Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417)

The Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) allows eligible young adults to take an extended holiday in Australia while supporting themselves with short-term work.

This visa is usually available to people aged 18 to 30 years old (inclusive). However, Canadian, French, and Irish citizens may apply up to 35 years old (inclusive).

A subclass 417 visa is valid for 12 months and allows multiple travel entries in and out of Australia during that period.

What this visa allows you to do

With a 417 visa, you can:

Stay in Australia for up to 12 months
Travel in and out of Australia multiple times while the visa is valid
Work for up to 6 months with the same employer
Study for up to 4 months

In some cases, work in certain industries and regional areas may be allowed for up to 12 months.

Second and Third Working Holiday Visas

You may be able to apply for a second or third Working Holiday visa if you:

Hold, or previously held, a subclass 417 visa, and
Completed the required amount of confirmed specified work while on your previous visa.

Required specified work

Second 417 visa: at least 3 months specified work
Third 417 visa: at least 6 months specified work

Important 2025 Update (Specified Work Postcodes)

New postcodes were added to bushfire recovery and other disaster recovery work areas.

On 5 April 2025, the Department of Home Affairs updated the list of eligible areas for Working Holiday Makers (WHMs) to undertake specified work to qualify for a second or third WHM visa.

This update expands the list of postcodes for WHMs undertaking:

Bushfire recovery work
Flood recovery work
Cyclone recovery work
Other severe weather disaster recovery work

This applies to:

Working Holiday (subclass 417), and
Work and Holiday (subclass 462)

For applications:

Lodged on or after 5 April 2025, OR
Lodged before this date but not yet decided

417 Visa Eligibility Requirements

Passport requirement

Subclass 417 is only available to passport holders from the following countries/territories:

Belgium
Canada
Republic of Cyprus
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Hong Kong
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Republic of Korea
Malta
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden
Taiwan
United Kingdom (including British National Overseas passport holders)

Age requirement

You must be aged 18 to 30, unless you are a passport holder of:

Canada
Denmark
Ireland
Italy
United Kingdom (including BNO)

In that case, you may apply up to 35 years old.

Other requirements

You must also:

Apply online from outside Australia (for your first 417 visa)
Not be accompanied by dependent children at any time
Have enough money to support yourself (commonly around AUD $5,000)
Meet health and character requirements

If applying for:

Second 417 visa: you must have completed at least 3 months specified work
Third 417 visa: you must have completed at least 6 months specified work

417 Visa Specified Work

What counts as specified work?

The Australian Government defines certain types of work as eligible for the specified work requirement.

In most cases, specified work must be completed in regional Australia, which generally means most areas except major cities such as Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Eligible work types include:

Plant and animal cultivation in regional Australia
Fishing and pearling in regional Australia
Tree farming and felling in regional Australia
Mining in regional Australia
Construction in regional Australia

✅ You can complete specified work with one employer or multiple employers.
✅ You can spread the work across your stay in Australia.

Voluntary work

❌ Voluntary work cannot be used to meet the specified work requirement.

How 3 months and 6 months are calculated

3 months specified work

Defined as an evidenced period of paid, full-time equivalent work over at least:

88 calendar days

6 months specified work

Defined as an evidenced period of paid, full-time equivalent work over at least:

176 calendar days

“Full-time equivalent” work means one full day of work as considered standard for the role and industry.

Part-time or piecework work

You can use:

Part-time work, and/or
Piecework rate work

However, it must add up to the minimum full-time equivalent of:

5 days per week over the required time period.

What days count as specified work?

Counted as specified work:

Paid public holiday leave
Paid sick days

Not counted as specified work:

Unpaid leave or holidays
Unpaid days due to seasonal or severe weather

Working Holiday Visa vs Work and Holiday Visa (417 vs 462)

Key difference

Both visas allow young people to holiday and work in Australia for up to 12 months, but:

Subclass 417 has no education or English requirements
Subclass 462 often requires education evidence and English ability

Subclass 417 vs Subclass 462 Comparison

Subclass 462 (Work and Holiday)

You must:

Be 18 to 30 years old
Not have dependent children with you
Hold a passport from an eligible country
Have enough money (about AUD $5,000)
Meet education requirements (varies by country)
Meet functional English requirements (in many cases)

Subclass 417 (Working Holiday)