2026 Second Year Working Holiday Visa Australia | Ballot Update, 88 Days & Country Rules
The second year working holiday visa in Australia is still granted under the current rules: on 17 September 2026, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced a ballot for second-year (up to 45,000 places) and third-year (5,000 places) Working Holiday Maker visas, but as at 8 November 2026 the change is not yet legislated and not in effect. You still qualify with 88 days of specified work for year two and six months for year three.
This guide covers where the ballot stands, the current 417 and 462 rules for second and third visas, the 2026–27 fees, how specified work differs between the two subclasses, and a country-by-country table for Latin American, European, Asian and South African readers. Every figure has been checked against the Department of Home Affairs, the Minister's media release and the Federal Register of Legislation. Information is current to 8 November 2026.
Close to finishing your 88 days? Send us your visa expiry date and work history and we will check your days and postcodes for free. 👉 Call +61 3 8590 3229 or email contactus@levelupstudies.com
Contents
- Second year working holiday visa Australia ballot: is it in effect?
- Second year working holiday visa Australia: current requirements (and third year)
- Specified work: 417 vs 462
- How to count 88 days and 179 days
- 417 and 462 rules by country (including Latin America)
- How to apply for your second or third visa
- Advice by nationality
- FAQ
Second year working holiday visa Australia ballot: is it in effect?
Short answer: announced, not legislated, not in effect, and no details published.
What the Minister announced
| Item | Announcement of 17 September 2026 (not yet law) |
|---|---|
| Second-year ballot | Limited to 45,000 (about 57,000 qualified last year) |
| Third-year ballot | 5,000 places (about 31,000 last year) |
| Entry requirement | Unchanged: 88 days (year two) or six months (year three) of regional work |
| Processing | Government aims to stabilise WHM processing at about three months |
In his National Press Club speech, the Minister said completing the regional work means "what you will be qualifying for is a ballot". The media release describes "a ballot system for years two and three where there will be a regional work requirement".
Official status at 8 November 2026
- Legislation: no instrument implementing a second or third-year ballot appears on the Federal Register of Legislation among migration instruments made since September 2026.
- Home Affairs website: the second 417 visa page (updated 5 November 2026) does not mention a ballot. The 462 pre-application page (updated 19 October 2026) still says the ballot "does not apply to second or third Work and Holiday visa applicants" and that 417 places "are not capped". The country caps page (updated 3 November 2026) says "There are no caps for second or third Work and Holiday visas".
- Not yet published: start date, registration process and fee, whether places are per programme year, how places are split between 417 and 462, whether UK passport holders (who have no regional work requirement) are included, and transitional arrangements.
What this means for you: if you already meet the requirements, you can lodge now under the current rules. Lodging early avoids being caught in any transition.
Second year working holiday visa Australia: current requirements (and third year)
| Requirement | Second visa | Third visa |
|---|---|---|
| Specified work | 3 months (88 days) on your first visa | 6 months (179 days) on your second visa, on or after 1 July 2019 |
| Age | 18–30, or 18–35 for some 417 countries | Same as second visa |
| Where to apply | In or outside Australia | In or outside Australia |
| Stay | 12 months | 12 months |
| Fee from 1 July 2026 | AUD 1,000 | AUD 1,000 |
- Age deadline: lodge before midnight Australian Eastern time on the day before your 31st (or 36th) birthday. If you apply at 30 and turn 31 before a decision, you can still be granted.
- Funds: usually about AUD 5,000 plus your departure fare. No evidence is needed if you apply in Australia.
- Location rule: apply in Australia and you must be in Australia at grant; apply offshore and you must be offshore at grant.
- No education or English test for years two and three: the 462 second and third visa pages do not repeat the first-visa education and English criteria.
- Other conditions: no dependent children; study up to 4 months (17 weeks); generally a maximum of 6 months with one employer. There is no fourth visa.
- UK passport holders do not need specified work for a second or third 417 if they apply on or after 1 July 2024.
The first 417 or 462 visa costs AUD 840 from 1 July 2026 (eligible Papua New Guinea passport holders pay a lower fee for first, second and third 462 visas). Health checks, police certificates and biometrics may cost extra.
Specified work: 417 vs 462
Specified work must be in an approved industry and an eligible postcode, and paid correctly under Australian law and awards. The two subclasses are not the same:
| Industry | 417 (Working Holiday) | 462 (Work and Holiday) |
|---|---|---|
| Plant and animal cultivation | Regional Australia | Northern Australia and specified regional areas |
| Construction | Regional Australia | Northern Australia and specified regional areas |
| Fishing and pearling | Regional Australia | Northern Australia only |
| Tree farming and felling | Regional Australia | Northern Australia only |
| Mining | Regional Australia | Not eligible |
| Tourism and hospitality | Northern Australia or Remote and Very Remote Australia (plus postcodes 4406, 4416, 4498, 7215), work from 22 June 2021 | |
| Bushfire and natural disaster recovery (paid or volunteer) | Declared postcodes | |
Plant and animal cultivation covers harvesting and packing, pruning vines and fruit trees (as your main task), feeding and herding livestock, shearing and butchery. Winemaking, brewing, distilling, milling and small goods manufacturing do not count. Hospitality jobs in central Sydney or Melbourne do not count. Home Affairs is also temporarily accepting work that supports a specified industry, such as admin or cleaning, in an eligible postcode. Always check the current postcode lists for 417 or 462 before you accept a job.
Not sure your job counts? Send us these five details for a free assessment: (1) your visa subclass, stage and expiry date, (2) each employer, job duties and postcode, (3) start and end dates and days per week, (4) payslips or bank deposits, and (5) your date of birth and passport country. 👉 Call +61 3 8590 3229 or email contactus@levelupstudies.com
How to count 88 days and 179 days
Home Affairs defines 3 months as the three shortest calendar months, a minimum of 88 calendar days, and 6 months as at least 179 calendar days, including weekends or rest days during your employment. You must complete the same number of normal days or shifts a full-time employee in that role would work over that period.
- You can split the work across several periods and employers. Part-time work must run proportionally longer.
- One calendar day counts as one day only, even with overtime or two jobs.
- Paid public holidays and paid sick days count. Unpaid days lost to weather do not, and no exceptions are made.
- Industry-standard rosters (for example two weeks on, two weeks off, paid throughout) can count in full.
- Third-visa work must be done on your second visa. Work from your first visa cannot be reused.
Official example: Kim worked two days a week at a vineyard from 1 February to 30 April. The period covered three months, but she did not meet the requirement because she did not work full-time equivalent days.
417 and 462 rules by country (including Latin America)
Under the current rules, no 417 country is balloted, and only China, India and Vietnam use a ballot for the first 462 visa (Indonesia is expected to join later in 2026). First 462 visas are capped for every country except the USA.
| Passport | Subclass and age | First-visa notes (2026–27) |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 462, 18–30 | Cap 3,400 (open); tertiary qualification or 2 years of university |
| Brazil | 462, 18–30 | Cap 500 (paused); 2 years of post-secondary study |
| Chile | 462, 18–30 | Cap 3,400 (open); tertiary qualification or approval to enter third year of university |
| Ecuador | 462, 18–30 | Cap 100 (paused); government letter of support required |
| Peru | 462, 18–30 | Cap 1,500 (open); government letter of support required |
| Uruguay | 462, 18–30 | Cap rose to 1,500 from 1 July 2026 (open) |
| Spain, Portugal, Poland and others | 462, 18–30 | Capped; education and Functional English required |
| Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Korea, UK and others | 417, 18–35 | No cap, no ballot, no education or English test |
| Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Netherlands and others | 417, 18–30 | No cap, no ballot |
| China, India, Vietnam | 462, 18–30 | Pre-application ballot (AUD 25); 2026–27 registrations closed 25 June 2026 |
| Mexico, Colombia, South Africa | Not eligible | Not on the current 417 or 462 country lists |
Caps and statuses are taken from the Home Affairs country caps page updated 3 November 2026 and can change during the year. All 462 first-visa applicants need at least Functional English (for example an IELTS average of 4.5, or PTE Academic 24 for tests taken from 7 August 2025, taken within 12 months of applying) unless they hold a UK, US, Canadian, NZ or Irish passport. You must apply for a first 462 visa from outside Australia.
How to apply for your second or third visa
- Check eligibility: age deadline, days, industry and postcode for your subclass.
- Gather documents: passport bio page, birth certificate showing both parents (translated if not in English), and proof of specified work such as payslips, Australian bank statements, a piece rate agreement, tax returns or employer references. Volunteer disaster recovery needs a signed letter from the coordinator with your passport number, duties, postcode(s) and number of days.
- Lodge in ImmiAccount: attach documents, pay the fee and note your Transaction Reference Number. Processing does not start until you pay.
- Respond to requests: you may be asked for health checks, biometrics or police certificates. If you have spent 12 months or more in Australia in the last 10 years since turning 16, you may need a full disclosure AFP National Police Certificate.
- Wait for a decision: Home Affairs says the average processing time is around three months. Do not book flights or make commitments until your visa is granted.
Advice by nationality
Latin American 462 holders
Your specified work options are narrower than 417 holders': mining does not count, and fishing and forestry count only in Northern Australia. Plan farm or construction work in an eligible postcode early in your first year. Your second and third visas are currently uncapped, but if the announced ballot is extended to 462 holders, the 5,000 third-year places would make year three much harder to secure.
South African and Mexican readers
South Africa and Mexico are not on the current 417 or 462 lists, so there is no working holiday option for these passports. The most common alternative is a Student visa (subclass 500). The base application charge is currently AUD 2,500 for most students. Talk to us about courses, costs and timing.
Anyone planning to switch to a Student visa
Since 2 October 2026, 417 and 462 holders cannot lodge a Student visa application in Australia. You must apply from outside Australia and be outside Australia when it is granted. There are no exemptions.
417 holders from Europe and Asia
If you already have your 88 days or 179 days, lodge now. If you are still counting, keep a daily log of hours, location and pay from day one, and build in a buffer for rain days.
FAQ
Q1: Do I need to enter a ballot for a second year working holiday visa in Australia?
Not yet. The Minister announced a ballot on 17 September 2026, but as at 8 November 2026 it is not legislated or in effect, and Home Affairs is not taking registrations. Applications are assessed under the current rules.
Q2: Will I still need 88 days of farm work if the ballot starts?
Yes. The Minister said the 88-day and six-month regional work requirements stay the same. Completing them would make you eligible for the ballot, not guarantee a visa.
Q3: Does mining count as specified work for a 462 visa?
No. Mining counts only for the 417 visa. For 462 holders, fishing, pearling and tree farming count only in Northern Australia.
Q4: Can South Africans get a working holiday visa for Australia?
No. South Africa is not on the current 417 or 462 country lists. A Student visa is the most common alternative.
Q5: How much does a second or third working holiday visa cost?
From 1 July 2026, second and third 417 and 462 visas cost AUD 1,000, and a first visa costs AUD 840. Eligible Papua New Guinea passport holders pay a lower 462 fee.
Should you lodge now, plan for year three, or move to a Student visa? Level Up Studies offers free consultations:
- Melbourne Head Office: +61 3 8590 3229 | contactus@levelupstudies.com
- 1/105 Queen Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Related reading
- Australian Student visa changes from October 2026
- AFP police check guide for Australian visas
- Study in Australia: costs and requirements
Disclaimer: This article is based on Department of Home Affairs pages for the second 417 visa, first 462 visa, country caps, 462 pre-application process and WHM latest news, the Minister's media release and speech of 17 September 2026, and F2026L00874 (visa fees). It is general information only and is not migration or legal advice. The second and third-year ballot was not legislated or in effect at the time of writing; always rely on official announcements. Last updated: 8 November 2026. Official sources accessed: 8 November 2026.