Working Holiday visa（subclass 417）

The Subclass 417 visa allows certain tourists aged between 18 and 30 years old (inclusive) – and Canadian, French and Irish citizens 18 to 35years old (inclusive) 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 and can study for up to four months. Work up to 12 months for some types of specified work and regional areas may be possible.

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 18 to 30 years old (inclusive) – except for Canadian, French and Irish citizens who can be 18 to 35 (inclusive)
• apply online from outside Australia
• not be accompanied by dependent children
• not have previously entered Australia on a subclass 417 or 462 visa. If you have previously been in Australia on a subclass 417 visa, see the second Working Holiday visa.
• hold a passport from an eligible country or jurisdiction:
  • 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)
  • The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

If you are applying for your second Working Holiday visa, you must also:

• ​have completed three calendar months of specified work in regional Australia while on your first Working Holiday visa

From 1 July 2019, to be eligible for a third Working Holiday visa, you must:

• ​on or after 1 July 2019, have completed six calendar months of specified work in regional Australia while on your second Working Holiday visa

THE SPECIFIED WORK REQUIREMENT FOR A SECOND OR THIRD VISA

For the purpose of a second or third Working Holiday visa, ‘specified work’ includes certain types of paid work carried out in the following industries:

• ​plant and animal cultivation
• fishing and pearling​
• ​tree farming and felling
• ​mining; and
• ​construction

Voluntary work is not accepted as ‘work’ for the purposes of applying for a second or third Working Holiday visa.

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 176 calendar days (for six months) in regional Australia. ‘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 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 regional Australia 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.

APPLICATION PROCESS

The visa application is lodged with the Department of Home Affairs (the ‘DOHA’), along with any supporting documents. The main criterion is that you satisfy the requirements listed above. You must also have access to sufficient funds to support yourself during the initial stages of your holiday. In addition, you must meet certain health and character requirements, and may be asked to provide evidence of health and/or travel insurance.

You must enter Australia within 12 months of the date that your visa is granted. You may then work in any job in any location in Australia, provided that you do not work for more than six months for any one employer unless an exemption applies. You must also not study for more than four months.

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