Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462)
🇦🇺 Australia visas · Tourism
What it is
Cultural exchange visa for young adults from countries that have a work-and-holiday arrangement with Australia. Lets you holiday and work for up to 12 months at a time.
Key facts
- Category
- Tourism
- Duration
- Up to 12 months per stay; up to 3 years total with specified work
- Processing time
- See official page for current processing times
- Maximum validity
- 1 year
- Extendable
- No
- Path to permanent residence
- No
- Dependants
- No
- Age
- 18 to 30
- English requirement
- Functional English (test result no older than 12 months).
- How to apply
- Online
- Health insurance
- Not required
Standard figures for this route. Some applicants pay a reduced fee or none at all, so confirm your own case on the official page.
Fees
- Application fee (first Work and Holiday year)
- AUD 840
- Proof of funds (~initial stay + departure fare)
- AUD 5,000
- Application fee (second/third year)
- AUD 1,000
Key requirements
- Aged 18 to 30 (35 for some countries) at time of application
- Hold passport from an eligible 462 partner country
- Government support letter (if required for your country)
- Sufficient funds (typically AUD 5,000)
- Sufficient education and English
- Health and character requirements
Working on this visa
Full work rights, no hours limit stated. First W&H: 'You can work while you are here.' Second/third W&H: 'You can do any kind of work while you are here' (second requires 3 months, third requires 6 months of specified subclass 462 work).…
Bringing family
Must not be accompanied by dependents.
Facts checked against the official source. Last updated 25 July 2026.