Second Working Holiday visa
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Overview
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About this visa
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Eligibility
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Step by step
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When you have this visa
Stay
12 months
Cost
AUD635.00
Processing times
For an indication of processing times for this visa, use the visa processing time guide tool. This will show the processing times for recently decided applications. It is a guide only and not specific to your application.
With this visa you can
- do short- term work in Australia to help pay for your holiday
- study for up to 4 months
- travel to and from Australia as many times as you want
- do 6 months of specified subclass 417 work to become eligible for a third Working Holiday visa
See all conditions
See the Working Holiday Maker program
Check your eligibility
You must
- have previously entered Australia on a subclass 417 visa. If you haven’t, see the first Working Holiday visa
- if in Australia, hold a substantive visa or your last substantive visa expired less than 28 days ago
- hold a passport from an eligible country or jurisdiction
- be 18 to 30 years old (or 35 years old for some countries)
- have completed 3 months of specified subclass 417 work
- not be accompanied by dependent children or family members
Help with your visa
If you are getting help with your visa, before you pay someone, read information on Who can help with your visa application.
With this visa, you can
- do short-term work in Australia to help pay for your holiday
- study for up to 4 months
- travel to and from Australia as many times as you want
- do 6 months of specified work to become eligible for a third Working Holiday visa.
Work
You can do any kind of work on this visa.
Usually, you can only work for the same employer for 6 months.
Note: The 6 month work limitation resets when you are granted a second subclass 417 visa. This means you can work another 6 months for someone you worked for on your first subclass 417 visa.
If the main purpose of your stay is to work, consider a work visa.
Study
You can study for up to 4 months (17 weeks).
If the main purpose of your stay is to study, consider a Student visa.
How long you can stay
This depends on your circumstances when we grant the visa. Your grant notification will tell you how long you can stay in Australia and you can check your visa details and conditions using VEVO.
You are in Australia on your first Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa or a bridging visa
The bridging visa must be the one you were granted after your first subclass 417 visa expired.
You can stay in Australia for up to 12 months from the date your first Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa expired or would have expired.
Time spent outside Australia after your second visa starts does not extend the visa.
You are in Australia on a different visa
You can stay in Australia for 12 months from the date we grant the visa.
Time spent outside Australia after your second visa starts does not extend the visa.
You are outside Australia
You can stay in Australia for 12 months from the date you enter Australia.
You must enter Australia within 12 months of the date we grant the visa. We will not extend or defer this timeframe.
Your Working Holiday visa starts on the date you enter or transit through Australia even if you hold any other temporary visa including:
- a Special Purpose visa
- an Electronic Travel Authority
- a Crew Travel Authority
- a Maritime Crew visa
It is important that you only apply for a Working Holiday visa once you are ready to enter Australia on that visa. Once we grant your Working Holiday visa and you travel to Australia and are immigration cleared at the border, the 12-month visa period of stay will automatically start upon entry, regardless of the purpose of your visit.
Stay longer
You can't stay in Australia longer by extending this visa.
You could apply for a third Working Holiday visa if you are eligible.
To stay longer in Australia, explore your visa options.
Stay longer on a visitor visa
Generally, we don't grant a visitor visa after you have been in Australia on a Working Holiday visa.
If you want to apply for a Visitor visa to stay longer in Australia and the Visitor visa would result in you staying longer than 12 consecutive months in Australia, you must show there are exceptional circumstances.
For this visa, exceptional circumstances might be that a close family member in Australia has died or is seriously ill and you are required to stay in Australia to provide assistance or support.
Include family
You can't include family members in your application.
You can't be accompanied by dependent children while you are in Australia on this visa.
Cost
AUD635.00
You might also have to pay for health checks, police certificates and biometrics.
Apply from
You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for the visa.You must select your current location at the time you apply.
If you apply when you are in Australia, you must be in Australia when we grant your visa.
If you apply when you are outside Australia, you must be outside Australia when we grant your visa.
You must correctly specify your current location when applying. If you select the wrong location you will need to amend the information. This may delay processing of your application.
Processing times
For an indication of processing times for this visa, use the visa processing time guide tool. This will show the processing times for recently decided applications. It is a guide only and not specific to your application.
Your application might take longer to process if:
- you do not fill it in correctly
- you do not include all the documents we need or we need more information from you
- it takes us time to verify your information
Your obligations
You must meet all visa conditions and obey Australian laws.
See the conditions for this visa.
Tax
When you work in Australia on this visa, you must pay taxes.
Superannuation
Australia has compulsory superannuation - a retirement savings scheme. Your employer must pay superannuation into your superannuation fund if you earn over a certain amount.
When you leave Australia, you can access your superannuation.
Learn more about compulsory superannuation.
Health insurance
We strongly recommend you take out health insurance to cover any unforeseen medical treatment you might need in Australia. You are personally liable for all your healthcare costs while you are in Australia. Insurance can help limit your financial liability.
See what we consider adequate health insurance.
Learn more about health insurance for overseas visitors.
Reciprocal healthcare agreements
Some countries have a reciprocal healthcare agreement with Australia. Find out more from Services Australia about reciprocal healthcare agreements.
Travel
You can travel outside Australia and return as many times as you want while the visa is in effect.
The time you spend outside Australia after your visa commences does not extend the visa period of stay in Australia.
Visa record
We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.
Hold this passport
You must be a citizen of and hold a valid passport from one of these countries/jurisdictions:
| Belgium | Italy |
| Canada | Japan |
| Republic of Cyprus | Republic of Korea |
| Denmark | Malta |
| Estonia | Netherlands |
| Finland | Norway |
| France | Sweden |
| Germany | Taiwan, other than an official or diplomatic passport |
| Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China | The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (including British National Overseas passport holders) |
| Republic of Ireland |
Current or previous visa
You must:
- hold or previously have held one Working Holiday visa (subclass 417)
- if in Australia, hold a substantive visa or your last substantive visa expired less than 28 days ago
- have entered Australia on the visa
- have complied with all the conditions on your first Working Holiday visa
Have enough money
You must have enough money to:
- support yourself while you are in Australia
- leave Australia at the end of your stay
This is usually about AUD5,000 for your initial stay plus the fare to where you are going when you leave Australia.
If you are applying in Australia, you don’t need to provide evidence. If you are applying outside Australia and don’t attach evidence to your application, processing may be delayed if we need to contact you to request further information.
Specified work
You must have completed 3 months of specified subclass 417 work.
Be this age
At the time of application, you must be within the eligible age limit for your passport country:
- Belgium – 18 to 30 years
- Canada – 18 to 35 years
- Republic of Cyprus - 18 to 30 years
- Denmark - 18 to 35 years
- Estonia - 18 to 30 years
- Finland - 18 to 30 years
- France - 18 to 35 years
- Germany - 18 to 30 years
- Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China - 18 to 30 years
- Republic of Ireland - 18 to 35 years
- Italy - 18 to 35 years
- Japan - 18 to 30 years
- Republic of Korea - 18 to 30 years
- Malta - 18 to 30 years
- Netherlands - 18 to 30 years
- Norway - 18 to 30 years
- Sweden - 18 to 30 years
- Taiwan (other than an official or diplomatic passport) - 18 to 30 years
- The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - 18 to 35 years (including British National Overseas passport holders)
If you apply for the visa while you are 30 (or 35), but turn 31 (or 36) before we have made a decision, we can still grant you the visa if you meet all other requirements.
Meet the health requirement
You must meet our health requirement.
Meet the character requirement
You must meet our character requirement.
Pay your debts to the Australian Government
If you or any family members (including those who don't apply for the visa with you) owe the Australian government money, you or they must have paid it back or arranged to pay it back.
Not had a visa cancelled or an application refused
We will consider your immigration history when we make a decision on your application, which means you might not be eligible for this visa if you have had a visa cancelled or refused.
In some circumstances you may still apply for a permanent visa if you have had a visa cancelled or an application refused see Limitations on applications in Australia.
If applying for a visa from outside Australia see Can I go to Australia.
If you want immigration assistance, see Who can help with your visa application.
Sign the Australian values statement
You must acknowledge the Australian Values Statement that confirms you will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws when you apply for the visa.
Step 1
Before you apply
There are things you need to know and might need to do before you apply.
Organise health exams
You might need to have health examinations. You can complete them before you apply or you can wait and have them if we tell you to.
Find out the examinations you need and how to arrange them if you want to have them before you apply.
Get help with your application
Only some people can help you with your application. If you appoint someone to give you immigration assistance they must be:
- a registered migration agent
- a legal practitioner, or
- an exempt person.
You can appoint anyone to receive documents on your behalf relating to your visa matter.
Step 2
Gather your documents
Provide accurate information. See what happens if you can't prove your identity or don't provide true information.
Identity documents
Provide the pages of your current passport showing your photo, personal details, and passport issue and expiry dates.
Also provide a copy of your birth certificate showing both your parents’ names. If you don’t have a birth certificate and you can’t get one, provide a copy of the identification pages of one of these:
- a family book showing both your parents’ names
- government-issued identification
- a court-issued document that verifies your identity
If you have changed your name, provide proof such as:
- a marriage or divorce certificate
- change of name documents from an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, or the relevant overseas authority
- documents that show other names you have been known by
Enough money for your stay and to leave
Provide evidence you have enough money for your stay in Australia. This is usually AUD5,000.
You must also show us you have enough money to buy a ticket to leave Australia at the end of your stay, or that you already have the ticket.
If you are applying in Australia, you don’t need to provide evidence. If you are applying outside Australia and don’t attach evidence to your application, processing may be delayed if we need to contact you to request further information.
Proof of specified subclass 417 work
Provide proof that you have completed 3 months of specified subclass 417 work on your previous WHM visa (or in other eligible circumstances). The proof must cover all periods you worked.
You can include any of the following:
- pay slips
- Australian bank statements covering the period of declared specified work
- piece rate agreement with your employer, if you were paid piece rates. The agreement must show the pay rate per piece and how it is measured
- group certificates
- payment summaries
- tax returns
- employer references
- a written and signed agreement setting out any lawful deductions in pay
Note: We might contact your employer(s) to check your work claims.
If you have completed volunteer bushfire or flood recovery work, provide:
- a signed letter from your volunteer coordinator or host including:
- your personal details including passport number
- description of volunteer duties undertaken
- location of volunteer work including postcode(s)
- number of days you provided volunteer assistance
Character documents
We might ask you to provide:
- an Australian police certificate if you have spent a total of 12 months or more in Australia in the last 10 years since you turned 16. We only accept complete disclosure National Police Certificates issued by the Australian Federal Police. We do not accept standard disclosure certificates or national police certificates issued by Australian state or territory police
- an overseas police certificate from every country, including your home country, where you spent a total of 12 months or more in the last 10 years since you turned 16
- military service records or discharge papers if you served in the armed forces of any country
We will let you know if you need to give us these documents.
Tell us you are getting help
To nominate someone to:
- receive your correspondence, use Form 956A Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient (301KB PDF)
- provide immigration assistance, use Form 956 Appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person (308KB PDF).
Upload your written notification or your forms to ImmiAccount.
Prepare your documents
Translate
Have all non-English documents translated into English.
Translators in Australia must be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.
Translators outside Australia do not have to be accredited. But on each translation, they must include their:
- full name
- address and telephone number
- qualifications and experience in the language they are translating
These details must be in English.
Note: You do not need to have any documents certified.
Scan or photograph
Scan or photograph all documents (English and non-English) in colour.
The scans and photos must be clear.
If a document is more than one page, save it all as one file.
Attach
Attach a document only once, even if you are using it to show more than one thing.
Learn more about attaching documents.
Step 3
Apply for the visa
Provide accurate information
Provide accurate information. See what happens if you can't prove your identity or don't provide true information.
Apply online
- Log in or create an ImmiAccount
- Attach documents
- Pay the application fee. We will not process your application until you pay the fee.
- Note the Transaction reference number
Applicants with dependent children
You can’t apply online if you are the parent of a child under the age of 18.
Working Holiday visa holders cannot be accompanied by dependent children at any time during their stay in Australia. While it is possible to obtain a Working Holiday visa if you have a child, your child cannot join you in Australia at any time while you are on your Working Holiday visa – not even for one day.
Step 4
After you apply
See what you can and must do after you apply.
We will let you know when we have received your application.
Travel
You applied in Australia
Tell us if you want to travel outside Australia while we process your application. We need to know because you must be in Australia when we decide your application.
If you leave Australia, make sure you have a valid visa to return.
You can travel outside Australia and return as many times as you want while the visa is valid.
Time spent outside Australia does not extend the visa.
You applied outside Australia
Do not arrange to travel to Australia until we let you know, in writing, that we have granted you the visa.
Biometrics
We might ask for biometrics. We will let you know if you need to provide them.
Health exams
If you didn't have health examinations before you applied, we will let you know if you need them.
Attach more information
If you didn't attach all documents when you applied, attach them as soon as you can in ImmiAccount.
We might also ask you to provide more information.
Mistakes on your application
Let us know as soon as you can if you made a mistake on your application.
Complete Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answers (168KB PDF) and attach it in Immiaccount.
Help with your application
Let us know if you no longer want someone to:
- receive your correspondence - complete Form 956A Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient (301KB PDF)
- provide immigration advice - complete Form 956 Appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person (308KB PDF).
Upload your written notification or your forms to ImmiAccount.
For more information, see Who can help you with your application.
Tell us if things change
Tell us if things change after you lodge your application but before we decide your visa.
Things you need to let us know about include:
- you want to withdraw your application
- changes to your passport
- changes to your relationship status
- the birth of a child
For any queries related to the processing of your second Working Holiday visa application that the website does not answer, you can submit a Working Holiday Maker Application Enquiry Form.
Step 5
Visa outcome
We will let you know our decision in writing.
If we grant your visa, we will tell you:
- your visa grant number
- the date your visa starts
- your visa conditions
Keep a copy of the decision notification with you when in Australia.
If we refuse your visa, we will tell you:
- why we refused the visa
- if you have a right to a review of the decision
Coming to Australia
Before you travel
Once you have been granted your Working Holiday Visa offshore you do not need to apply for another visa, such as an eVisitor (subclass 651) visa, to enter Australia.
If you apply for and are granted another visa (such as subclass 651 visa) after the grant of your second Working Holiday visa, your Working Holiday visa (and related work rights) will cease on the date that visa is granted.
If your second Working Holiday visa ceased due to the grant of another visa, such as an eVisitor visa, and you entered Australia on that other visa, you may be able to apply for another second Working Holiday visa while you are in Australia. You will need to pay the Visa Application Charge (VAC) if you apply again.
Check your travel documents are up to date.
- Your Working Holiday visa will be linked to the passport you declared on your application. If you obtain a new passport after your visa is granted, you must tell us your new passport details. See how to tell us if your situation changes.
- If you do not update your passport details, you will face delays at your overseas departure point and may not be permitted to board your flight
You must have:
- a Working Holiday visa that is in effect to enter Australia - you do not need a separate visa to enter Australia (the Department recommends that you keep a copy of your grant letter (electronic or paper) while travelling)
- a valid passport or other travel document
If you also hold another visa
It is important that you only apply for a Working Holiday visa once you are ready to enter Australia on that visa. Once we grant your Working Holiday visa and you travel to Australia and are immigration cleared at the border, the 12-month visa period of stay will automatically start upon entry, regardless of the purpose of your visit.
The Working Holiday visa period of stay will commence even if you are transiting through Australia on your way to another country, and if you hold one of the following temporary visas in conjunction with your WHM visa:
- Special Purpose visa (for example, airline crew members who have been registered for a Crew Travel Authority (CTA) or transit passengers from certain countries)
- Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601)
- Maritime Crew visa (subclass 988)
- Transit visa (subclass 771)
If you applied for a COVID-19 Pandemic event (subclass 408) visa
If you hold a Working Holiday visa and have an undecided COVID-19 Pandemic event visa application, but you no longer wish to be granted this visa, you must withdraw your application as soon as possible. If your COVID-19 Pandemic event visa is granted, it will replace your Working Holiday visa.
You can withdraw your application by submitting Form 1446 Withdrawal of a visa application via ImmiAccount.
At the border
Completing an Incoming Passenger Card
All people arriving in Australia must complete the Incoming Passenger Card. You will be given this card onboard.
Leaving the airport faster
We have an automated process that uses facial recognition technology and your ePassport, if you have one. You may be able to leave the airport faster if you use SmartGate.
In Australia
What you can do when you have this visa
- have a holiday
- do any kind of work
- study for up to 4 months
- travel to and from Australia as many times as you want
- do 6 months of specified work to become eligible for a third Working Holiday visa
Work
Usually, you can only work for the same employer for 6 months.
You can work another 6 months with an employer you worked for on your first visa.
To see your specific work entitlements use VEVO.
You must pay taxes when you work.
You are protected by Australian workplace law. See your workplace rights and entitlements.
Superannuation
If you earn over a certain amount, your employer must pay superannuation into your superannuation fund. Australia has compulsory superannuation - a retirement savings scheme.
Study
You can study for up to 4 months (17 weeks).
To see your study entitlements use VEVO.
Travel
You can travel outside Australia and return as many times as you want while the visa is in effect.
Time spent outside Australia after the visa is in effect does not extend the visa period of stay in Australia.
How long you can stay
This depends on your circumstances when you applied and we granted the visa. Your grant notification will tell you how long you can stay in Australia and you can also use VEVO to check your visa details and conditions.
You were in Australia on your first subclass 417 visa or a bridging visa
The bridging visa must be the one you were granted after your first subclass 417 visa expired.
You can stay for up to 12 months from the date your first Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa expired or would have expired.
You were in Australia on a different visa
You can stay for 12 months from the date we granted the visa.
You were outside Australia
You can stay for 12 months from the date you entered Australia on the visa.
To see when you must leave, use VEVO.
Time spent outside Australia after the visa starts does not extend the visa period of stay in Australia.
Stay longer
You can't stay in Australia longer by extending this visa.
You could apply for a third Working Holiday visa if you are eligible.
See your options.
What you must do on this visa
You must meet all visa conditions and obey Australian laws.
See your conditions in your visa grant letter or VEVO.
Proving you have a visa
To prove you have a visa and show your conditions to someone, use VEVO.
Tell us if things change
Things you need to let us know about include:
- changes to your passport
- changes to your relationship status
- the birth of a child
See how to tell us if your situation changes.
Leaving Australia
Before you leave
Check your travel documents
You must have a valid passport or other travel document to leave Australia.
See what to do if your visa has expired or is about to expire.
At the border
Departures SmartGate
We have an automated process that uses facial recognition technology and your ePassport. You may be able to leave the airport faster if you use SmartGate.
After you leave
Getting your superannuation
You are likely to have some money in a superannuation fund if you worked in Australia and you are:
- aged 18 years or older
- paid AUD450 or more before tax in a month
See how to access your super.
Proving you have been to Australia
Request your international movement records to get proof of your travel in and out of Australia.
