-secondary study are enough. |
| Chile | 18 to 30 | A tertiary qualification, or completion of or approval for the third year of university. |
| China | 18 to 30 | You must first be drawn in a pre-application ballot. |
| Czech Republic | 18 to 30 | Common requirements only |
| Ecuador | 18 to 30 | You need a letter of support from your government. |
| Greece | 18 to 30 | You need a letter of support from your government. |
| Hungary | 18 to 30 | Common requirements only |
| India | 18 to 30 | You must be drawn in a pre-application ballot. Two years of post-secondary study are enough. |
| Indonesia | 18 to 30 | You need a letter of support from your government. |
| Israel | 18 to 30 | A senior secondary certificate plus completed military service or a legal exemption. |
| Luxembourg | 18 to 30 | Common requirements only |
| Malaysia | 18 to 30 | A good conduct certificate instead of the letter of support. Diplomas do not count as a tertiary qualification. |
| Mongolia | 18 to 30 | You need a letter of support from your government. |
| Papua New Guinea | 18 to 30 | Common requirements only |
| Peru | 18 to 30 | You need a letter of support from your government. |
| Poland | 18 to 30 | You need a letter of support from your government. |
| Portugal | 18 to 30 | Common requirements only |
| San Marino | 18 to 30 | You need a letter of support from your government. |
| Singapore | 18 to 30 | Common requirements only |
| Slovakia | 18 to 30 | Common requirements only |
| Slovenia | 18 to 30 | You need a letter of support from your government. |
| Spain | 18 to 30 | Common requirements only |
| Switzerland | 18 to 30 | Two years of study after compulsory schooling are enough. |
| Thailand | 18 to 30 | A completed tertiary qualification and a government letter of support are required. |
| Turkey | 18 to 30 | You need a letter of support from your government. |
| United States | 18 to 30 | A senior secondary certificate is enough. It is the only country with no annual cap. |
| Uruguay | 18 to 30 | Common requirements only |
| Vietnam | 18 to 30 | You must first be drawn in a pre-application ballot. |
Checked on 29 October 2026. Sources: Australian Department of Home Affairs (immi.homeaffairs.gov.au): "First Working Holiday visa" (subclass 417) and "First Work and Holiday visa" (subclass 462) pages, with the country list, age per country, education requirements, letter of support, the AUD 840 fee and funds of about AUD 5,000. Checked on 29 October 2026. Places and dates change every year, so confirm on the official page before paying.
Informational only. Always verify requirements with the official embassy or consulate before you travel.