Overview
The Subclass 417 Working Holiday visa lets young people from 19 eligible countries holiday and work in Australia for 12 months. The age limit is 18 to 30 for most passports, and 18 to 35 for Canada, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, the United Kingdom and — since 1 July 2026 — Cyprus, Finland, Germany and the Republic of Korea. Work is normally capped at 6 months per employer and study at 4 months. Completing 3 months (88 days) of specified work unlocks a second visa, and 6 months during the second unlocks a third; UK passport holders are exempt from the specified-work requirement. On 17 September 2026 the Government announced that second and third visas will move to a capped ballot (45,000 and 5,000 places) — not yet in force.
The 417 is the classic work-and-travel visa — 12 months in Australia, with the freedom to work as you go. The key planning points are the age limit for your passport (30 or 35), the 6-month employer rule, and specified work, which unlocks the second and third visas — a system the Government announced in September 2026 it will cap and run by ballot.
Who can apply — which age limit applies to your passport?
You must hold an eligible 417 passport (19 countries and regions) and be aged 18 to 30 on the day you apply — or 18 to 35 if you are from Canada, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy or the United Kingdom, or from Cyprus, Finland, Germany or the Republic of Korea, whose limit rose to 35 on 1 July 2026. You can’t be accompanied by dependent children, you need to show adequate funds (around A$5,000 plus a fare out), and you must not have held a 417 or 462 before. The first Working Holiday visa must be applied for from outside Australia.
How long can you stay and work?
Each Working Holiday visa lasts 12 months from your first entry, and you can generally work the whole time — the main rule is a 6-month limit with any one employer. Since 1 January 2024 there are broad exemptions (different locations, plant and animal cultivation, natural disaster recovery, and critical sectors like agriculture, care, healthcare and hospitality) that let you stay longer with the same employer without asking the Department. Study is capped at 4 months.
How do you qualify for a second and third year?
Completing 3 months (88 days) of eligible specified work during your first visa lets you apply for a second Working Holiday visa; 6 months during the second unlocks a third. Specified work means defined industries in defined postcodes — plant and animal cultivation, fishing and pearling, tree farming and felling, mining and construction in regional Australia, bushfire and flood recovery, and tourism and hospitality in northern and remote Australia. UK passport holders are exempt from the specified-work requirement under the Australia–UK free trade agreement. Keep payslips, employer ABNs and dates as you go — the Department checks them.
What changes were announced in September 2026?
On 17 September 2026 the Minister for Home Affairs announced that second and third Working Holiday Maker visas (417 and 462) will move to a capped ballot: 45,000 second-year places a year (about 57,000 were granted the previous year) and 5,000 third-year places (about 31,000). The specified-work requirement would still apply — it would qualify you to enter the ballot, not guarantee the visa. The Government also said it will stabilise WHM processing at about three months. These measures require a regulation that had not been made when this page was updated, so the current rules still apply; check Home Affairs before relying on a second or third visa.
Fees and processing times shown above are sourced from the Department of Home Affairs and displayed with the date verified.
Who is eligible for the Subclass 417 visa?
- Hold an eligible passport for the 417 program (19 countries and regions)
- Be aged 18 to 30 at the time of application — or 18 to 35 if you hold a Canadian, Danish, French, Irish, Italian, UK, Cypriot, Finnish, German or Korean passport
- Have adequate funds (Home Affairs asks for evidence of around A$5,000 plus a fare out) and no dependent children accompanying you
- Not have previously held a 417 or 462 visa (unless applying for a second or third visa)
- Meet health and character requirements
How much does the Subclass 417 visa cost?
The base application charge is A$840. First Working Holiday visa. Second and third visas are A$1,000 each. Checked against the official Home Affairs pricing table on 11 October 2026. See every Subclass 417 stream's charge and processing time, or compare every visa on our Australian visa fees table. Fees are indexed each year — see the official Visa Pricing Estimator for the current figure.
How long does the Subclass 417 visa take to process?
Around 75% of applications are finalised within 12 days, and 90% within 58 days.
Official figures as at 29 September 2026. Source: Department of Home Affairs — Global visa processing times. Compare all visas on our processing times tracker. Times are a guide only — complete, decision-ready applications are generally faster.
How do you apply for the Subclass 417 visa?
- Confirm passport eligibility and your age limit. The 417 is for specific countries; others use the 462 Work and Holiday visa. Your age is assessed on the day you lodge.
- Apply for the first visa. Apply online with evidence of funds; the first Working Holiday visa must be applied for from outside Australia and you must enter within 12 months of grant.
- Plan specified work. Eligible regional or critical-sector work (88 days, then 6 months) can unlock a second or third Working Holiday visa — keep payslips and employer evidence as you go.
How it compares
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Age limit — most countries | 18 to 30 inclusive at application |
| Age limit — Canada, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, UK | 18 to 35 inclusive |
| Age limit — Cyprus, Finland, Germany, Republic of Korea | 18 to 35 inclusive since 1 July 2026 |
| Second 417 | 3 months (88 days) of specified work during the first visa |
| Third 417 | 6 months of specified work during the second visa |
| UK passport holders | No specified work needed for second or third visa |
| Announced 17 Sep 2026 (not yet in force) | Second visas capped at 45,000 and third at 5,000 a year, allocated by ballot |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the 417 and 462 visas?
Both are youth work-and-holiday visas with the same 12-month stay, 6-month employer rule and 4-month study limit. The 417 (Working Holiday) covers 19 mainly European and East Asian countries plus Canada; the 462 (Work and Holiday) covers around 30 other countries and usually adds education, English and government-support requirements, annual caps and — for China, India and Vietnam — a pre-application ballot.
Which countries have the age limit of 35?
Ten 417 countries: Canada, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy and the United Kingdom, plus Cyprus, Finland, Germany and the Republic of Korea, whose limit rose from 30 to 35 on 1 July 2026 under the Migration (Arrangements for Subclass 417 (Working Holiday) Visa) Instrument 2026. For every other 417 country the limit is 30. Age is assessed on the day you lodge, so you can apply up to the day before your 31st or 36th birthday.
How do I get a second or third Working Holiday visa?
By completing the required period of eligible specified work during your earlier visa: 3 months (88 days) for the second, and 6 months for the third. Specified work includes plant and animal cultivation, fishing and pearling, tree farming, mining and construction in regional Australia, and tourism and hospitality in northern and remote areas, among others. UK passport holders do not need specified work. On 17 September 2026 the Government announced the second and third visas will move to a capped ballot — 45,000 second-year and 5,000 third-year places — but the regulation had not been made when this page was updated.
Can I work for the same employer for more than 6 months?
By default no — Working Holiday visa holders are usually limited to 6 months with the same employer. Since 1 January 2024 you can work longer with the same employer without asking the Department in several situations, including: working in different locations (including from home); plant and animal cultivation anywhere in Australia; natural disaster recovery work; and critical sectors anywhere in Australia such as agriculture and food processing, aged and disability care, childcare, healthcare, and tourism and hospitality. In northern Australia you can also work longer in fishing and pearling, tree farming and felling, construction or mining. Outside these exemptions you must ask the Department for permission before continuing beyond 6 months.
How much money do I need to show?
Home Affairs asks for evidence that you have enough money to support yourself at the start of your stay — generally around A$5,000 — plus the fare to leave Australia. A recent bank statement is the usual evidence.
Related visas
Related guides
- Complete guide to Australian immigration in 2026
- Visa Refused? Your Appeal Options and the ART Review
Sources
- Department of Home Affairs — Working Holiday visa (subclass 417)
- Department of Home Affairs — Specified work for the second and third Working Holiday visa
- Department of Home Affairs — 6-month work limitation (Working Holiday Maker program)
- Federal Register of Legislation — Migration (Arrangements for Subclass 417 (Working Holiday) Visa) Instrument 2026 (age 35 for Cyprus, Finland, Germany, Korea)